I had the privilege last week of being invited to attend a student organised 'Sustainability Question Time' at Oxford Brookes University. What a great night out! Lively discussion and challenging questions. The final panelist fairly casually concluded that the world as we know it has probably already passed the "tipping point" and is likely to collapse.
No matter, that aside the evening proved how refreshing it can be to listen to the views of society's emerging leaders who don't have the vested interests and commitments that burden most people of my age. Down with cars...we don't need 'em. Turn your home heating down and wear a sweater. Never, never, never board an airplane and always eat seasonal veg.
Whether doing all or even one of these things will make the slightest difference to the fate of the human race is a moot point but the sincerity and passion of the participants was a tonic to any person who, like me, is eternally optimistic that things always turn out well in the end. My theory goes that if so many architecture students are so passionate about the world it must by definition be a good place.
Inevitably one comes away from such an event questioning one’s own values and lifestyle. Whatever the issue there is surely always more one can attempt to do. Ultimately, we can only ever be our own judge. Few commentators will ever agree on what is the perfect solution(s) so one would hope that good will come from many small gestures combining together into one large paradigm shift.