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I'm sadly not surprised at all by this fact - but I am shocked that I'd never heard it before. This is why we need system-wide change, people. Individual actions are woefully insufficient to fix the problem. (short thread) h/t @meehancrist Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-climate-change.html
I get it-climate change is scary. We feel like we have some sort of control over it when we make a choice to not fly, not have a child, not eat animal products. And certainly those can reduce carbon emissions. But they address only a fraction of the issue.
As @MaryHeglar says, environmental guilt isn't going to fix the problem. https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/28/18629833/climate-change-2019-green-new-deal
It's no accident that the CEO of Shell tells people they should be recycling more and eating fruit in season. Shell is #6 on the list of the 90 companies who've produced TWO THIRDS of GHG ems since the dawn of the Industrial Era. https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/a3xqze/shell-ceo-ben-van-beurden-climate-change + https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/just-90-companies-are-blame-most-climate-change-carbon-accountant-says
Don't get me wrong: personal action is important. Imagine if I arrived to give a climate talk in a private jet with my twelve children demanding bottled water and steak each meal. Ha! (just to be clear, I have one child and ... )
And we climate scientists as a community take this very seriously. Here's what just one of us, @coralsncaves, is doing: https://apnews.com/dde2bf108411ecd973de60bfda5250aa
But that's why the 3 most impt things we can all do are:
1/ Talk about it! Why it matters + how we can fix it
2/ Join an org that amplifies your voice
3/ Advocate for change at every level, from your school or business to your city, state & country https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_important_thing_you_can_do_to_fight_climate_change_talk_about_it?language=en
1/ Talk about it! Why it matters + how we can fix it
2/ Join an org that amplifies your voice
3/ Advocate for change at every level, from your school or business to your city, state & country https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_important_thing_you_can_do_to_fight_climate_change_talk_about_it?language=en
PS. And check out this book recommended by @jacobjerickson - I haven't read it yet, but I will!
