In the run-up to the COP26 Climate talks in Glasgow at the start of November, my brother Andy has started a little project called “Green Wednesdays”: with the climate crisis and the way everything is looking just now, it can be very difficult to feel you can do anything to make a difference, so a few of us are trying to take one small action every Wednesday. So far these have included planting some trees, going vegan for the day, cycling everywhere instead of getting in the car, making sure one’s pension fund is invested ethically and sustainably, and switching over to vegan cheese and vegan mayonnaise!

And I’ve been writing a new poem to go along with the project. This is the first section (there will be more):

Do Something Green

The environmental crisis

May have escaped your notice

If you’ve only been watching “Strictly”

And playing games on your phone

Or worrying about the prices

Of pints and cheese toasties

But it’s an issue we’ve got to deal with

And not one we can postpone

So if we decide to take some action

It might just get some traction

Each thing we do can make a difference

You know what I mean?

So how about, on Wednesday,

Be environmentally friendly:

Cut your carbon footprint

And do something green!