Our House is On Fire | Article
The last few months have been extremely difficult for a lot of people in Australia who’s lost their homes and/or their loved ones.
— At least 24 people dead
— More than a billion animals dead
— 8,000 koalas dead
— Over 5.5 million hectares burned (the size of Belgium)
— Fire perimeter more than 10,000 miles long
— More than 1800 homes destroyed
— Thousands of other buildings & structures destroyed
— An as yet uncalculated number damaged
— 10 million people or more breathing in toxic levels of smoke
— Australia’s largest ever evacuation under way
— Third State of Emergency declared for NSW this fire season
— State of Disaster declared for the state of Victoria
— Thousands of people trapped in towns that need to be evacuated
— Thousands of people on beaches sheltering from intense heat, ash and burning embers.
— No end until at least March or April
I find extremely hard to digest everything is going on in Australia at the moment. I feel helpless, sad, angry, frustrated, worried and incredible ashamed of this government who doesn’t acknowledge nor associate the Australian bushfires with climate change.
During my holiday break, I read a book called “No one is too small to make a difference” by Greta Thunberg. The book is a recollection of her public talks during the first half of 2019. Reading the book was highly inspiring and emotional at the same time:
“I don’t want your hope. I don’t want your panic. I want you to act. I want you behave like our house is on fire. Because it is.”
Following Greta’s call of action, here are a few things you can do to help if you are feeling as hopeless as I do:
— Make your VOTE count
— Spread Awareness: The bigger your footprint, the bigger your responsibility. The bigger your audience, the bigger your responsibility.
— Join a Climate Action Rally
— Attend a fundraising event
If you are in a position to donate food or money, please check out the following organisations:
Fire Relief Fund for First Nation Communities
Wildlife Victoria
RSPCA Victoria
WIRES Wildlife Rescue
CFS Foundation
Australian Red Cross
CFA (Country Fire Authority)
NSW Rural Fire Service
Foodbank Australia
You can stay informed by reading:
The Climate Council
Guardian Australia
ABC News
Stop Adani
LOVE Charity Print
A couple of years ago, I created this original artwork as a celebration of love: Love for each other and love for mother nature.
I’m now releasing an affordable limited edition print to contribute funds towards the Australian bushfire crisis. 100% of sales will be donated to CFA Victoria.
— EDITION OF 25
— 40 x 50 CM
— $100 AUD
— SIGNED & NUMBERED
— 320GSM COTTON RAG PAPER
The first print of this edition is traveling to Tasmania to be part of a fundraising group show organised by the Bob Brown Foundation.
You can purchase the print here.
| A deep and huge THANK YOU to all the firefighters working tirelessly to defend Australia, and everyone else who has been helping or donating towards the Australian bushfire crisis in any form. |
Respect nature as your own family, educate yourself and take responsibility of your actions. Love, Maria |
This post was part of my Jan 2020 email newsletter “Our House Is On Fire“.