Making heads turn, cap in hand or head in sand
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| Australia's famed Bondi Beach, was home to climate change protesters in mid November 2014 |
It’s strange, but hardly surprising. When it comes to
pushing a message to the masses, state governments stop at nothing – from
amending laws and passing regulations to either giving incentives or penalising
those who don’t abide by them.
When it comes to making the governments heard,
however, the public tries tirelessly to get itself heard. More often than not,
they fail.
As a result, people look at innovative ways to get noticed and heard
by other populations, the media and, ultimately, the policymakers and the
powers that be.
Unfortunately, climate change and getting state governments to
proactively pursue sustainable growth and not sacrifice the environment for the
same is something that is being shouted out from the rooftops. It’s not just
the environmentalists and so-called tree-huggers who are doing it. From
celebrities to scientists to the common man, there are millions out there
asking governments to take notice and react accordingly.
A perfect example of this was seen this November at
Bondi Beach in Australia, where more than 400 protestors stuck their heads in
the sand, reflecting their government’s reluctance to place climate change on
the agenda of the G20 Summit.
People from across sections of the society –
students, young mothers, executives – dug holes in the beach and stuck their
heads in them, to connote the so-called ostrich syndrome, where the bird is
said to bury its head in sand to address danger.
What also caught the public eye internationally year,
and which shames leaders on their lackadaisical stand on climate change is
installation artist Isaac Cordal’s “Follow the leaders” series in Berlin,
Germany, in 2011.