Tag: resilience

Green Tau issue 125

Defence or security?

16th June 2026

A recent article in the Church Times reported on 

The director of Trinity Centre for Post-Conflict Justice, at Trinity College, Dublin, Dr Jude Lal FernandoI, was among the participants, alongside Anglican church leaders, theologians, church partners, and USPG support. He warned that security concerns were increasingly being prioritised over communities’ basic needs, while hundreds of millions were still living in extreme poverty. “When space for peace and dialogue decreases, the space for violence and oppression increases, especially for women and children,” he said.

This led me to ponder what is the difference between security and defence?

Defence typically refers to the armed services and all their equipment and resources that can be used to repel enemy invasion either of our territory (here in the UK or elsewhere, eg the Falklands) or to support our allies where they are similarly threatened. Such defence would also include defence against cyber attack. 

Security I think is a wider issue that encompasses not just protection from enemy attack or aggression, but is about safeguarding the wellbeing of society as a whole. Thus security issues would include:

  • Food security: can we feed our population? Can we do so largely independent of imports? Do we keep enough in store to weather emergencies and/or supply disruption? Do we pay enough for farmers to survive financially? Do we ensure sufficient incomes so that everyone can afford healthy food? Do we grow the right range of crops (inc livestock) that allows us also to ensure the security of biodiversity and the environment?
  • Health security: are we doing enough to ensure the population is in good health? Do we have enough medical staff, hospital beds, drugs etc? Do we ensure everyone has access to a healthy diet? Do we ensure everyone has access to secure, safe housing – ie accommodation that does not damage their health? Do we ensure everyone has access to dental care? To mental health care? To social care? Do we ensure everyone has access to green spaces essential for mental wellbeing and to sports/ exercise facilities etc essential for physical health?
  • Community security: do we ensure everyone has access to education? That everyone can read, write, calculate and interpret information such that they are not likely to be deceived by false information. Do we ensure enough community spaces that are essential for developing and maintaining good social bonds and networks? Do we do enough to tackle discrimination essential for ensuring equality and harmony within communities?
  • Job security: do we ensure that everyone has access to an appropriate and fulfilling job? Do we ensure everyone has suitable skills and qualifications to enable them to contribute to the economy? Do we ensure sufficient investment in businesses to ensure that they contribute to our wellbeing and do not damage our environment? Do we ensure sufficient investment in our businesses that we can be self-reliant for all essentials? Do we ensure that all stakeholders in a business – staff, customers, nature etc – have a fair share of power and influence in determining the shape and future of the business? Do we ensure that everyone derives a fair benefit from the economy? 
  • Economic security: do we ensure that the economy that supports us financially does so in a way that is fair for everyone, that allows everyone to afford a healthy lifestyle, that protects the environment, that is sustainable over the long term?
  • Energy security: do we ensure we can produce enough energy ourselves to be self sufficient? Do we ensure that we do so at price that is affordable? Do we ensure all buildings, equipment and infrastructure is energy efficient? Do we have measures to ration water if necessary?
  • Water security: do we ensure that everyone has access to sufficient water for a healthy lifestyle? Do we ensure water efficiency at every level to ensure we do not consume more than we extract from our water resources? Do balance the need to maintain water resources against competing demands – whether from industry, agriculture, data centres, domestic users – and do we have measures to ration water if necessary?
  • Environmental security: do we look after the wellbeing of the natural environment to ensure that it can continue to support our wellbeing? Do we see it an essential life support system ensuring clean water supplies, for flood prevention, for clean air, plants to absorb carbon dioxide and provide protection from heat and winds, biodiversity to ensure fertile soils for food and insects for pollination, biodiversity to enrich life and safeguard against future unknowns?
  • Political security: do we ensure fair and democratic forms of government? Do we ensure truthfulness from political parties in both what they say and what they do? Do we ensure fair access to politicians such that those with money and power do not override the views of others? Do we ensure freedom of speech and nonviolent protest? Do we ensure a society where everyone feels valued and everyone feels their voice can be heard?
  • Judicial security: do we ensure a judicial system that provides access to justice to everyone and which is not influenced or used by those with money and power? Do we ensure fair policing? Do we ensure appropriate sentencing that will benefit the whole of society including both those who are victims and those who are offenders? Do we ensure a well designed and resourced custodial system that protects society and ensures the wellbeing of those imprisoned? 
  • Internet etc security: do we ensure that our internet and other communications systems are secure, that they cannot be compromised by error or deliberate intent? Do we ensure there are other systems in place such that if primary systems fail, essential services will be maintained?  Do we ensure that social media etc enhances rather than detracts from our wellbeing?
  • National security: do we ensure all the above which are essential for national security? Do we ensure good diplomatic, trade and welfare relations with other nations such that we work together to ensure peace? Do we ensure through good diplomatic, trade and welfare relations the wellbeing of other nations? – for unless they are at peace and thriving there will always be the risk of conflict and war that will impact us as part of a shred global economy.  Do we with care for the consequences of war, ensure  our nation has appropriately trained personnel and equipment that we can defend ourselves attack?

It seems to me that this bigger vision that the need for security rather than just focusing on defence, is essential if we are to be a happy secure nation. Indeed I’m not sure we gain much from defence if what is being defended doesn’t ensure happiness and well being for everyone.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 56

9th June

Another seasonal harvest is lavender. 

