You see it in the news every day. Angry climate protesters on the street and the status quo moving much too slowly (or even backwards) to help save the planet before it’s too late!
“Time is running out”
As the rising star, Greta Thunberg, has been publicising, we only have 13 years before the balance is tipped and the damage we have caused will be irreversible. I always think of it like a smoker going into their 40s. “Stop now”, says their GP, “before your lung capacity is too small and you’ll struggle to breathe”. Trees are like the lungs of the planet and some companies have started to recognize that. Ecosia is a fast growing search engine which donates 80% of its profits to grow new trees around the world. According to Antonia from zero-waste living blog EscapeWaste.com, recycling and reusing is the best way to a greener and sustainable living. Some companies have begun to develop a conscience without political intervention too. Under Lucky Stars is a company selling personalized star maps and, without requirement or financial incentive, we have chosen to go carbon neutral. We're not alone but we need to encourage this “planetary philanthropic sector” (what I’m dubbing for a need to take action without legislation).
Laws have always been slow to change. Look at the UK with 400+ year old laws still being used. New legislation must pass through the House of Commons three times, if the House of Lords veto it and finally the Queen must sign it. That’s before the issue has been forced into discussion and that’s before it’s made possible by a myriad of other facts, including energy companies spending millions to protect the antiquated system.
“Save the Planet, Not your Money”
The politicians cannot be relied upon. The USA, one of the largest contributors to global warming, have even stepped out of the Paris Agreement, no doubt for unimaginably petty reasons known only to Donald and Ivanka Trump. In the 2019 UK elections climate change does seem to be held with much more importance than usual but only the Green party is committed to carbon neutrality by 2030. The main parties (Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives) are much later: 2050 in the case of the Conservative party.
That’s much too little, too late!
The picture is similar across most first world countries and when you look at the developing such as South America, there is a strong feeling of, “Hey, you had your turn making yourselves rich and powerful during the industrial revolution. Now it’s our turn!”. Just look at the Amazon rainforest. Endless fires which some have even accused the Brazilian
President, Jair Bolsonaro, of starting.
“Greta for President!”
Yes, petition away, get the governments of the world to change their ways but we can start making a change without them. Make changes to your lifestyle, as much as you can: go vegan, if you think you can! We also need to develop a conscience in the world of business,however. The current capitalist state which the western world finds itself in rewards only
one thing: making money.
The idea of being a successful business is one with a high turnover and minimum overheads.Now, the free market is a great thing. We need competition. We need financial freedom and we all the consequences of going the other way. We also need something else. There’s an even greater need for environmental conscientiousness with businesses. This competition isn’t about cutting corners to afford 16, instead of 15 bedrooms. This is the competition to
save the human race, to save our children and our grandchildren from our selfishness.
“Make A Change”
Don’t want to lose a dime? Well, although it would be money well spent and an investment into the future of the human race. The truth is also, you may be able to have your cake and eat it too. Why? Perhaps not ten or twenty years ago, but right now people are responding to environmental causes like never before. Check out this reddit conversation between the company and someone who didn’t like the fact they were offsetting the carbon footprint of their order. It went viral and this humble Star Map company has helped it to be put, quite literally, on the map.Don’t wait, or it’ll be too late! If we change our ways at home and at work, we can bypass the governments who we all know are being pulled by a thousand string. Very few of which are thinking beyond their next board meeting.
“The Climate is Changing So Should We! #ActNow”