$10 Trillion, And Counting!

Figures released by the International Monetary Fund show that the "credit crunch" has cost the worlds governments more than $10 trillion. Whilst much of this has been in the form of loans and guarantees, about $1.9 trillion has been actual expenditure.

Money has been found so easily to meet this, and also the cost of the ongoing wars around the world, which cost many hundreds of billions more every year. Money can also be found to fund new space exploration and any number of large sporting events.

And yet, a tiny fraction of that would eliminate third world debt and deliver clean water, adequate food and basic education and healthcare to every person on the planet. Why can this money never be found?

Climate change has the potential to not just change the planet for many centuries to come, but could even threaten the existence of the human species (and many others!). We urgently need to decarbonise our economies, and develop new less exploitative and more sustainable ways of living. Even without climate change, we are consuming the finite resources of our planet at ever accelerating rates. Why is the money not being found to tackle this?

We in the minority rich countries all have a responsibility for these failings. Are we consuming just what we need or whatever we want? When will we learn that possessions do not bring happiness, and that there is such a thing as enough? We can challenge the status quo. Stand up and make your voices heard!

Do not accept a world where people are subservient to profit, where footballers and entertainers are valued so much more than doctors, teachers and carers, and where our extravagance will be the burden for our children's children in the years to come.