Resources for your climate questions and conversations
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” - Marie Curie
“One of the biggest obstacles to making a start on climate change is that it has become a cliche before it has even been understood” - Tim Flannery
Did you know there is a scientific consensus on climate change?
Currently, more than 90% of publishing climate scientists say that humans are responsible for the earth’s recent warming trend. This is according to a paper found here that looked at multiple past consensus studies. Also, you can check out this list of nearly 200 scientific organizations worldwide that hold the position that climate change is caused by human action.
What can we do about climate change?
Personal Action
Below is a list of actions that can reduce your personal carbon footprint. Not all actions are practical for everyone. Having the ability to reduce your carbon footprint can take time and resources that only some people have access to. What is important is making an earnest effort to do what you can to decrease your personal emissions as much as possible.
High Impact:
Live car free
Avoid air travel
Use a more efficient vehicle
Buy green energy
Eat a plant-based diet
Moderate Impact:
Home heating/cooling efficiency
Using public transportation
Energy efficient products and conserving energy
Wash clothes in cold water, hang clothes up to dry
Eat less meat
Reduce, reuse, and recycle
Eat local
Low Impact:
Conserve water
Minimize packaging
Plant a tree
Compost
Carbon offsets
Buy organic food
This list was inspired by the paper The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions by Seth Wynes and Kimberly Nicholas. Check it out for more information.
Community Action
Below is a list of actions that community members can take to lower their community’s carbon footprints. Many of these community actions are things individuals (like you!) would be able to directly participate in.
Support programs focused on spreading awareness of climate change and educating the public on what they can do.
Participate in local environmental groups or start one in your area.
Pay attention to local environmental policies and to what your local representatives are doing. Don’t be afraid to contact them and share your voice.
Support local agriculture.
Support local investment in green infrastructure.
Have conversations with local businesses that have outsized positive or negative impacts on the environment.
Understand how your community is being impacted by climate change and develop plans on how to help those around you who are most vulnerable. (ex: Are there plans for a community cooling center for houseless people during extreme heat waves?)
Societal Action
Below is a list of society-wide actions that are important for decreasing humanity’s impact on the planet. Even at the largest scales, change happens with people working together.
Implement nationwide policies that address our climate emergency.
Set carbon zero goals in line with scientific models.
Normalize the prioritization of minimizing climate impact across all industries.
Reframe society wide behaviors and lifestyles.
Incentivize sustainable forest and cropland management.
Support international collaboration on climate targets.
Support those impacted by climate disasters.
Increase accountability amongst organizations and countries.
Actively adjust mitigation strategies as new data is collected.
Do personal actions matter when climate change is a global problem?
Yes. Personal actions are a great way for an individual to become part of the climate solution.
Some people think that personal actions are too small to make a meaningful difference. Especially when compared to the impact that industry has on our planet. For example, it has been reported that more than half of all green house gas emissions come from just 100 companies. It is true that industry will need to change to meet emissions goals. However, research has also shown that in the United States, consumer demand is responsible for 85% of the country’s energy use. Individuals and industries both need to change consumption choices if we are to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Additionally, personal action and communication with others can increase climate policy support. A recent paper by Gregg Sparkman and others, “suggest[s] that there is no strong reason to shrink away from campaigns designed to increase individual action to reduce [green house gas] emissions as they are often seen as complements rather than substitutes for transformative climate policy.”