Where I come from is this: I’m not an activist, but that’s not to say I’m not active.

I find that people are easily mislead with such labels. I believe actions speak louder than labels. I’m a regular person who recognises that our home, which I regard as a spectacularly beautiful one, is in a state of dilapidation and in great need of maintenance, love and renewal. You see, life really is beautiful. I don’t just mean my experience of it. I mean LIFE in all forms. From plants, to food, bacteria, insects, animals, humans. To me, if it grows, it’s worth preserving. I grew up to appreciate all life. Now, with children of my own, I want them to grow up with a genuine appreciation for it too. By that, I mean, to still have it to cherish when they are my age. So, all I can do is promote the continual growth of as much life as possible by doing something positive and proactive.

I see plastic as the real cancer of this home, called Earth. It’s like smoking: we know it’s bad for us but now we are so addicted to it that we can’t stop. Only now are we beginning to understand how it is proliferating throughout the veins of the world – water ways, rivers, oceans, seas and lakes. Plastic has now penetrated every part of the planet. Even in Alaska micro plastics are being found in the “pristine white snow”. My wish would be that those at the top would finally peel off the plaster and address the root of the problem – plastic production. However, then we get into politics and economics, which unfortunately (to date) has always won over ecocentrics, or, eco-logics – no matter how logical it may be. I’m sure that the talks between governments and other huge organisations will gradually steer that big ship, but the problem cannot be solved by them alone. Like the Battle of Dunkirk, it also requires the will of regular people to recognise what needs saving, to jump in the boat and do what they can to help save it. It must be tackled by all levels of humanity. After all, it is we who must take the responsibility – which is to have the ability to respond.

And it’s exciting. To be involved. Really exciting. There are so many wonderfully innovative ideas coming from people at all these levels. I fully believe that it is that which will make the difference: ideas, imagination, innovation, stimulation. We humans thrive on connectivity, especially when it serves something greater than ourselves. In the last year, I have had the honour and pleasure to get involved with the UNESCO Beat Plastic Initiative, which led me to go to Bangkok, meet the team, do a concert for one of the events, plus meet, play and talk with some local schools. Alongside that, I have also created my own workshops in schools, as well as become the godfather and central organiser of a fully eco driven festival here in the South of France (where I am based). It gives me an enormous amount of personal satisfaction to be involved in this kind of dialogue, contribution and connectivity. i am truly looking forward to seeing where the path leads from here.

However, I won’t go on, for the fear of being labelled an activist.

Charlie Winston