Now from what I can gather, the French President raised taxes on the cost of fuel (as per what is required for the Paris Climate Agreement) and then everyone got really upset and started protesting.
I understand that the protestors are upset, and they have every right to be. And we have had increased petrol prices and it isn't great... actually it sucks because those who are poorest suffer the most. However, as a society we are going to have to make sacrifices to stop the world increasing in temperature.
Sacrifices are going to be things like paying more for fuel so that we reduce our reliance on it. Paying more to support the small guy and not the big guy. Paying more for fair wages. - basically most things cost more. We will also have to sacrifice time and eventually the luxury of plastic. But the big one people care about is money.
I think though if I tried to tell that to a Paris protestor I would get shot, but they may not have thought of sacrifice, probably because they are really suffering. I don't know what the answer is. Maybe to scale fuel prices based on income or distance to work and access to public transport, I don't know.
For Christmas this year and having a new tree, I have only brought 3 new decorations. The rest on my tree were given to me and the we brought in Europe early this year. I'm never going to have to buy any more decorations. But the 3 I brought were from a small shop in Tiaro, just outside of Maryborough. A lovely old couple helped up put the tree in our car. The decorations were amazing, made of a hard glass, delicate. And expensive. But I know that those profits are going straight to the lovely couple.
Fair trade, locally made, hand made decorations, though more expensive, are better for the world in so many ways.
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