7 Reasons Why I Am Optimistic For 2023

As we head into the holiday season, and the big 2023, I’m sure like me you’re breathing a sigh of relief to be able to have some room for friends, family and self-care. I am certainly looking forward to it - it has been a noisy time. It is in this “in-between” time when we reflect on the year that has passed and start doing an inventory of choices, decisions and outcomes as we start planning for the new year ahead. I write you this holiday note on behalf of the entire Lightspark team with the hope that you get a chance for a positive reset, refresh and recharged resiliency for 2023.

This was originally posted as our internal newsletter. If you care deeply about climate change, please join the newsletter. In his book “Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired Not to Ignore Climate Change”, author George Marshall says “It’s not the elephant in the room, it’s the elephant we are all inside of.”?

For those that care about climate outcomes, and having a deeply held desire to see action happen, it is a really perfect problem. As the psychologist Daniel Gilbert said “you almost couldn’t design a problem that is a worse fit with our underlying psychology.”

There’s the guilt and shame about climate change because we as humans really brought this on ourselves by not being willing to change. Then sure, I can say I care, but why am I the one doing all of the heavy lifting? Maybe someone else ought to solve this problem. This is exhausting. There’s the idea that this is invisible - so it’s hard to believe it’s real, even though the data is unequivocal. There’s the cognitive reality that we can’t think our way through the problem, we have to literally change into a seemingly uncomfortable state and find new rewards in an untested behaviour - making changes that reduce our carbon footprint across the board.?

Lightspark has a clearly rooted mission to transform the marketplace rather than just talk about it.? And I’ve started asking the question of myself, do I really believe in this? Is this too complex to figure out? I am an imposter trying to sort out an impossible puzzle? Why, when I can see the data that we need to achieve, and I know there are some very smart, capable and dedicated people working across government, cities and not for profits and technology startups are we moving so slowly??

So I’ve been reflecting on this in the past year and the personal and moral responsibility we have to realize these climate outcomes, up against all of the barriers that are part of that, starting with our psychology.

Here is why I am feeling really optimistic about going into 2023 that I learned this year? in 2022:

1. First, we have seen great leadership. Whether that’s from the federal government, a few leading provincial governments like Nova Scotia and British Columbia, and cities across Canada doubling-down and engaging in improving homes and reducing carbon. And, it seems, a whole generation of new entrepreneurs who are taking big risks and dedicating themselves to purpose driven climate careers. The conversation is stronger than it has ever been and there is a ton of support in these communities to collaborate and work together to solve problems.
2. Second is the awareness of the impacts of climate change. People really don’t change behaviour until they feel its discomfort, but also that there is an alternative and it is easier than they thought.? Vancouver has seen heat pump sales skyrocket due to hotter summers and never-before-needed air conditioning, weather changes have been more extreme and the average human being gets that this is not normal and that we need to do something about it
3. There is an urgency that is proven with statistics on what everyday Canadians believe, with Abacus research saying that 69% of Canadians believe climate change is a real and present danger, and a majority saying that we have a moral responsibility to act on this, and that energy efficient use and clean technologies will help solve this
4. We learned from our partnership with Canadian Geographic Live Net Zero that our five Canadian families understood the urgency of climate change and they acted on it. We also learned it’s really complicated, and it takes a lot of time and there are barriers. The good news here is that we think we know how to make it easier for consumers, how to persuade them and provide information in a way that makes it easier to nudge homeowners? to make better decisions faster.
5. Fuel prices are rising due to global events such as the war in Ukraine, which means that having a home that uses less energy will simply save Canadians more money and reduce their everyday costs
6. Since more and more Canadians are working from home post COVID they’re realizing mindful things like climate matters, but acting on annoying things, like the really hot office attic in the summer, or the really cold basement office in the winter. Discomfort creates change
7. Finally, I am really excited about our product launch in 2023. We have put all of our passion, learnings and skills into launching this consumer first carbon concierge for home improvement, and we are all as a team really excited about showing this to those that are about these issues

Finally, to me 2022 shows me that this is where everything is going. Yes, climate change is a hard topic, but it is a massive opportunity. As George Marshall says “the bright side appeals directly to the emotional brain and passes through its biases with flying colours.”?

Have a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!

All the best,

James Riley, CEO and Founder of Lightspark