How can it go on for all of us here?

A glance at the daily newspaper, the morning radio news, conversations with friends andacquaintances – crisis mode is omnipresent and there seems to be no escape. Thetemptation is great to isolate oneself from the devastating news, to enjoy one’s happinessto the fullest for as long as one can. Most people at least manage to find a safe haven froma pandemic or a war – but where can we hide from the climate crisis that is becoming evermore apparent?

And then there is the anxious look at our own children and their future. What are weleaving behind for the young ones whom we love so much and for whom we feel we havedone everything humanly possible to ensure that they have a good and worthwhile life hereand now? And the agonizing question: have we really done everything?

And again, the always same, tempting thought shoots in: what can I change on my own -either everybody does it, or it won't work. As long as China and America are still suppliedby coal-fired power plants, what difference does it make what we do here in Europe? Evenif Europe would be a role model in environmental protection, it will not change theclimate situation of a whole planet! And anyway: the atmosphere is already heavilymarked by at least 250 years of burning fossil raw materials – a large part of the energy,which was locked up for millions of years and could mature, is brought out with a blink ofan eye and burned, utilized and exploited for the purpose of never-ending increase of thequality of life without consideration of losses. Obviously, that cannot work.

As apparent as this thought may be and as well-worn as the slogans of "everyone can andmust make his contribution" may sound, it is of no use. We live in this time and have onlythis moment to make a difference. Neither can we undo the past, nor will it help ustoday to tell ourselves that man has always found solutions to everything and thatbreakthrough technologies will eventually help us then when they are really needed.

The simple fact is that we have to set a good example and do what is possible here andnow, what we can influence. No more and no less is required of us, no more and no lessshould and must be required of us. Is there any alternative?

To start with the simplest and most obvious, hence is not a bad idea: what is alreadythere must be consumed, used and enjoyed to the fullest.