SUMMER IN THE CITY

hot town
summer in the city
back of my neck feeling dirty n gritty

the black friar, city of london, saturday 7pm

in the cool dark interior of this narrow wedge-shaped pub
i hide from the fierce sun
above an enormous marble fireplace
a group of friars frolick across a large bas-relief bronze
singing carols and playing instruments
i quaff london pride and chew on a tasty veggie burger
surrounded by carved marble figures of merry dominican monks
take away the bar
and this place could be church
every inch decorated in marble
mosaic
or sculpture
three arches lead into a smaller bar like a side chapel
above the bar hangs the motto:
TOMORROW WILL BE FRIDAY
various other aphorisms are scattered round the place:
INDUSTRY IS ALL
FINERY IS FOOLERY
i am watering here after an exciting day at uk aware
a sustainable living event at the barbican exhibition centre
this event is very different from the other ones i've been to
not a corporate guy in a suit to be seen
just a bunch of like-minded people gathered together
with one thing in common:
they are trying to make a difference
they look at 'business as usual' and its effect on the world
and give it a collective giant two fingers
these businesspeople, ngos and individuals
say 'yes' to the great challenge of our generation
rather than turning away
or waiting for someone else to do it
there's a camaraderie and an enthusiasm here that's infectious
so different from the jaded cynicism that i encounter too often
a few important themes coalesce in my mind:
information alone ain't enough
sure we need a lot more climate literacy
but we need to win over hearts and minds
we need to change the definitions of success and status
(suv owner = loser, cyclist = winner)
we need to make the unsexy sexy
('i've filled the gap' cavity wall insulation stickers?)
we need to take away the hassle and make sustainability fun
(recycling bins that make a gobbling noise
when you put something in them)
we need to be passionate
we need to create n sell our vision of the future
our ecotopia
not just harp on about dystopia
we need to say 'come on, get on board'
we need to drop the pink elephant and stop nagging
we need new words and language
to banish redundant labels like 'environmentalist'
and turn 'environmentalism' (aka making the right decisions)
into a normal and routine way of living
we need to get bolshy
until we get what we want