Can We Fight Climate Change At An Individual Level?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decades, you’ve probably aware of climate change. Human beings, single-handedly, are responsible for the major climate transformations that are tearing our world apart. Global warming is a process that we started a long time ago and that we need to stop. Unfortunately, the reality is that there’s no emergency button we can press to cancel greenhouse gases. The truth is that even if all the countries in the world agreed to stop emitting CO2 today, the global temperature would still continue to rise for another few decades. Ultimately, there is a significant time lag between our actions and their consequences. It’s likely that the global warming situation we experience is not directly linked to today’s industrial activities. Instead, it might be the result of business and individual choices made decades ago. In other words, what we do today may not have an immediate effect. 

But, we can’t afford to give up already. Experts are increasingly concerned about the planet reaching an irreversible point that tips the world into a climatic disaster. It’s not a question of when anymore, we have to take action to stop climate change and, as much as possible, reverse some of the most dramatic consequences over the next decades. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC, we have less than 12 years to save the planet before the global emergency takes over. Governments and scientists are already in discussions to identify solutions and points of agreements. However, we, the people, are left in the middle, forced to wait for a decision. Can you, at an individual level, make a difference and help to reverse climate change? 

A young superhero has already pulled the alarm

Greta Thunberg is a name nobody can ignore anymore. The young Swedish teenager has been passionate about the environment for a long time. She has worked hard to convince her family to reduce their carbon footprint by changing their habits and switching to a plant-based diet. Then she tried to attract the attention of the government by starting a school strike, holding a sign to explain that she was striking for the climate. The young activist has become more and more vocal, and as time went on, she gained new supporters across the world. She’s recently arrived in New York after a zero-emission crossing across the Atlantic that took her two weeks to complete. Greta Thunberg is going to attend the United Nations summits on climate change in New York and Chile. Thunberg travels and speaks to urge people to work together to stop the world’s destruction. As she does, she is the embodiment of green action, the action we must all take to save the planet. 

Less commute means more green

Every day has the same routine. We get up. We get to work. And in the evening we come back. Traffic congestion during commuting hours is one of the most significant challenges in cities. For millions of professionals, workday is synonymous with traffic jams, stress, and rush hours. In terms of climate change, your working week increase CO2 emissions dramatically. It’s time to move away from the congested roads to explore smarter and greener approaches to our office work. Remote work would provide an effective and sustainable option. Unfortunately, over a third of employees don’t work remotely, and those who do only stay on average 1.1 days outside of the office. Surprisingly enough, a high percentage of our work tasks could be performed safely and adequately at home. The question you need to ask is why businesses continue to encourage global warming and urban congestion? 

Is changing home the answer?

For a lot of individuals, the best answer to reducing their carbon footprint starts at home. Indeed, more and more home buyers spend a lot of time researching real estate options that offer high energy efficiency ratings. There is no denying that recently built properties are more likely to be fitted with appropriate and efficient insulation solutions, which dramatically reduces energy consumption. Additionally, smart home hubs can also affect the overall energy consumption at home as most tech devices are set with sensors, ensuring, for instance, that the house maximizes natural light and heating before relying on electrical alternatives. While, to a certain extent, changing property can enable homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint, the path to zero-emission is long! 

How about staying in the same home but changing your energy supply?

Sustainable households are more likely to have developed a self-sufficient approach to energy generation, as it is often the case for off-grid properties. As renewable energy becomes more affordable and manageable, green households are investing in solar-battery storage systems to replace fossil fuels. Admittedly, you can’t expect to cut all your wires and gain the same reliability from your sustainable energy solution. Indeed, for individual homeowners, the move requires a tremendous amount of equipment – which is an investment that can easily throw your budget overboard. However, we can count on the power of communities to build in the future off-grid solutions for sustainable citizens. 

You don’t need that cheeseburger

Going off-grid is only one simple change you could make to save the planet. Your lifestyle needs to evolve if you are to make the world a greener place. According to an environmental report, the best and easiest way to significantly reduce our carbon emissions is to opt for a vegan diet. Indeed, livestock farming has a huge impact on global warming. If we all agree to embrace a plant-based diet, while we might never enjoy the taste of real pepperoni pizza again, we get to save up top 8 million lives by 2050 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds. In other words, next time you fancy a cheeseburger, choose the plant-based meal with meat and cheese substitutes. 

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Less buying, more DIY crafts

Not everything that’s broken should be replaced or thrown away. There is more life to broken or unused objects than you think. Upcycling has become a creative trend for enthusiastic crafters. However, its positive impact goes beyond satisfying your creativity. It can actively improve the environment by reducing waste. All it takes is a little DIY attention to turn something old into something new and inventive. 

Is a sustainable lifestyle really sustainable?

The web is full of articles and blogs that try to convince readers like you and me to embrace a green and eco-friendly lifestyle. If only half the reader had made a move towards a sustainable lifestyle, we would already be noticing differences at an environmental level. But cities are still congested, waste still accumulates at the bottom of the ocean, and livestock farms are still active. Indeed, the main problem with building a green lifestyle is that we don’t live in a society that makes our eco-friendly intentions sustainable. From going off-grid to choosing a vegan diet, the options available are limited. More importantly, going green is synonymous with a life of isolation. 

Is one person enough to change the world?

There’s no denying that one person can’t save the planet. However, you can take inspiration from Greta Thunberg and make your actions count. Sharing your views and trying to convince others to take a stand for climate change often requires no more than a social media post. Whether it’s going to be effective, it’s another matter. However, perseverance and dedication are your best allies if you want to change minds. 

Individuals are more likely to make a difference than all governments together. Indeed, people can connect and relate to each other. They can adjust their lifestyle without worrying about passing policies the way governmental bodies do. Maybe, one person at a time, we can finally learn to stop destroying the planet.