Economist and author Alison Pennington correctly names our children Generation F’d! However, neither she nor Dr Ray Moynihan (Echo, 9 August) appear to understand the implications of Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres’s warning that the ‘era of global boiling’ has arrived. A more correct designation must be ‘era of global incineration’ with firestorms across the northern hemisphere during their summer providing us with a picture of what is very likely to occur here this year.
Pennington asks, ‘Will Generation F’d help us rebuild a shared future from the rubble of neoliberalism?’ The answer can only be ‘no’, with taxpayers funding new coal and gas mines along with NSW Forestry clear-felling the last of our planetary life-support forested ecosystems ensuring no absorption of our rapidly escalating CO2 emissions. ‘China is firing up two new coal-fired power stations a week,’ stated Professor Clive Hamilton with Mandy Nolan during the ‘Facing up to climate change and the ecological crisis’ event at the Brunswick Picture House on June 28.
We are now entering the hot, strong, dry, westerly winds time of the year and the most important thing on everyone’s mind must be preparing for the coming firestorms. Nothing can be more important than educating yourself on the fire hazards around every house and volunteering to help our local rural fire service in any way you can.
It is essential to prepare your Bushfire Survival Plan at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ and the number one priority on every person’s mind should be downloading the app ‘Hazards Near Me’ at https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app that will alert you to the approaching firestorm.
Climate change scenario outcomes are unpredictable due to the rapid speed of global ocean heating absorbing ever greater concentrations of CO2. Byron Bay is similar to the town of Lahaina in Maui, now 80 per cent destroyed by wildfire with 67+ dead. Surrounded by bush with only two exits through the forest it looks like a deadly firetrap now that we have entered the era of global incineration.
However, wildfires travel even more rapidly over dry pastures and crops to ignite towns, so no place is safe. Remember that you will be in full panic with black toxic smoke reducing visible light, and the lack of oxygen and the heat will alarm you by the time that you have noticed the flames. You will have only seconds to save your children if you are fully prepared. Surfers will suffocate on the waves.
Conservationists and other socially responsible citizens have been working tirelessly to alert the population to this existential threat. Big business fossil fool corporations have long corrupted our right-wing politicians, and along with climate change deniers they have ensured that our children are Generation F’d!
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
