Change now.

A short thought on people.

You only need to take a quick glance at the problems we’re facing today to want lay down in the dark for a while. Pollution, climate change, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, deforestation, war, genocide, out of control AI - the list is seemingly endless.

We know by now these are all symptoms of an unsustainable system. You don’t need to be a mathematician to understand that an economy based on infinite growth in a finite world can’t last forever. To get us out of this mess we need a total, global transformation of our way of thinking and of doing - to work with nature, within the confines of our planet, and shift from an extraction economy to a renewable one.

The challenges are vast but I had the fortune of attending an event in Paris for work that gave me a much needed boost of inspiration.

Just a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais Éphémère was packed full of people utterly passionate about transforming our world.

From energy, waste and construction to rewilding soil, oceans and forests, there was an astonishing display of knowledge to immerse myself in. Experts gave empassioned talks to enraptured audiences on large scale environmental health restoration. Exhibitors showcased the latest in renewable packaging made from seaweed and mushrooms. My only disappointment was I couldn’t spend longer speaking with the people there over the full three days.

What excited me was not just the amount of people involved in the event but in the audiences travelling from far and wide to attend. Professionals. Families.

It showcased that we have the solutions to our greatest problems. There is an enormous, active and engaged base of people ready to implement them and eager to do so at scale. Ready to change the way we consume, the way we build, the way we bank, the way we heat our homes and grow our food.

Ready to restore our world.

Nature is resilient and adaptable, and given the opportunity it can recover from the damage we’ve dealt it. But we’re the ones that need to give it that opportunity. If we don’t, the human story will blink out of existence as quickly as it began.

The only people standing in between us and real, meaningful change… are us.

In other news, I’m in the final stages of post-production on a new, 15-minute (OK, 13 and a half minutes) documentary about birdwatching. I’m trying out a few different styles with the composer at the moment and it’s turning into something pretty nice that I can’t wait to share.

It’s a film about birds but it’s also a film about young women working in conservation, overcoming social barriers, fear, and hope.

Here’s a few shots of what we’re working on.