9th July 2026
Joining the Dots
As a child you may have done dot-to-dot puzzles. Joining together the dots in the page – in the order in which they are numbered – would reveal a picture that wasn’t obvious before.
In a world which is increasingly complicated there are just so many dots that it seems as if we can’t see the bigger picture. Joining the dots is not always straight forward as, unlike the dot-to-dot puzzles, they are not numbered. Sometimes a bit of thought and bit of reading, is sufficient to see which dots join together.
Climate Change
For example, looking at a chart showing temperature increases over the last two centuries and comparing it with a chart showing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it is easy to join the dots and see the connection: as carbon emissions have increased so have temperatures. A little more probing and we can see the dots that tell us that it is human activity that has caused the increase in carbon emissions, principally through the burning of fossil fuels.
It may take a little more reflection and research to see that the increase in the burning of fossil fuels is linked with each of the following –
- an increased number of diesel and petrol vehicles on the roads,
- an increased number of air flights
- an increased number of coal and gas power stations – and that linked to n increased demand for electricity
- an increased demand for plastics and other products based on fossil fuels.
Our human lifestyle is linked via fossil fuels to climate change.
Water Shortages
Water shortages become more acute during periods and dry weather. And yes, those weather conditions and more especially changes in climate, do contribute to water shortages. But with a bit of reflection, we may find other factors at play.
- As more people move into drier regions (eg into the south east of England) local resources will struggle to meet demand.
- Whilst showers use less water than baths, more frequent showers and the the use of power showers, will increase demand for water. Ditto power hoses. Ditto washing machines too use substantial amounts of water – may be as much as half our daily average consumption.
- Agriculture is a substantial consumer of water especially rearing livestock – including the water needed to grow animal feed.
- Clothing manufacture including the growing of cotton in particular the dying of fabrics, is water intensive. The more clothes we buy, the greater the stress we place on water reserves.
- Data centre use large amounts of water to cool the equipment. We don’t always think to join the dots between our use of data – streaming, online games, storing data (much of it superfluous to use), use of Siri and other AI ‘helpers’, emailing etc – and the need for data centres and the knock on effect on water (and energy) supplies.
Our lifestyle choices can seriously impact other parts of our lives.
Animal welfare
In Britain we often pride ourselves on our love for animals. We also love our traditional meals – bacon and eggs, roast beef, chicken tikka masala etc – but don’t always join the dots.
- The hen that lays our eggs will have outlived its brother who will have been killed day one. Her own life will be about 72 weeks after which it’s laying efficiency will assign it slaughter. Had she not been a commercial hen, her life span could be 7 to 8 years.
- The hen that becomes ‘chicken’ will have had a life of about 6 weeks before its genetically design physique and feed, will have ensured a suitable slaughter weight.
- Similarly constricted life spans apply to dairy and beef cattle, to pigs and sheep.
Deforestation
Deforestation is widespread across the globe and its impact on temperatures, on biodiversity, on indigenous lifestyles, on rainfall patterns and flooding, and on carbon levels, is devastating. Across the globe we bewail the loss of these trees and implement legislation that should halt the destruction. But we don’t always join the dots.
Deforestation is driven by increasing demand for:
- Meat – large tracts of forest are cleared to make way for cattle farms and for vast fields growing animal fodder. The majority of the feed fed to livestock in the UK is imported.
- Biofuels – large tracts of forest are cleared to make way for bio fuel crops such as sugar cane and palm oil. Equally disconcerting is the clearance of forests to provide wood pellets for biomass heating and power stations.
- Mining minerals such as copper, cadmium, lithium etc which on the one hand are essential for manufacturing batteries but on the other hand often involve the destruction of forests and the pollution of the land further da aging water supplies and biodiversity.
Our lives and what we consumer can be very complicated. Sometimes we have to make choices to restrain what we consume in order that we can ensure a sustainable future for everyone.
The Green Tau 