We are racing down a mountain at full throttle. Our children are in the back seat. The speedometer is buried. The road curves sharply ahead. On the outside of the curve is a cliff with a 200 meter drop. On the other side is a vertical rock wall.
Here are some ideas I came up with to help push people into taking action. Sure we need systemic changes like ending car dependent cities and heavily reducing fossil fuel usage. Doing nothing is smashing through the guard rail and off the cliff. Doing one is slowing enough to MAYBE survive crashing into the mountain. Doing both is slowing down enough to navigate the curve.
There are some things we CAN do.
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Start spreading the word on social media for unofficial things like moo-less Monday. Don’t eat beef on Mondays. Weather Wednesday, where you adjust or turn off your HVAC. This could be a whole other thread.
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Start getting louder and louder. Remember, we need to both act AND influence enough people for systemic changes.
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Consume less. Be as efficient with resources as possible. There tons of things you can do here that are minimal effort and barely noticeable.
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Political action. Vote. Run if you are able. Contact politicians at all levels. Talk with people about things that have benefits beyond just climate. E.g. transit reduces traffic.
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Stay strong. Don’t succumb to doomerism.
I kinda agree with some points but overall this feels awfully close to the neoliberal idea that you can ascribe personal responsibility to a systematic problem. The great bulk of climate change is not being driven by your neighbors, but by the usual companies, which can afford to line the pockets of politicians to stay unpunished.
I’d also add a big asterisk on point 4: direct action! The solarpunk vision is built on anarchist ideals; If you’re in a situation where you can afford to, work together with like-minded individuals to bring the change you want. There’s no need to wait for some boomer politician to consider how doing or not doing something will affect their career. Sometimes asking for forgiveness is easier than asking for permission.
There’s a difference between those in control of the system assigning blame to the peasants to avoid consequence, and owning your own share of responsobility.
If you drive or otherwise consume oil and you don’t have to, you are at fault – but so is Shell for digging it up and destroying the tram. You are also at fault for giving them money, but so is Chevron for using that money to bribe the government.
Owning your personal contribution, minimizing it, and more importantly, showing others how is praxis.
Buying oil is a form of direct action helping the fossil fuel industry. So is driving because you make being outside a car just a little more unpleasant and dangerous. Buying a big car is even worse.
The only myth worse than your carbon footprint being the only thing that matters, is the idea it doesn’t matter and some nebulous “them” needs to fix it.
this is fair though it really only applies for those who have a good amount of disposable income, the average person can likely accomplish more participating in local political and social movements if they have the time
Totally. Let’s change the world, and be the change we want to see in the world. And of course, understanding the complex sociological problems that lead people to not be able to afford Eco-friendly solutions while looking for ways to make that change possible. 🤗 Direct action is the way to go, voting is more of a “support” tool to kinda move the needle.
my feelings exactly, why even bring up political action in the context of something so urgent without emphasizing direct action and bottom-up political organization