If you live in the UK, or anywhere in much of northern Europe for that matter, chances are you're enjoying a fine and unusually quiet morning today. The reason for this is the closure of your airspace to civilian air traffic, leaving the sky empty for the first time since KLM commenced operations in 1920. Thanks to an Icelandic volcano, we have our first glimpse of a world without air travel.
Under the flightpath at Heathrow, householders are finding out what it's like to be able to leave windows open; in Manchester, one anxious lady complained to local radio that she's had to leave her radio on loud because the quiet is scaring her; and in many supermarkets the shelves are already emptying of perishable items as supplies of airfreighted food dry up. Since 95% of us shop at supermarkets*, it's the last one that should really scare you. If you're one of the people who scoffed at Lord Cameron's 'nine meals from anarchy' observation in 2007, it may be time to think again.
Predictions about how long the ash cloud will last vary, and media coverage still seems to be concentrating on the poor souls whose holidays are being disrupted, but it's worthwhile reflecting that the last eruption at Eyjafjallajokull lasted for two years (1821-1823). What would it mean for Europe if chunks of airspace had to be closed every time the wind blew from the north for a few days?
To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson, going green is a journey, not a destination. If your own journey has not yet included growing some of your own food, or at least starting to eat seasonally, then this might be a good time to consider it.
*Source: UK Food Standards Agency, 2001
8 comments:
It will certainly be interesting to see what happens next week if the flight disruptions continue. I'm off to sow more veggies! (Not that we buy air-freighted stuff much anyway.)
It's disconcerting, hey? I don't know what to make of it yet. I am fascinated about what the future holds now, especially whether ships will become more normal again, both for passengers and cargo. My partner had holidays in the UK planned and was so determined to get there he jumped on a 16 hour long bus to London. Am watching with fascination, that's for sure.
HAve fresh, clamped, stores, frozen and dehydrated veggies, here...so am delighted to see blue skies.....
sorry if my honesty offends...
but I really do feel delighted...
And here I was trying not to sound smug. As well as the usual salad things, I'm taking snap peas, spring onions and baby carrots from the polytunnel at the moment, and we buy fruit from Riverford which all comes in by boat - the best we can do until our fruit trees mature.
we would be smug too if we hadn't had the power cuts in the winter (our village was very badly affected) which wiped out the whole freezer stock of veggies and fruit :( As much as I love homemade jam and chutney I think it may not be enough to keep us self sufficient for long! I'm also glad of our Riverford box for the time being.
I don't actually feel smug, just pleased we don't live that kind of life and rather sorry for all those people worrying..... in many different ways, not least because it must be worrying from a food view point..
so, pleased, yes
smug not really
(well, maybe just a smidgin...!)
So, there you have it. Another good reason to have a garden.
I thought it was five meals from barbarism. My mistake.
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