I’m so green these days. I have an electric car, which helps flowers grow and I even have an electric bike. Which must be better than pedalling because if I’m exerting less then I’m breathing out less carbon monoxide than if I was on a push bike and hence I’m melting less of the polar ice caps.

Because we’ve all become just a little obsessed about ‘green’ issues, the environment, global warming (only in Ischia and Greece, not over here, that’s for sure) and carbon emissions, particularly where ULEZ is concerned. Basically, we remain really really concerned about OTHER PEOPLE’S selfish carbon emissions. Whilst we make token gestures, as long as they don’t cost any money. Because once they start talking about Heat Pumps (15 grand) or solar panels (more) then it starts to remain someone else’s problem.

And this is on a personal level, but represents precisely the global and even national, political attitude too.

We do our bit: WHAT ABOUT INDIA? CHINA??? AM-ERRR-ICCAAA????

But in politics it makes it tricky. Because green is a vote-winning colour. And yet, there’s thousands of jobs at stake in oil and gas industries plus, obviously, lots of money to be made from drilling them out of the North Sea. And jobs are BIG vote-winners and yet these jobs upset the environmentally concerned.

Rishi Sunak has pledged an end to petrol/diesel cars by 2030 and over 50% of his party are opposed to this, seemingly quite conservative and straightforward measure towards our ‘net zero’ target, which will, I think it safe to say, will never happen other than ‘on technicalities’. Like the one he’s proposed whilst issuing 100 new licenses for oil and gas drilling off the Scottish coast. Because of ‘carbon storage’. Oh, brilliant. Which is almost like making excessive carbon emissions disappear but… but… but actually they’re buried a little further down the Scottish coast under the sea.

Rishi maintains, probably correctly, that, until alternatives are in place, people will probably appreciate the oil and gas because without it its going to be very very cold and dark in the house. Whereas whinger in chief, Kier Starmer, is one hundred and sixteen percent (Diane Abbott did the sums) behind greener everything and is prepared to throw himself in front of any proposed drilling rigs to prevent any further environmental abuses by this nation. I’m prepared to help and hold him still til the thing hits him. Because he’s gung ho for the green vote, even though he lost a by-election because of it.

And it does seem to be a political spectrum thing. Lefties love green and all want their grandchildren to hug trees. Centrists (like Rishi) are pragmatic, a little cynically disposed towards green noises, but realise its a slow move towards environmental perfection. Whereas when you get further to the right, they don’t care, aren’t concerned about the carbon and at the extreme end, simply don’t believe any of it. The Donald Trump end.

So I need YOU to do something about it, right now. Please! For the sake of MY planet!!!

Happy Monday

A xxxx