Mixed messages...

Who are we supposed to believe? Who can we trust? Are there any politicians, pundits, environmentalists anywhere who are acting out of sincere belief and absolute knowledge, or are they all tainted by self-interest and partisanship?

We have 'environmentalists' and politicians flying thousands of miles each week to attend conferences: why can't they use Skype or other media? Here in Europe we are told we must stop eating meat, driving diesel vehicles, use less electricity, recycle, use less plastic, while in the Middle East, South America and much of Asia burgeoning economies increasingly pollute the seas, skies and landscape.

* China's rivers once held unique species of freshwater dolphins and porpoises: not now.
* Vast swathes of rain forest are cleared for the production of palm oil, tea, coffee, beef and cereals.
* In the UK, arable land, woodland, heathland and moorland are built over or purchased for the construction of unwanted and pointless housing projects, airports and hyper-expensive rail systems: all to line the pockets of property developers and corrupt politicians: the proceeds end up in bank accounts in the Caribbean.

I stopped eating meat nearly forty years ago (before it became fashionable) largely because I found out that two large fast food chains were clearing thousands of acres of rain forest to establish beef farms. I haven't flown since I was a pilot in the Navy in 1969: long-distance recreational flights always seemed wasteful of fast-dwindling hydrocarbons to me. (Many people forget that these are essential in the production of plastics, medicines, lubricants etc) Linda and I recycle as much as we can and buy lots of stuff like garden tools, glassware, garden furniture and even clothes from markets and car boots. But this all seems like a wasted effort when I see tick-hungry birders flying off to Scottish islands or the Scillies to glimpse an owl or warbler.

I've sent a few quid towards the rebuilding of Notre Dame: it deserves to be rebuilt - it's a beautiful piece of architecture: a genuinely wonderful monument to the skill and effort of medieval masons and workmen. Now social media is trying to make me feel bad about my donation. Stuff it: I refuse! When trillions are wasted on governmental quangos, armaments, overseas aid to ungrateful and inimical regimes, how dare some political theorist tell me my tenner should have gone into some 'more worthy' cause?