A Parent’s View on The School Strike for Climate: Sean O’Flaherty

Our Sales Manager Sean O’Flaherty reflects on how his children have changed his attitude, and his actions, for the better.

This week, students across the country and around the globe are striking again to “demand our Government and elected members take urgent and meaningful action for the climate and our collective future”.

It wasn’t long ago that I would have thought that this kind of unified movement for the environment was impossible. I was as guilty as the next person of knowing that action needed to be taken but not being able to break myself out of old thoughts and habits to make it happen.

Change can be hard whether its large or small, and often we imagine the worst possible outcomes.  I found recently that change often comes with as many unexpected benefits as downsides. Some of my recent decisions and the resulting changes should have happened a long time ago.

If I had had the courage to take the action required earlier, I would be in a much better position to create positive change now.

But it’s not too late.

We need to look to the future with optimism and work hard to ensure that change happens quickly. Quickly, and with enough scale to give our kids a decent chance at solving the problems we created or contributed to, before the disruption from climate change makes it an impossible task.

“The world is not given by our fathers but borrowed from our children.”

I imagine this Wendell Berry phrase will be quoted extensively this week It lies at the heart of what drives me day in day out to put all my best efforts into Enviro-Mark Solution’s mission “to inspire action for a better environment”. I have benefited from the age we live in and I believe we need to “pay our dues” (I believe in paying my debts).

I take inspiration from those striking this week and use it to put in maximum effort. I hope these efforts contribute to the regeneration of our environment and a better future for those walking out of school to make their message heard.

We all need to contribute to drive change and support the children to demand urgent and meaningful action. If we can’t contribute, we should at least make sure we are not resisting– we all need to play a part.

At the end of the day, I need to know I will be able to look my kids in the eye and let them know I did as much as I could make their world the best possible place it can be.

So, I say to you- please get behind the strike and think about how you can contribute.

Small changes all add up.