As an environmentalist and as a Pantheist, it is very saddening to see the disrespect so many people have towards nature - towards the planet that has given us everything we know and the creatures and ecosystems which inhabit it. Now, in 2016, enormous amounts of precious fuel reserves are being burned without any great concern for the impact of these emissions on the environment or for the future of society after they run out, millions of tonnes of rubbish are being buried underground with little concern as to the effect on surrounding ecosystems and vast swathes of rainforest are being destroyed largely to feed a livestock trade which is now a massive contributor to climate change.

The main issues here are overconsumption, ignorance and a lack of regard for nature or for the future.

I have been very frustrated with these issues for a long time now and have done as much as I can in my own life to reduce my carbon footprint - I cycle almost everywhere I go, recycle everything I can, regularly do conservation work and use as little gas and electricity as possible. But now I feel it is time that I should try to make more of an impact than that. Climate change is a massive problem for the whole planet and therefore it is something we must aim to solve together, not just as individuals.

In summer 2016 I will be cycling roughly 1000 miles from John O'Groats to Lands End as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Diamond challenge. My hope is that through this I can raise money for Friends of the Earth, a great charity which addresses and tackles green issues on a massive scale. In order to complete this mammoth challenge I'll need all of the support I can get. Join me or sponsor me and help campaign for key green issues like reducing dependence on fossil fuels, recycling more and reducing overfishing, excessive meat eating and overconsumption in general. It isn't just about supporting the amazing work of charities like Friends of the Earth - it is also about changing our own attitudes towards conserving nature, reducing waste and stopping overconsumption.

I am also raising money for the DofE on this page:
https://www.justgiving.com/joes-diamond-challenge2016/