Today is Blog Action Day, a movement that brings together bloggers, no matter what subject they cover, to create awareness of a cause by all writing about it on the same day. This year’s focus is climate change.
This article interrupts a series of blog posts I’ve been publishing on creating positive change in your life. It’s interesting timing given the issue of reducing climate change may be the one greatest change we all have a vested interest in making, yet presently we struggle to make shifts significant enough to save us from what looks like a bleak future, depending on what predictive models you trust.
Writing the series on change made me realize an intriguing and at times contradictory relationship between changes that the individual can make, how those changes impact overall change as a society and the motivations behind change in the first place.
My article series on change focused on your favorite subject – you. I agree with you, my favorite subject is me too. Hence we tend to make decisions to change very much based on what we want as individuals.
Collectively, all our individual decisions dictate what we choose as a society. If enough of us adopt a change, it becomes part of our culture and who we are as a people. This is why the power to change things on a global scale really does rest in the hands of the individual.
The impact of climate change presents some pretty uncomfortable scenarios, many that most human beings would prefer to avoid if possible.
Although not everyone agrees on the science, simply looking at some of the physical manifestations around us (like the weather) is enough to convince me that something is up. I have a feeling we’re all walking a path that can only lead to major disruption of what we take for granted today (things like ease of access to food, water, electricity, transportation), not to mention all the wonders that are at risk in nature and animal life.
Something needs to be done, but who’s going to do it?
How Can We Be So Unresponsive?
Given the size of this issue (we are talking about the entire planet), it can be daunting as an individual to fathom what type of change is necessary to “save us”. The problem is complex and the implications so widespread that we can never hope to get a grasp of what exactly is going to happen, but one thing is clear – we need an adjustment of the entire global consciousness if we are to solve this suite of issues.
I began thinking how exactly this level of change is likely to happen. What’s the most likely scenario for us as a race to react to what’s happening?
Since I’ve been writing about change I’ve realized that behind every big change is a process of incremental changes. It’s the little adjustments along the way that take us to the big outcomes.
Unfortunately, in the case of changes like climate change, we don’t react to the problem until it has had a dramatic impact on us. Because of this, we may need to suffer before we do something significant and react collectively to the idea that the world as we run it today, is not sustainable. By the time we realize that we need to all adjust our behavior and shift our motivation, it will be too late, the inertia will be too great to reverse or even reduce very quickly. It’s going to be rocky before it becomes smooth again.
Most of us make changes to our lives only when there is a stimulus strong enough to cause us to react. If there’s no direct agitation that we personally feel, we tend to go with the flow and do whatever the majority does. The herd mentality strikes again.
In the case of climate change, I don’t have faith that enough individuals will force a shift in behaviors great enough to change us, until something really significant happens.
In other words, it’s going to take the threat of realizing or even experiencing that you won’t be able to just turn on a tap and have water appear. The garbage you produce won’t just magically disappear once a week, buried somewhere hidden away where you never see it. You won’t be able to just catch a plane to visit another country. The weather will be so severe that for periods of collectively many months every year, being outside simple won’t be an option.
Everyone will feel the impact so significantly, that finally we will be motivated to make changes. It’s a shame that it may have to go this far for us to decide to do something about it. This may not happen in my lifetime of course, but that doesn’t mean anyone alive today should be comfortable opting-out of responsibility. This is a human-race problem and I for one care about my people.
The one silver lining in this scenario, as I see it, is a huge raising in global consciousness and a shift in priorities towards much more sustainable and humane practices.
The world operates on polarities. When really bad things happen to you, your perspective on life shifts dramatically. Although your physical world may not be as rosy, you personally experience major growth – you “raise your consciousness” and see the world in a different way.
When this happens to many people at the same time due to a major tragedy, our entire society changes, emerging from the despair with an inner power and peace that wasn’t present before. We experience a mass internal realignment, advancing our culture towards a more functional, equal, sustainable and peaceful society.
From the seeds of suffering is born enlightenment.
