Survivors series and end of the world

Impending planetary destruction? Haven't we always had such a fear lurking there since the end of WW2? No longer than that - many religions have talked of 'end times' - but certainly in my lifetime the idea that 'Man' could cause the end is something new - now on top of the nuclear threat, plagues like Bird Flu, SARs and worse, we are finally waking up to the very real and huge threats of climate change. Is the climate threat any different from others?

Photos: Survivors

Many children and young people I have spoken with, find it incomprehensible that we are not taking action on climate change, their anger, dismay and more is strong (see for example 19th Feb 2007 blog) - infact cbbc found climate change was children's top fear - the results of their survey showed 75% of 11 to 14-year-olds worry about climate change, compared to 41% who are worried about going out with someone!

I was brought up in the late 60s/early 70s under the shadow of a possible nuclear disaster or war to end all wars - that was perhaps why the Survivors TV series had a profound impact on me.....it was a 38 episode drama series that aired between 1975 and 1977 - in essence, the series concerns the aftermath of a plague which had wiped out over 99% of the world's population and the experiences of a group of individuals in England as they grappled with the post-plague world and the trials of day-to-day survival.

Indeed I have, since the series, which has never been repeated on terrestrial television, often remembered it and the unease I felt while watching - I am sure it also helped along with 'The Good Life', John Seymour and other influences of the time, to lead me towards green politics. It was therefore very interesting to get the first series of Survivors on DVD this Christmas - I enjoyed very much - it is is dated, low-budget and full of land rovers and posh accents - a newspaper review of the time noted that it seemed like it was only the posh that survived the plague!

However despite the horror and unease in this Survivors series there is still a positive spirit that comes through - maybe I was too young when I saw it and too much of the unease stuck or maybe it is about the messages our society gives us - indeed I have to wonder that we are not doing the best for our children - or adults for that matter - much of the television reporting of climate change does not always leave us feeling empowered and positive - indeed we read of children going to bed worried about the polar bears and more. I've written before on this blog about how green campaigning has left people feeling terrible - what we fail to get across is that a greener world is one with more justice, warmer homes through insulation, local food, public transport systems that work etc etc.

Interestingly one of the next Coffee House discussion group meetings in Stroud hopes to look at what we should tell our children about climate change.

See article about 'Climate Change Scenarios Scare, and Motivate, Kids' here and sign onto a virtual march for global change.