CLIMATE CHANGE: How YOU can help!

Summary

The article emphasizes individual actions that can contribute to combating climate change, suggesting that collective personal choices can be as impactful as the efforts of prominent figures like Bill Gates or Greta Thunberg.

Abstract

The article "CLIMATE CHANGE: How YOU can help!" on the undefined website discusses the power of individual actions in the fight against climate change. It acknowledges that while not everyone can make grand gestures like famous activists or invest billions like philanthropists, everyday consumer choices can drive significant environmental change. The author encourages readers to buy eco-friendly products, consider the environmental impact before purchasing an electric vehicle, plant trees, educate themselves on climate issues, vote for environmentally conscious leaders, and engage in conversations to keep the momentum of climate action alive. The article underscores that consumer demand can steer businesses towards greener practices and that cumulative individual efforts are crucial in shaping a sustainable future.

Opinions

Businesses are driven by consumer behavior, and purchasing green products can accelerate innovation and research in sustainable practices.
The decision to buy an electric car should be weighed against the source of electricity in one's country; it's more beneficial in regions with clean energy production.
Planting trees is advocated as a way to offset personal carbon emissions, with the option to support organizations that plant trees at scale.
Continuous self-education on climate change is important, and the article suggests there is a wealth of material available for those looking to learn more.
Voting for political candidates with a green agenda is seen as a straightforward and effective action to support climate-friendly policies.
Engaging in discussions and keeping the conversation about climate change active is crucial for maintaining awareness and promoting action.
The article suggests that the collective impact of individual actions can be more powerful than the efforts of well-known figures in the environmental movement.

We need the policy makers to take action, but there is a lot we as individuals can do as well!

The trajectory is clear, we need to act now to course correct! Apologies for the pessimistic image.

I promise that none of what you’ll read in this is earth-shattering information. I hope that you are reminded of what you already know and take some action. One drop of action is better than an ocean of words.

We want to slow down, stop and reverse the climate change. We want our next generations to have a planet that is still alive and somewhat green. But not all of us are like Bill Gates to throw in billions towards research and new businesses, nor are we like Greta Thunberg that can look Trump in the eye on a global stage and say the world leaders are doing a poor job and grab world’s attention.

But it doesn’t mean we are powerless. I hate to break it you but we are more powerful than either of them or the other famous names in reversing the climate change. In fact, in the long run, what we do as individuals may be the only thing that decides how this turns out.

Buy Green: Businesses are selfish, and they sell whatever sells. They go hungrily in the direction that demand takes them. As cruel as it is, it is also the most significant driving force that possibly could exist to reverse the climate disaster. The speed of innovation and research is generally driven by consumer behavior (& sometimes vice versa), and in that, you and I hold the key to the speed of change.

Buy green/ecologically produced products as much as possible. It’s deciding between spending a little bit extra, but guess what happens next when those shelves that had the green products run out. Companies look to fill empty shelves, so look to empty the right ones! If you invest, look for options that invest in clean energy & decarbonizing their footprint. And tell your friends and family about it.

Don’t buy Tesla or other electric cars (or do): If your country produces electricity from Coal (or similar sources), Tesla is still creating emissions, just not while the car is running. Use public transport as much as possible and take flights with lesser CO2 impact if you must fly. There are multiple calculators to figure out how much carbon you generate and find ways to offset it.

If you live in a country where electricity is generated from Solar/Wind/Geothermal etc. and if you have the money, please buy a Tesla or any other electric car. They are better for the world than a Petrol/Diesel ones, just not as good as you think when coal is burnt to generate the electricity that drives the car.

Plant trees: If you have the space, plant a tree or two. You are going to commit Carbon crimes all your life, but you can already pay for them if you have enough trees to absolve you of those sins. It is better not to commit those sins, but doing something is better than doing nothing once you’ve been the reason for burning up some carbon in the air. If all you want is to throw some money and let someone else plant a tree for you, it is as easy as clicking a couple of buttons. There are multiple organizations that are planting trees on scale, just look them up.

Educate yourself: There is a lot of material online and lots of books you can read. Here’s a shortlist I saw recently.

Vote: This is simple; no explanation is needed. Vote for the candidates whose agenda is aligned towards a greener world.

Talk to people: Stir debates, share ideas and keep the conversations alive. People tend to go from one news cycle to another but this is not just a short sprint. This is a marathon we must run as a generation to make sure the next one isn’t coming into a living hell.

There are a million other ways to help; these are just the ones on top of my mind. Please comment on other good sources you’d recommend that I could read.

Change is slow at first; nobody notices. Then it comes so fast that nobody can do anything about it. Let’s make sure that change, when it comes, is the one we want!

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