Lavender is best picked before  in the morning before the sun warms the flowers releasing their fragrant oil and best picked before the flowers become to open – again to ensure maximum fragrant oil that you are essentially harvesting. The cut flowers are put in paper bags (or large envelopes) before being put somewhere to dry – eg the airing cupboard. 

Later in the year the dried flowers can be put into cotton bags and used to scent drawer and bed linen.

However only  cut some of the flowers. Leave plenty of flowers for the insects – especially bees – and then for the birds – such as goldfinches – which in the winter will enjoy pecking out the seeds. 

Counting on 2026 …. Day 55

8th June

I am lucky enough to have space to grow strawberries and raspberries. I don’t garden with any particular skill but I do enjoy buying a bag of straw each year from the pet shop, explaining that it is for my strawberries!

Now is peak fruiting time and every day I pick a pudding bowl of raspberries and strawberries. Those we don’t eat fresh I turn into jam – and in the winter I shall enjoy that taste of summer!

Growing fruit keeps me in tune with the seasons – I guess one would find the same with a traditional greengrocers too or a seasonally-minded veg box scheme. Growing fruit encourages me to preserve the excess: having grown it, I don’t want any to go to waste. 

Eating what is in season and preserving what is in season for later in the year, builds up our resilience. It helps make for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 54

5th June

“When communities know how to grow food, cook together, preserve harvests, repair tools and build things with their hands, they rediscover agency. They are no longer only consumers within vast systems. They become participants in shaping the places where they live.

“These practices also nurture imagination. They remind us that the future is not only determined by distant institutions. It grows through the habits and relationships people cultivate together.” (1)

Somehow – and there never seems to be enough time or enough volunteers and participants – we do need to learn these skills. If we learn them as a community we can share the learning responsibilities. We won’t each have to learn each skill, just ensure that enough of us learn some of the skills the skills, so that between us as a community we are properly equipped.

  1. https://substack.com/home/post/p-190602804

Counting on 2026 …. Day 53

4th June

Another quote from the Hazelnut Community: “Develop practical skills (kitchen, carpentry, machine repair, food processing, sewing, etc.) Teach these skills to children and friends, neighbours.” (1) 

I have recently had a go at mending our shed door – re-securing cross pieces where the factory installed staples had apart, this time using screws. A little auger that had come from a pst generation proved very useful in starting the holes, and an equally vintage screw driver finished the job. 

This makes me wonder a) where one would get such tools today and b) are such vintage tools hidden away in the backs of sheds/ drawers/ attics waiting to the be revitalised?

 a) they are available and are known as gimlets. b) yes and are available via vintage web sites.

(1) https://substack.com/home/post/p-190602804

Counting on 2026 …. Day 51

1st June

One step on from a water butt would be a rainwater harvesting system. This in essence is a large wtwr storage tank that collects and stores all the rainwater from your roof. Unlike a water butt it includes a filtration system to keep the water clean and a pump so that you can use the water for flushing toilets and running the washing machine – as well as watering the garden. 

Given the imbalance between winter and summer rainfall, and the increasingly likelihood of droughts and water shortages, such systems will become increasingly common and practical, and will increase our personal resilience and our community resilience.

For more information – https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/rainwater-harvesting-information/rainwater-harvesting-information

Counting on 2026 …. Day 50

29th May

Caring for our water system is about caring for the environment and helping ensure that the system is resilient. Increasingly our weather is going to comprise wet winters with period heavy rainfall, and hot dry summers. 

Collecting rainwater in water butts helps in two ways. The obvious way is by providing a supply of water for the times when there is little rain – this can be used for watering the garden, or in times of real drought, can be used to flush toilet etc. 

The second way is to relieve pressure on the water drainage system by delaying the sudden rush of water into the system. This does presume your butts re empty before the storm comes – so there maybe some necessary preparation work before hand. You can install a water butt which releases one half of its content slowly over time leaving spare capacity for more water – https://uk.getwatersmart.com/product/buttinabox-butt-in-a-box-200l-waterbutt-kit-354

Or you can get  smart water butt! https://aquaiot.co.uk/smart-water-butts-rainwater-defence-against-flooding/)

Further reading – https://climateconnectionsplymouth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Slow-the-Flow-booklet-FINAL4.pdf

Counting on 2026 …. Day 49

28th May

Caring for water is to be mindful of what goes down the drain. Waste water systems – drains, sewers etc – are not intended as general rubbish bins! 

They are not places for alien chemicals. Using only eco friendly laundry and washing up liquids makes sense. Nor are they places for wet wipes, paper towels or paper serviettes – these are design to be strong and absorbent and doing that means they  likely block the drain!

They are not places for oil and grease – wipe excess oil from pans etc using a paper and put that in your compost heap or food bin. Nor are they the place for paints, white spirit, varnish etc. Your local authority should have disposal facilities for these.

Drains are also not the place for waste food – this should go in your compost heap or food bin (the latter only should be used for items like meat, fish etc).

Counting on 2026 …. Day 48

27th May

As part of being resilient, we aim to keep at least three days’ supply of food and water in the house. 

Green Tau Issue 121

As part of these emergency supplies, I am loath to buy bottles of water which I would then have to replace when they reached their expired date – it would be expensive and would produce unnecessary waste. So instead we keep next to the sink a mixture of 1 litre kilner bottles and 4.5 litre Demi johns. These we use and refill on rotation (the bottles are numbered) to fill the kettle, make drinks, cook with and  wash up etc. The water in the bottles is thus seldom more than 24 hours old – and in this hot weather, we keep a couple of bottles in the fridge too.