Fighting Climate Change is Worth It
A leader of my church, encouraging his flock towards greater love and service to each other, once quipped, “We like what you are doing, but we’d like it if you did a little more.”
Slugishness is real. Paralysis is real. You can spend a lot of time deciding whether to get out of bed each day. I often engage in that exercise, awake but overwhelmed, before eventually recommitting to the daily struggle and getting up. Plus, I usually have to go to the bathroom.
You can become paralyzed when facing massive problems: Politics, war, inequality, grinding poverty, various forms of discrimination, the depletion of earth’s resources, and mental illness all can take a toll.
Our climate crisis can be a paralytic force. Most people don’t seem to understand or don’t care, and those who do understand, can’t always agree on the right paths ahead. We debate and analyze, and sometimes fall into analysis paralysis.
Most of us have been led to believe our individual and group efforts are futile. Any measure we take is purely symbolic. Arrayed against most other people, massive institutions determined to keep the status quo, any miniscule positive effect is bound to be overwhelmed.
Similarly, we are inclined to feel hypocritical if our behaviours are not ALWAYS aligned with solid environmental stewardship. I currently write thousands of miles from home, having taken a transatlantic flight. How can I feel good about that carbon footprint?
On the other hand, we observe that some people, governments, organizations and companies break through, push forward and make a meaningful positive climate impact. Kudos to them. Would that we all could generate and maintain such resolve, and deliver such positive outcomes.
The rest of us need to join in. I invite you all to ignore those doomerists and figure out what you can contribute to the cause. Is it changing your personal behaviors? Is it influencing energy policy in your community? Is it offsetting your emissive activities? Is it changing your diet? There are lots of possibilities,, and you are the best authority on what you do next.
What we do matters. Actions may seem like small gestures. The effects may not be felt for a long time. You may need to convince people around you to make investments or decisions. You may need to live with cognitive dissonance for awhile. So be it.
But know that your efforts are appreciated and make a difference. Many small decisions in small ways can lead to big decisions in big ways in the future.
Don’t give up.