Fencing, peace and the climate

So there I am, watching my oldest daughter take her exam in fencing. The room at Djurgårdens fäktförening is worn down but filled with patina and people who live to teach this old, beautiful way of dueling to the next generation.
I watch the walls. They are filled with fencing posters from competitions from the 50:ies up until today - from Mexico, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Sweden, France, the US and Hungary among others. The artwork is amazing. But it´s also amazing that all these competitions have taken place during the cold war, nuclear arms race and times of terror. If people can come together over sports, we should be able to come together to save the planet, I think, with the poor result of the climate summit in Copenhagen in mind.

Living in Warmth

EVERY relative and friend I talk to in Sweden complain about the weather. They tell me it's raining cats and dogs and that half the country - more or less - is under water. Here in California climate change shows another face. Wildfire after wildfire is starting (some of them close to our house) and the temperature is seldom below 25 degrees. Personally I love it (except for the fires), its so nice to not worry about rain jackets or thick sweaters and to always have a bit of a tan. But climate change is real and we all need to think about living more sustainable. Recently I wrote about the heat and the fires in the US for TT. I interviewed climatologists who told me that California has not received as little rain as this past year since 1877. To people here it's an every day habit to sort garbage and conserve water. Many stores in San Francisco are banning the plastic bag and make people use tote bags instead. Organic food is huge, look at Wholefoods.
I think that change begins with small steps in our every day life. If we all care a little more we will create a better world. Environmental changes have often started as a grassrooth movement. Science is already far ahead and the politicians will follow... Meanwhile try not to drink coffee from paper cups. It's actually a part of a tree :)