It’s been a while since I read classic novel On the Road, but I don’t remember any of Jack Kerouac’s characters complaining about exhaustion.
Sure, Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise were younger men in the slightly-fictionalised account of the Beatnik writer’s journeys across America.
But while the characters of classic novel seem to thrive – (spoiler alert) until the end, perhaps – on not being pinned down to one spot, I can report that my colleagues and I are all feeling the weight of long hours of driving on our souls.
Some of us are middle-aged, to be fair.
One positive is the peace of mind that our e-van – thanks again to Co-Wheels for the support – is not emitting any emissions during the journey.
And to be clear, The Courier team taking to the road as part of our climate crisis road trip are not living to the excess depicted by Kerouac. We are all far too mature for that.
And the conversations over the climate too grave.
And we start west…
As our climate crisis road trip approaches an end we leave Perth for Callander, stopping in Auchterarder to talk climate and COP26 with locals en route.
The people of the Perthshire town seemed concerned about the environment, even if some weren’t exactly sure what COP26 was all about.
It was a similar story in the Fair City.
After driving an electric vehicle for a few days now, I can confidently recommend Auchterarder’s charging infrastructure.
The town centre’s main car park has a nearly a dozen chargers — more than a few of which offer a fast charge.
Not bad for a town of just over 5,000 people.
Judging by Press & Journal reporter Kieran Beattie’s climate crisis road trip diary, the infrastructure improves the closer you get to the central belt.
A feeling of climate anxiety in the young
In Perth and Auchterarder, there is definitely an awareness of the immediacy of climate change.
What’s less clear, however, is what COP26 is all about and what is expected to come from it.
There is general sense that it’s “just a talk shop” and the politicians won’t actually act on their promises.
We have a new recruit (Betty, not @morag_lindsay) for the Auchterarder stop of our #climateroadtrip. Come say hi, we’ll be on the High Street. @C_BDingwall @C_ARobertson @C_KCessford pic.twitter.com/vVl2YT2KAB
— Scott Milne (@C_Smilne) October 27, 2021
A worrying trend we are seeing is young people giving up.
One young woman in Perth used to campaign and take part in eco-activism during her early teen years, but now at the tender age of 18 has already succumbed to climate anxiety and all but given up.
Clearly that is not the case across the board, but for even some young people to accept their future is doomed is disconcerting.
The conclusion draws closer
There is a strange juxtaposition in talking to people about such a worrying topic while driving through rural Scotland — surely among the most beautiful places in the world.
It’s hard for the futility of others not to rub off, but then you spot a herd of deer as you drive through Perthshire and, if just for a moment, the beauty of the world comes into focus.
Even when you can’t stop thinking about a night in your own bed.