Once again, just like every week, it's time for a QOTW by @ecotrain, and this time I want to submit an answer too. The topic for this week is something I have a bit of a strong opinion on: What Things Could We Do Differently To Reduce Climate Change? So please bear with me as I bare my soul in this regard.
Change the Things You Cannot Accept, and Accept the Things You Cannot Change.
Oh yeah, and most importantly: know the difference! Because as vital as this issue is, I believe there is a great deal of smoke and mirrors related to it, and while I don't want to deny the science, I think much of this same information is being used against us. So let me start at the actual increase of temperatures today.
As I am aware of it, today's warming is not the result of the current carbon emissions, but it goes back ... like 2-3 decades. Even if my numbers are wrong, I'm pretty certain it didn't happen just last year. In other words, we'd have to reduce the emissions from back then to curb today's temperature rise. Even if we completely stopped emitting carbon into the atmosphere right this minute, the following decades would still experience the warming resulting from the last decades. As horrible as it all sounds, trying to reduce the present warming is a bit like crying over the extinction of the mastodon. I know, I too think it's a tragedy, but that giant beast died out thousands of years ago. Let's get over it, shall we?
image source
But We Can't Just Let Things Go On Like This!
I agree, we should not watch idly while this beautiful world is being sliced to bits and cooked in its own juice. And since we can't push the carbon emissions back into the 90's where they came from, we must look ahead and see what we can do differently. The problem is, most of human activity results in emitting CO2 into the atmosphere. Cooking food, staying warm, moving from place to place, producing food to cook, distributing it, etc. Of course, there are better and worse ways to go about doing all of these things, but since the factors are so numerous and complex, focusing only on one issue at the expense of all the others is not only foolish, but manipulative.
Take eating meat (or not) as an example. Certainly cattle contribute to the emission of methane, a gas with much worse effects on the atmosphere than CO2. But switching to a plant based diet does not resolve the problem of CO2 emissions from tilling the land. Also, the processing and distributing has to be factored into the equation. Or let's talk about fossil fuels. Clearly, I'm not a fan of them either. But changing to electric will increase the demand on batteries and thus the mining for rare materials required for them. Again, not a real viable alternative. On the downside, all of these ideas necessitate a large-scale collective effort, get everyone (always with exceptions!) to make considerable sacrifices, and in the end is not even guaranteed to work. At what scale does the war in Ukraine contribute to climate change? Or how about the last volcanic eruption?
Everybody Sweep In Front Of Their Own House
My biggest beef with climate effort, or people who advocate for it in a loud fashion, is that it tries to rally everyone together behind one idea(l). At first harmlessly by reasoning, but since that is always an exercise in futility, eventually coercion. And as good as their intentions may be, I really do not like being coerced. I have always seen myself as an environmentalist, and I think I've done my fair share to making this world a better place. Some of the things I pride myself on, for whatever it's worth, are never having owned a car, and never having invested in the stock market. And if I decide to go vegan, it should be my own choice and no one else's. Otherwise let me have my bacon, after all I never bothered those who would not want any.
On the other hand, there is tons we can do against climate change, that doesn't involve forcing others to change their behavior. Planting a tree is the first good step. But that is clearly not enough: the young sapling needs to be tended, protected from getting chewed up, pushed over, or trampled down. Making sure it has sufficient water and mulch is important, so you should be there to protect it during its first years. While you're doing that, you may as well plant a perennial garden around it, creating a plant community that will help it grow, and also supply food for you. You may as well bring in some animals to fertilize the soil, mow the abundant growth, and sure ... you can even eat some of them. Since this way you're cutting out the entire transport and processing network, you are reducing your carbon footprint much more effectively than if had just gone vegan or bought an electric car.
Most importantly, however, stop worrying about the rest! You're doing your part, that's what's important. Meanwhile there's nothing you can do about the volcano. Let the volcano belch out its toxic chemicals, just like all those bombs exploding in other places. Let others eat their meat and drive their diesel trucks. Don't worry about them. It's much better for your own mental health, as well as for that of others.