Opinion ‘We didn’t start the fire’ Why we don’t care about the environment Given that our conscience fails us on matters environmental, how are we to start caring? BL PREMIUM

I always felt sorry for Prometheus, the Greek Titan who was condemned by Zeus to eternal torture. His fate seemed particularly heinous – Prometheus was chained to a rock, and for eternity an eagle would eat his liver, which overnight would grow back only to be pecked out mercilessly again the next day.

Beyond the agony, the reason for his punishment was equally puzzling. Prometheus took fire from the gods and gave it to an undeveloped and pitiful humanity. His sin, in other words, was being a champion of humanity, and the herald of modern progress.