In both pandemic and climate change response we’re lauding individual sacrifice and under emphasizing structural changes needed.

Americans have sacrificed a lot (mostly willingly) for lockdowns meant to buy time for structural adaptations—test, trace, isolate; PPE; etc. 1/4

Individual action, however praiseworthy, won’t be enough. The onus for major change is on the federal government.

Similarly, for cutting carbon, debating the length of a shower is missing the point. It’s structural change, not just individual sacrifice, that moves the needle 2/4

There isn’t a built in relationship between individual sacrifice and impact. It’s fine to take a hike in a state park. And children are worth a lot more than the carbon they consume.

Make sacrifices where they count, not just where they hurt.

3/4

And don’t let the companies and congresspeople who are ducking their own responsibility waste the work individuals are doing by refusing to make the structural changes we need. 4/4