Sarah and I are so proud to have been part of Restore Nature Now, in London yesterday. 300 organisations and 60 - 80,000 people marched in celebration of our beautiful natural world, and with a mission to take leaders to task over their failures to protect our environment. It was just a small step ( well, about 20,000 steps in our case ), but it was a beginning. And *what* a beginning!
It was a wonderfully inclusive, family-friendly day where groups of people from all walks of life came together for a common cause - even the likes of The National Trust, the RSPB and WWT joined in with the more radical groups like Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion. The only way we can force effective change is for us all to unite in defence of the environment as one voice.
We assembled at Hyde Park Corner, then marched down Park lane and into the heart of London, passing through Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to all assemble in Parliament Square. Here we heard speeches from various concerned naturalists, young and old, including host Chris Packham, Megan McCubbin, Dale Vince ( my mate Kev's boss at Ecotricity ), Feargal Sharkey, Dr. Amir Khan and Nemonte Nenquimo, an indigenous activist who has secured environmental safeguards for areas of the Amazon. This last speaker ( and her interpreter ) only highlighted how environmental destruction is indeed a global problem that the whole world needs to address.
We made a lot of noise and turned a lot of heads. Many people laughed, cheered, took photos and honked car horns as we passed. Many more also looked bemused and / or dismissive, but nobody said this would be an easy struggle. So many people have other issues in their lives in these days of a cost-of-living crisis, and the plight of the environment may not be at the forefront of their minds. We're aiming to remind people how crucial nature and the environment are for their lives and for the life of the planet. Extinction Rebellion's Red Rebel Brigade ( above ) dress in Masque Of The Red Death-style robes to symbolise the blood we share in common with other species. After all, we're all in this together and there is no Planet B...
