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As I write it is about eight hours since I was elected as the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. It has been, happily, a whirl. An ITN interview, two BBC television slots, the BBC World at One, Sky TV, Australian radio, chats with a string of national newspaper journalists... And there is bound to have been something I missed out on that list.
One of the striking aspects of my first hours has been the encounters with rightwing hosts, whether their commitment is personal or professional it is hard to tell, who are determinedly, aggressively sceptical about the Green message.
One said to me - and I paraphrase, but it is true in meaning - "but of course people's only real aim in life is to buy more stuff, so why would they like what you have to say?"
It has been a struggle sometimes to carve out the airspace to explain the radical alternative that the Green Party offer British voters - not the Coalition's failed, economically illiterate austerity (which even the IMF is now criticising) - but investment in the future, in homes, jobs, public transport, renewable energy and energy conservation, with the purpose of restructuring our economy for the low-carbon future we have to reach very soon.
That means relocalising our economy - bring manufacturing and food production back to Britain, replacing giant multinational companies with small local firms and cooperatives, reining in the out-of-control financial industries, ensuring no company is too big to fail.
And it does mean less "stuff", but an economy based on consumerism and casino finance hasn't in the past two decades of growth delivered the decent, stable, secure life that is what most people want, even while it has delivered lots of "stuff".
Britain has the unhappiest children in the developed world, huge levels of mental ill health and stress, and pervasive sense of insecurity infecting all but the mega-rich.
And that was all based on treating the planet as a mine and a dumping ground, acting as though there were another pristine planet earth sitting just the other side of the Moon ready for us to move to once we'd trashed the air, the soil and the water of this one.
Of course there isn't, and there's no way we can go back to 2006, pull a few different levers to avoid then coming crash, then steam on as before.
I find on the doorstep, and just talking to people wherever I go, that there's a pervasive sense that we do need a profound, rapid change of direction. We do need to find a new way to live that meets human needs, both the basics like food - and it is worth noting that the global price of food has leapt 10% in just the last month, but more emotionally a sense of security and hope for the future.
We have seen experiments and action in that direction from groups as diverse as the Transition Towns movement and Occupy, but it is only in the party political arena that the Green Party offers a new way forward - towards an economy that meets everyone's needs within the limits of this one planet of ours.
Rightwing radio and television hosts might struggle to understand that, but I believe that increasing numbers of voters will.
Do you really believe that the UK can out manufacture China, India and the rest of Asia with its cheap labour?
The UK has not been self sufficient in food since the early 1800s. I understand that the UK is 70% self sufficient in food, up from 30% in the 1930s. A factor that has affected this is the EU's CAP, the aim of which is to protect farmers in the EU. One of the arguments that opponents of the EU put forward is that leaving the EU will lower food prices, that is true but it will also destroy the UK's farming industry. So I doubt that a Green government could do anything about food prices.
Get your collective asses in gear, get your heads down on broader policy.
Nail your weaknesses.
This is YOUR time.
With this raft of feckless oxygen thieves in the big three parties, now is your chance to increase your representation.
You will NEVER get a better chance than now.
Never.
The dinosaurs only real aim in life was to eat more stuff, so why didn’t that work out particularly well?"
“It has been a struggle sometimes to carve out the airspace to explain”
Hint: Don’t push against doors that open inwards. Get others to explain in detail how their way can work.
“reining in the out-of-control financial industries”
Local banks for local people?
“the other side of the Moon”
How about a TV reality show. Where members of the public and celebrities show how their offspring will survive, when the well runs dry.
“we do need a profound, rapid change of direction”
We almost all have the necessary answers within us. If we did not, humanity would not be here now. What we don’t currently have are those questions presented to us, that will call up the answers from where they are held in reserve.
“Rightwing radio and television hosts might struggle to understand”
Simply because, their ‘understanding’ hasn’t actually been tried. Any understanding can appear sound, until its put to the test.
Yes ideally we should localise as much as we can but the inertia to maintain the status quo is too much.... there is a massive knowledge industry in this country most of whom can work from home so we need to give real incentives for companies to allow those people who can to work from home (say 90% reduction in employers NI) - that would be a real green policy as it would reduce congestion, reduce travel based emissions and reliance on fuel just so millions of people can get from one place to another so they can press butttons and talk to other commuters.
Good luck