You will have seen the articles around saying ten things you can do to save the planet and felt guilty about your part in it (so do I). Making us feel that it is "All Our Fault" is part of the disempowering and misdirection that is part of the problem. One person recycling is not going to solve the climate change we have to act collectively.
The facts are that 71% of the emissions are produced by 100 companies and their billionaire CEO some of whom have been actively muddying the waters and causing delay in our individual and political will to act. Exxon and Shell have known about climate change since the 1980s and deliberately funded climate denier organisations in order to create a false sense that the science was still up for debate. The wealthiest 10% of the global population are responsible for 50% of consumption emissions. To put the latter in perspective, if this 10% reduced their consumption to the level of the average European that would produce a 30% cut in global emissions.
So even though you as an individual Australian have contributed to the problem (middle class Australians/Americans are in the top 10%) let's get angry at the right people:
1)the fossil fuel companies and their billionaire CEOs and other billionaires living the super rich lifestyle (and if that includes some of your personal role models and idols maybe change your role models and idols);
2) the politicians funded by coal and fossil fuel companies who didn't put in the infrastructure to generate energy from renewables and public transport and didn't put in regulations to tax the polluters and legislate for energy efficient buildings. Recently released cabinet papers show that Australia under the Howard government actively worked to water down the Kyoto Agreement.
3) companies that continue to use the cheapest materials even at the cost of people and the environment and cause plastic pollution with their single use plastic (and quite often don't even pay any tax).
So let's think about how we can use our collective power to force the change we need through. As this article says let's use our anger to hurt these companies.
1) Divest all your money from fossil fuel companies. I think the time for changing companies from within is over (if it was ever possible). Divest from any shares in fossil fuel companies. But I don't have any shares in fossil fuel companies you might say. You would be amazed at how much your bank and your superannuation fund (compulsory in Australia) invests in fossil fuels. Check out your bank and superannuation fund on Market Forces and then move your money.
2) Encourage everyone you know to move their money and that includes organisations. Whatever churches, universities, professional organisations, sports organisations you belong to, email them and ask them to divest from fossil fuels.
3) Vote Climate. DO NOT VOTE for parties whose climate change policy is not closing all coal power plants and coal mines and funding renewables and introducing some form of carbon tax (basically making polluters actually pay for their polluting). Read their policies on their websites.
4) Sign petitions. Sign every petition on climate change, stopping coal mines, stopping fracking, cutting down forests that comes your way and then share with your friends. If no petitions on climate change come your way then maybe you are not following the right people or subscribing to the right organisations.
5) Write to your elected representative about how you want strong climate action. Sadly our elected representatives care more about staying in power than stewardship of the Earth. They are followers of public opinion rather than leaders. Let them know public opinion wants climate action.
6) Write letters to the editor about climate change. We need to keep the issue in front of politicians and corporations.
7) Talk to your family and friends about climate change and who is really to blame and what they can do about it.
8) Go to protests about climate change, stopping fracking, stopping cutting down forests, stopping coal mines. Bring your friends and family because realistically until hundreds of thousands of us hit the streets the politicians will continue to delay or pretend to act.
9) I cannot make the decision for you on direct non-violent action but be aware that this usually is the only thing that really works to change things. Think women's suffrage, civil rights movement, Gandhi, the Bentley campaign, the Franklin River. It took people who were prepared to get arrested for their beliefs. I haven't actually done this yet myself.
10) Boycott companies and products that damage the environment. If your soft drink or confectionary is more important to you than a livable planet then you are part of the problem. What did people use to do before this product existed? Research, boycott, let them know why you are boycotting and let your friends and family know why you are boycotting.
Seriously these actions are the most effective and best use of your time. The reason it is so difficult for individuals to make sustainable choices is because of these people. Whose fault it that energy production is not 100% renewable, that coal power plants are exempted from paying for their air pollution, that every house is not energy efficient, that there is no regular affordable public transport near where you live and that everything you buy is wrapped in plastic?
The facts are that 71% of the emissions are produced by 100 companies and their billionaire CEO some of whom have been actively muddying the waters and causing delay in our individual and political will to act. Exxon and Shell have known about climate change since the 1980s and deliberately funded climate denier organisations in order to create a false sense that the science was still up for debate. The wealthiest 10% of the global population are responsible for 50% of consumption emissions. To put the latter in perspective, if this 10% reduced their consumption to the level of the average European that would produce a 30% cut in global emissions.
So even though you as an individual Australian have contributed to the problem (middle class Australians/Americans are in the top 10%) let's get angry at the right people:
1)the fossil fuel companies and their billionaire CEOs and other billionaires living the super rich lifestyle (and if that includes some of your personal role models and idols maybe change your role models and idols);
2) the politicians funded by coal and fossil fuel companies who didn't put in the infrastructure to generate energy from renewables and public transport and didn't put in regulations to tax the polluters and legislate for energy efficient buildings. Recently released cabinet papers show that Australia under the Howard government actively worked to water down the Kyoto Agreement.
3) companies that continue to use the cheapest materials even at the cost of people and the environment and cause plastic pollution with their single use plastic (and quite often don't even pay any tax).
So let's think about how we can use our collective power to force the change we need through. As this article says let's use our anger to hurt these companies.
1) Divest all your money from fossil fuel companies. I think the time for changing companies from within is over (if it was ever possible). Divest from any shares in fossil fuel companies. But I don't have any shares in fossil fuel companies you might say. You would be amazed at how much your bank and your superannuation fund (compulsory in Australia) invests in fossil fuels. Check out your bank and superannuation fund on Market Forces and then move your money.
2) Encourage everyone you know to move their money and that includes organisations. Whatever churches, universities, professional organisations, sports organisations you belong to, email them and ask them to divest from fossil fuels.
3) Vote Climate. DO NOT VOTE for parties whose climate change policy is not closing all coal power plants and coal mines and funding renewables and introducing some form of carbon tax (basically making polluters actually pay for their polluting). Read their policies on their websites.
4) Sign petitions. Sign every petition on climate change, stopping coal mines, stopping fracking, cutting down forests that comes your way and then share with your friends. If no petitions on climate change come your way then maybe you are not following the right people or subscribing to the right organisations.
5) Write to your elected representative about how you want strong climate action. Sadly our elected representatives care more about staying in power than stewardship of the Earth. They are followers of public opinion rather than leaders. Let them know public opinion wants climate action.
6) Write letters to the editor about climate change. We need to keep the issue in front of politicians and corporations.
7) Talk to your family and friends about climate change and who is really to blame and what they can do about it.
8) Go to protests about climate change, stopping fracking, stopping cutting down forests, stopping coal mines. Bring your friends and family because realistically until hundreds of thousands of us hit the streets the politicians will continue to delay or pretend to act.
9) I cannot make the decision for you on direct non-violent action but be aware that this usually is the only thing that really works to change things. Think women's suffrage, civil rights movement, Gandhi, the Bentley campaign, the Franklin River. It took people who were prepared to get arrested for their beliefs. I haven't actually done this yet myself.
10) Boycott companies and products that damage the environment. If your soft drink or confectionary is more important to you than a livable planet then you are part of the problem. What did people use to do before this product existed? Research, boycott, let them know why you are boycotting and let your friends and family know why you are boycotting.
Seriously these actions are the most effective and best use of your time. The reason it is so difficult for individuals to make sustainable choices is because of these people. Whose fault it that energy production is not 100% renewable, that coal power plants are exempted from paying for their air pollution, that every house is not energy efficient, that there is no regular affordable public transport near where you live and that everything you buy is wrapped in plastic?
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