United Kingdom
Jim White
The global warming zealots have it all wrong, said Jim White in London’s Daily Telegraph. They may be divided on what, exactly, we should do to stop climate change, but they are united around one maxim: "Doing nothing is not an option." Yet doing nothing is, in fact, the best thing we could do. As The Idler magazine has pointed out in its "green" issue, it is our culture of busyness that makes us gobble up fossil fuels and spew out greenhouse gases at such disastrous rates. "If we keep on at this rate, the world will combust, spun into an early grave by the ant-like dashing of its human inhabitants." If, by contrast, we simply stop doing things, we’ll use very little fuel. Instead of "jetting off on holiday," spend your vacation taking walks in the park. When it comes to Christmas, don’t busy yourself buying junk that nobody needs "that has to be shipped in from China on a giant boat; buy nothing at all." Stop watching television. Read a book instead, or write a poem. "It makes sense: Do nothing and save the planet."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘Tariffs at their essence are an income transfer’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why is Trump backtracking on the Hyundai immigration raid?Today’s Big Question Backlash threatens investment in US manufacturing
-
The 9 restaurants to eat at this very momentThe Week Recommends They’re award-winning. Isn’t that reason enough?
