There is widespread agreement that we as custodians of our planet need to reduce our carbon footprint. Greta Thunberg called for immediate action to reduce global consumption. She could not have foreseen how quickly her wishes have been granted cruelly with the Covid 19 resulting in many world economies taking a hefty 14per cent reduction and upwards.

With Somerset Climate Action Network declaring a climate emergency, the present situation gives a foretaste what the true cost of going green might entail.

Meanwhile there is pent up demand for things to ‘get back to normal’. Such are the dialectical tensions between significantly reducing global consumption or returning to ravaging the planet.

It appears to be two hard choices with no easy solutions but there can be a middle way. Easter can be our time to reflect on how we navigate through our life in terms of what we need and what we can live without. When this crisis abates, we may find we can live a simple more satisfying life and preserve God’s creation on Earth.

Paul Cannons

Taunton