I didn’t give to the latest disaster, ie the earthquake in Haiti, same as i didn’t give to the tsunami some years ago. My reasoning being that plenty of people who are not regular givers to charity (apart from loose change in a charity tin waved in their face) who will dig deep when the need is so obvious and so of the moment. So if i divert my monthly spend to that type of appeal, the less ’sexy’ charities who rely on a regular trickle of donations will lose out. 

However, Haiti did make me think about why people give at all, and specifically why me? Questions raised were do i want to 

relieve appalling suffering now (Haiti)

 prevent future suffering (funding anti-Malaria nets; empower people by equipping and training them)

protect a species (orangutans in Borneo, whales, bees) in recognition of their place in the eco chain

protect a habitat (Brazilian forest, Canadian tar sands, mangrove swamps)

cover the gaps in services provided by the government here (equipment for Great Ormond Street, Macmillan nurses, RNIB, NCH, Barnardos, St Mungos, Crisis, Big Issue etc etc)

fund health research (heart disease, MS, cancer)

fund responses to crisis or accident ( Medecins Sans Frontieres, RNLI , DEC)?

So many good and justifiable reasons to give (166, 000 charities in the UK per a R4 prog) but what is the end result of doing so and is that what i really want? Despite not having kids and therefore contributing nothing to the gene pool (shame as i am a redhead and we are diminishing in numbers due to a recessive gene) my most important aim is that humans survive on this planet. And as far as i can see the most destructive thing we do is to keep on procreating. the more of us the more damage we do with our demands the planet produce stuff for us.  None of the above charities nor all the many others i could give to will meet their aims if we degrade this planet ever more. 

So i feel i need to give more to  the Optimum Population Trust, and get involved somehow, as i am passionate about the procreation thing. Downside is that even deaths in in vast numbers evoke a shrug. Which is not logical as tragedy & loss often result in a greater need to procreate – says this baby boomer!

Of course i now have to think about the longevity issue including my own. Grandfather lived to 99 and i planned to do better than that . Yet the longer i am around the longer i will ‘consume’ the planet’s resources. Not very considerate of me is it. I shall start on the Capstan Full Strength and start hitting the booze (soaking it up with a daily fried breakfast) while taking exercise only by climbing on and off the couch.

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