The traditional practice of giving gifts to well-behaved children and leaving delinquents with coals during the festive season remains; Coal sticks are widely available from major online retailers, and the #coalforchristmas hashtag has cropped up on social media.
However, the authors point out that burning this non-renewable fossil fuel not only deepens the climate crisis, but its impact on air quality could be bad for children’s health. ‘It would be good for goodness’, they argue, because the coal would have been left in the ground.
They suggest that getting a lump of coal could also have negative effects on children’s mental health. As the Covid-19 pandemic, war, cost of living crisis and climate emergency add to already anxieties, authors suggest fostering friendships, and connections between generations, ‘could combat anxiety’ Better than lumps.
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The authors also make a case for rewarding the ‘naughty’, citing Greta Thunberg, the environmental activist who inspired millions of children to go on a school strike for the climate. As Thunberg puts it, kids “can’t save the world by playing by the rules,” so these kids deserve to be on the nice-naughty-list, suggest the authors.
So as alternatives to punitive coal, the authors suggest recycled/upcycled gifts, plant-based foods, walks and bike rides in nature, motivational novels, or even a stick insect.
While co-authors Lilac and Marigold admit they missed school in 2019 to participate in a climate march, they state that “[coal] is a fossil fuel and therefore giving children [coal means] Adults are naughty.”
we need to ‘Be kind to the world,’ They draw conclusions.
Source: Eurekalert
