Sustainable Solutions April 2009

VIEWPOINT
cycle paths and footpaths. The other night
Roz Savage
I was staying at a house in the country and
I wanted to meet some friends in a local
pub. It would have been a lovely night
for a walk, but it would have been sheer
suicide because the busy country road had
no footpath and no verges. So I would like
to see a 'Green Transport' bill that would
provide subsidies for public transport plus
improved infrastructure for pedestrians
and cyclists.
I'd also like to see a new set of
guidelines for town planning so that there
are more shops within walking distance
and a ban on further out-of-town shopping
centres built around enormous car parks.
Vancouver has led the way, and shown that
a thriving, modern, prosperous city can also
be pedestrian-friendly.
What are your
thoughts on the future of society?
Eco-adventurer, Roz Savage, worked as a management
I am optimistic. I perceive a rise in the
number of people who are living in a
consultant before trading in her London career for a life on
conscious, environmentally low-impact
the ocean. Here she explains why she doesn't have a home
way. But it will be a race against time to see
and why it is important for the green message to be 'cool'.
if the changes will be big enough and soon
enough to make a difference.
D
o you believe climate What actions do you Do you think a TV programme about
change is happening? feel politicians should be taking? carbon reduction would help?
Absolutely, yes. The ﬁ gures The Copenhagen Climate Conference in We need to use every weapon in our
speak for themselves. A December 2009 is a pivotal moment in armoury to combat climate change.
Republican friend warned me not to blog human history. If we get it right and commit A TV programme is one way of reaching
about climate change in case I "alienated to keeping greenhouse gases to below people, as are radio, books, articles, and
a potential audience" of people who 450ppm, then we have a chance. We're not other traditional media. But I believe that
either don't believe that climate change is talking about saving the planet here - we're the internet is becoming a predominant
happening or that humans are responsible. talking about saving the human race. force in the way that people receive
He advised that I stick to ocean rowing. I'm trying to spread the word. When their information. The trouble is that it
But the reason I started rowing was to use I row the 2,550 miles from Hawaii to encourages people to settle into a niche,
it as a platform to talk about the two issues Samoa this summer, I'll be asking people selecting only the content they want to
I feel passionate about - to live a spiritually to share in my challenge by walking more receive - and people tend not to select
fulﬁ lling life, in harmony with the planet. and driving less. We're going to aggregate content that up-ends their view of the world
everybody's miles and see how many virtual and demands that they radically rethink
What environmentally laps of the world we can achieve through their lifestyle.
friendly measures do you take at home? our combined efforts - and then present this Climate change data has been available
I don't have a home - which is probably the ﬁ gure to the Copenhagen delegates to say: for decades, but has failed to convince
most environmentally friendly thing I can "We've done our bit - now you do yours." the majority of people that urgent action
do. It means I buy very little in the way of is needed. Being right does not win
material possessions, because I don't have If you were prime minister for a week and arguments. The challenge facing the
anywhere to put them. As a relative non- you could push through one piece of green environmental movement is to put the
consumer I'm not driving the production legislation, what would you choose and why? message across in such a way that it
of goods and packaging. Many of our I would like to see a radical rethink of our becomes cool to be green.
problems stem from having ever-more transport policy. If we are going to get
humans consuming ever-more stuff. people out of their cars we have to make the Roz Savage rows across oceans to raise
My only asset is my boat and that is 100% alternatives much more attractive in terms enironmental awareness. In Summer 2009
self-sufﬁ cient in terms of energy. All its of better, cheaper, more convenient public she embarks on the second leg of her three-
electrics are powered by solar panels and its transport that goes to the places we want to stage solo row across the Paciﬁ c. For more
movement is powered by me and my oars. go, and a huge extension of the network of details, visit www.theblueproject.org.
58 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS April 2009
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