I don’t know who I’m working for. I only know the effort I am now putting into living differently is hard work, but I can see some instant benefits, and that is encouraging, reaping rewards encourages increased action.
I recognise it isn’t enough to work towards my own future, or that of my children or even that of my grandson. The way I live now is just a small contribution in the big picture of trying to future proof our world for them, but also for their children’s children and generations I will never meet in person.
There’s so much of beauty and interest in this world that I’m fortunate to encounter every day living and working from our 50ft narrowboat.
This week, the week that hosted Earth Day 2021, and the week we traveled through certain areas of Staffordshire, has brought home dramatically how what we take for granted could be under threat.
This year I am acutely aware of the accelerating pace of Spring. Every day it seems new buds appear, new flowers arrive to show off their colours and scents. After the busy bustle of Fradley Junction where we pulled in by the Laughing Duck cafe to fill up at the slowest water point ever, and after emptying all the waste, we’d earned a pint outside the Mucky Duck (aka The Swan). Narrowboat life makes you very aware of your water consumption and waste production – you can’t help it!
Through the last two locks of the Fradley five and then expecting dappled calm of Fradley Wood – we suddenly found ourselves facing the reality of work for HS2, the high speed rail line. The main line and subsidiary line will both affect this part of Staffordshire. A bridge will be constructed for the main rail line to pass over the canal where Fradley Wood currently stands, or at least what’s left of it stands.
On one side of the canal trees have been felled already. Stumps alone remain amid dusty soil in a scene of total decimation of the woodland and the habitats it provided. On the opposite side of the canal every single tree still stood, but for how long we couldn’t tell. Each tree was singled out for destruction with a cross.
Further on just round the most southerly point of the Trent and Mersey Canal at Wood End Lock it was a huge contrast and delight to find a tranquil mooring spot opposite Slaish. This woodland of deciduous trees, packed with squirrels, foxes and birds will be amazingly different when the huge rhododendrons come into flower. Our only company were nesting rooks and rabbits. The bank alongside the boat was covered in tiny purple violets.
Slaish and neighbouring Black Slough Wood with their habitats for a variety of English floral and fauna also going to be affected by HS2. They were the scenes of Extinction Rebellion protests in the Autumn and Winter of 2020 but seeing the beautiful reality and hearing the soundscape of calm woodland brings home the cost of such transport expansion. Whilst I appreciate the argument that quicker rail will reduce road traffic, we haven’t seen that happen yet even though such promises have been made time and time again.
The next morning we moved on towards Handsacre and Armitage where we encountered more impacts of HS2, along with the desperate but apparently futile protests of people desperate to save the rich flora and fauna around them from destruction.
It brought into stark contrast the pleasure we’ve experienced watching nature unfold its delights for us this week. Ducklings have kept us astonished and amused. Tiny fluff balls that seem to be blown across the canal but are actually propelling themselves at incredible speed for their size with their minute muscles, and larger youngsters hopping and flopping in the water as they try to catch tasty gnats just above the surface.
We’ve walked miles on footpaths, woodland and towpaths, walks brightened by the glimpse of a vivid yellow dandelion flower, a glade of bluebells beginning to flower, a flash of white from a clump of lesser stitchwort against the green grass of a verge, and the mouthwatering scent of ransoms (wild garlic). Forget-me-nots, lady’s smock and the peppery yellow gorse flowers have all added colour, texture and in some cases extra flavour to our days.
As we’ve cruised we’ve been using our trusty fishing net, well repaired now after it’s carbon fibre handle snapped under the weight of too much saturated litter. We’ve landed whatever rubbish we can reach that’s floating in the canal – cans, plastic bottles and plastic sheeting this week. We’ve been moored now near the glorious Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire for a couple of days. Our walks have taken us along carriage drives, over ancient bridges, across canal and rivers into the woodland of Cannock Chase. We’ve litter picked as we’ve gone, just to try and leave the place a little better for us being there, and as a thank you for being able to enjoy these surroundings.
Back on the boat our mornings and evenings have been entertained by new neighbours – as you might expect from such impressive surroundings, we’re not just picking up ducks here! A stately heron and a very determined swan have made our acquaintance this week along with acrobatic moorhens and a robin all fluffed up in the chill of the morning frost.
These may appear small things perhaps, but it is the small things which give meaning and value to our lives. Imagine how bleak the world would be if future generations were never able to see these flowers, or birds, or hear the high passionate descending song of the robin. Earth Day brought our focus to what we can do – each of us as well as politicians and world leaders to work to preserve the world we live in for our wellbeing and economic survival.
We all need a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health & survival, and happiness. A healthy planet is not an option – it is a necessity.
Earth Day 2021
Together we have our small but meaningful part to play in climate action, in supporting science and educating ourselves. If we don’t know about or notice what is around us then we are inclined to dismiss them as unimportant. We can all conserve and restore, make the most of resources and enjoy the process of recycling, reusing and upcycling too. We can reduce pollution and consider before we consume whether water, power or food. Together we can seek to cut our foodprints, eating a UK fruit instead of a banana which has been flown thousands of miles to us. It may seem that our actions are like a drop in the ocean, but every little positive action makes a difference, and there is huge satisfaction in knowing like you are doing something that matters, something that makes a difference not just for now but for the future.
Earth Day is one day but what we do every day at home, at work and in how we get between the two, can and will have an impact. Let’s every day a positive impact, for everyone to try and future proof the world we have left, for everyone.
On a practical note, it’s interesting how our priorities have changed – life rather than work has prominence and in more mundane but equally important matters the bucket-hand-powered washing solution seems to be working well. The whirly washing line attaches well at the back of the boat (when stationary) but even in such a constrained space with no mechanics to eat them, socks vanish!
Was this, I wonder, the sock thief?
Pickingupducks 