POETRY SLAM: Nothing to worry about

Angela Turzynski, 12/1

It’s here. It affects all of us and has been there, dozing beneath us, for decades while a lot of time has been wasted.

Time in which scientists warned us, politicians deliberately ignored stuff but global warming did not need an invitation to fall upon us.

Neither did it interest us, neither did we care, neither did we dare.

Dare? Dare what, you ask?

Dare to think of the possibility of the world facing a great challenge, a task which requires all of us to act.

And that’s probably why many people have neglected that fact.

Global warming is indeed a danger and climate change cannot be held up without any changes.

People rather looked away, let themselves sway, in their own individual way of living, more of a taking than giving,

in their own thoughts about what car they might need,

if they fly to New York or the Caribbean,

what problems they face and what mistakes they have made.

People lose their homes due to fires and flooding.

And what do we do? We keep on moving.

We live in a weird world where Notre Dame burning is more important than the Amazon rainforest yearning. For help. From us.

We might also watch when the permafrost soil will eventually melt and release unthinkable masses of carbon dioxide and methane, a damage the world cannot contain. To speed the whole process up, because why not? Yeah, why not?

Driving to the baker’s shop, because why not?

Eating lots of McDonald’s food since you’re just in the mood, because why not?

Buying plastic bottles, because why not?

Because if only I do it, why the hell not? But guess what: It’s getting hot.

And if you think that you alone won’t make a difference anyway, then look at all these guys who endanger this race.

We need to stop being ignorant, quit tweeting about things that annoy us but stand up and I’ll tell you that: Even the slightest change can have an effect, just like studying has an effect, making your grades better and your stress lesser.

But we have to stress. We have to handle the climate crisis as what it is. A crisis, and I’m not being nice here.

Change of attitude will contribute, stop criticising and start sympathizing.

Criticising climate activists for not doing this and that, for not being perfect, scratching the surface, laughing about Thunberg, why do you do that?

Quit criticising others simply because you know you could do good for the environment yourself but you don’t. That’s because you’re lazy – and that’s just crazy.

Good job politicians, the new sales receipt law is a retrogade step instead of progress, this is exactly what we need to process.

Others still dwelling in the past, not being fast, catching a glimpse of the problems at hand, making all of us want to rant.

No existential political action, no restrictions, no change.

That equals defeat, we surrender to this fiend.

I’m using ‚we‘ because no one is innocent, no one can be, we let this happen, we are no friend.

And I’m asking you to participate now.

Raise your hand if you lit fireworks to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Raise your hand if you ate meat at christmas.

Raise your hand if you drive car regularly.

Raise your hand if you use plastic bags (and)

Raise your hand if you dream of travelling abroad.

And see, this is reality. Though I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, I just hope that we use our ability.

Hope is what we seek, change is what we need and we are the key.

‚Cause every little change can help us succeed.

Since I don’t want this to have a negative ending, I will just say ..

Let’s do our best for a happy ending.