Taking your environmentalism to the next level

By Julia Farber

It's Earth Day - a time when we celebrate our planet and the anniversary of a some very important environmental milestones including the birth of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the signing of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Commemorating Earth Day sometimes feels a little trite when we know that our planet is in peril, and that we're not doing nearly enough to save our species from the impacts of our fossil fuel addiction. So, while I think it's great that everyone is renewing their commitments to "turn off the lights and recycle" as I saw in one marketing study today, I hope we all know these actions are not going to save us from ourselves.

So what will save us? Stronger commitments to each other, and bravery to do more. No, seriously. We need bold climate action, and right now we need it from our government (and leadership from other governments as well). Individual action is not enough. In the US, we need to push our policy makers to pass HR 109, the Green New Deal and the Infrastructure Bill, AKA the American Jobs Act NOW, and we need to be calling every single day until happens.

Why am I just talking about climate emissions? Because nothing else matters if we don't address climate change in the next 8 years, and everything else you care about (racism, water rights, animal conservation, trafficking, etc) is likely connected to our climate systems. There's no way around it. Our major carbon emissions sources are the buildings we work and live in, power plants, transportation, and industrial activities. We need to focus on the solutions that scale. We need to invest in new technologies as fast as possible (both of which are finally starting to happen) and we need to invest in efficiency.

What's needed now is government investment in new incentives that focus on steering the economy towards future focused innovations and jobs. This is why seasoned environmentalists tell people they need to vote to help save the planet; but they leave out the second part, which is after you vote, you have to call and tell your representative that you want them to write, co-sponsor, and vote for legislation that will invest in climate solutions and mitigation efforts. And you need to call every level of government. (Find your representatives here: https://myreps.datamade.us/ )

Are you really saying there's nothing an individual can do? No, I'm not. But, the situation is dire and incomprehensibly huge. Collective action matters, but it's important to note that in 2017, the Carbon Disclosure Project, a non-profit that collects voluntary carbon emissions data from organizations around the world, found that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. In 2019, another study identified 20 companies in the oil and gas industry are responsible for 35% of all carbon and methane emissions since 1965. These companies spent decades lobbying against action on climate change, and have permanently delayed our ability to avoid some of the billions in damages already baked in for several decades, and those that have incurred from recent climate related disasters. No amount of reusing bags, not littering, and swapping lightbulbs will compete with that.

But let's just say we'll take responsibility for those emissions. We're already paying for them. After all, we drove the cars. We turned on the lights. We took the planes. We ignored the methane and permafrost leaks and the health disparities. If we were really taking climate change seriously, we'd stop emissions immediately. No more energy used unless it's renewable. No more mass-produced anything. No more trips unless they are by bike or foot. No more overfishing. No more cutting down forests for new homes or fields. Nothing. It just stops. But then so does our economy, and then any recent economic and social justice progress erodes. It's all connected: the planet, our health, caste, wealth, how we treat one another... A long-term full stop is unrealistic and irresponsible. Everything has tradeoffs. We can't advocate for everyone to live off grid, growing their own food. It might fit a few people's preferences, but it's not an accessible, reasonable or desirable solution for a majority of the people, and pushing this lifestyle as the only solution is deeply privileged. A slow decline is what we're working on instead. The trouble is we're not declining our emissions as fast as we need to decline and we're quickly approaching the need for a rapid drop. Every action will matter in the next several years. Corporate actions, government actions and global movements will make a bigger dent towards the goal to save our species, and all the other ones too; put your efforts behind these efforts to change, and it will happen.

Ok, but what if I just want to improve my footprint? Ok! If you're someone who wants to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, just pick one part of your life where you need to invest either your time or your money and change it. Start with something you're already planning to buy or do this weekend, and then think about all the ways you could use your time or your money to make a different decision than you'd normally default to do and then do it.

So for instance, let's say you want to buy a new dress or a new shirt. Ask yourself if you need it to be new? Can you get one from a friend in a swap? Are there ways to reuse what you have? If you do want to buy new, use the search engine of your choice to do a little research. Find out if there's a list of companies that have a solid reputation in their ethical sourcing patterns, their investing patterns, their commitments, and buy from that company that fits your needs or puts economic power in the hands of a historically marginalized community. (hint: there is)! Companies who are organized as a B-Corp, or that report to the Carbon Disclosure Project, the Global Reporting Initiative, or are members of the UN Global Compact or the We Mean Business Coalition or 1% for the Planet usually carry solid reputations. Challenge yourself to think about what you'll do with that garment when you're done with it. What will it be next? Can you give it back to the manufacturer? Then decide your next move. Perhaps you want to watch TV, pick an environmental documentary instead of your favorite comedy. I'd recommend "Planet Earth" or "My Octopus Teacher." Maybe you like games. There environmentally themed games! Ever tried Animal Crossing? Or go walk outside and listen to the wind and the birds. Appreciate the bugs. Sit and breathe. It helps with stress!

Maybe you like to fix cars? Do some research and find out if you can soup up your car to run on a biofuel, or if you can upgrade it to an all electric - there are some car enthusiasts out there that will take classics and turn them into quiet and lightning fast EVs. Next time you get your electricity bill - ask yourself two questions: can I opt into renewable energy? and does my state offer free energy audits? Most of the time in most places in the US the answer to both is yes. What else? Next time you're going to the fridge to make a meal, challenge yourself to make one meal with less or no meat. You might be surprised how easy it was, and how little you missed. Going vegan one meal, one day, several days a week, has a huge impact on our ability to control demand for carbon intensive agriculture.

Next, maybe think about your retirement fund, if you have one. Call the investment company and ask them if you can divest your portfolio from oil and gas. Even if you don't have the option, they are tracking when you ask. Asking gets the people at that company asking questions. Voila! You've kicked off a little investigation! Here's one more for tonight: tomorrow when you get to work, ask one person, or several people if they know what are the climate goals established by the company? Is it obvious? Is it on your webpage? Is it in your investor report? Do you write an annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report? What does it say? Are there opportunities for you to get involved? If so, get involved.

The point is there's A LOT more for you to do after you turn off your lights, swap your lightbulbs and tell your one environmentalist friend that you recycle. Like, tell your non-environmentalist friend that you recycle and why! Or ask your local leaders to start a recycling program in your community if don't have one. And please call Congress and all of your local officials more than a few times a year --- I'm begging you.

Let me know if you need any help - or if you liked what I wrote. Happy Earth Day - Every Day.