Don’t Take What You Have For Granted
Of course I have no idea if these situations will eventuate, but I do know that human nature is very complacent.
As long as you don’t directly suffer, you don’t worry too much about all the big issues and focus more on what little things are bothering you or how you can get your next fix of self gratification. Let the politicians and the activists worry about the implications of climate change. As long as I get my beer, weekends, restaurants, cafes, cars, TV, sex, drugs, music, mobile phones and of course – the Internet, I’m good.
That’s a dangerous attitude and it needs to be changed.
Don’t live in fear of what you might loose, but don’t be ignorant either. Understand the reality of how you live today and what behaviors contribute to climate change and start making smart choices based on what you value in your life.
This is about everyone – and everyone includes you. Unless you want the shock of your life, it’s important that you start caring now, rather than just as the disaster strikes. This is your problem too, and although you shouldn’t let the burden depress you, and accept that you’re not perfect, it is important you start acting less like an individual, and more like a part of a collective species that makes one hell of a large footprint on this earth.
Yaro Starak
Shifting
I think it’s hard for people to sometimes get too motivated about climate change when one volcanic eruption does more to affect climate change that all the pollution created in the world by man since the beginning of the industrial revolution.
Also, the politicians and big business are now saying it’s okay for you to pollute as long as you pay for it with carbon credits. The carbon credit scheme is just allowing richer and larger countries to buy the right to pollute more.
I’m all for protecting the environment, but not the way the UN and governments are going about it.
I think a lot about the negative changes that are more than likely going to effect us in the near future.
It gets me down and sends me a little crazy if I think about it too much.
I think its been more of focus since the birth of my son. I look at him and hear him asking why I didn’t do more to help and me not having a good enough response. I think it affects us all to a greater or lesser degree as I don’t think, as an animal, we’re naturally predisposed to waste. I think its at the root of a lot of discontentment.
I agree we’re all responsible and that as individuals we all must act but sadly I think the only way we’re going to save ourselves (I believe the planet will be fine and better off without us) is people forcing us too. But it’s apparently policatically inpractical to say force us to compost and encourage us not to buy crap we don’t need or whatever needs doing.
I hold out hope but not a lot. I even thought about running for a political position but as a father and carer it’s not doable.
Maybe we should stop wathcing Heroes and act like them. Me included.
Like the Flaming Lips say I’m waiting for superman.
Gordie, absolutely you are correct when you say one massive eruption can spew years worth of gasses and particles into the air.
Ideally we want to limit oil consumption for economic reasons as well but the idea of carbon credit trading just makes me think of other government run programs….
I like the idea of mandating higher MPG vehicles, the technology has been there but the will of the companies has not. They make more money selling the guzzlers than they could the more efficient vehicles. It took $5 a gallon gas to change that.
Interesting point of view. I have to agree with your comment.
Well said.
Franck
I completely agree with you that it is, let’s say.. a bit unfair. Don’t get me wrong, I DO think that climate is very important and everyone should do as much as possible to improve Earth’s condition. However, nowadays, it is visible that there is a large influence of politics and business in it and I think it’s wrong.
I think this is a war that we kind have lost and waiting to see the consequences. It seems like we accepted all the outcome from the climate change. Even they start selling holidays to GreenLand, where you can discover some valuable gems after the snow and ice disappears (This was published in a newspaper in England). It is really sad that instead of fighting this war, we all accepted and getting ready to adapt to changes.
The good news is temperatures have stayed the same for the last 30 years. This way stated in a study by the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the National Weather Service. Also the warmest US year on record was in the 1930s. I think we can all agree emission from factories and cars have grown quite a bit since the 1930s as well as over the last 30 years. Another distinction which should be made is difference between climate and weather. Climate is the measurement of conditions over time and weather are the conditions we are having today. To say, “simply looking at some of the physical manifestations around us (like the weather) is enough to convince me that something is up”, I wish you would give some evidence to back this claim. How has the weather changed in your life time? I think the environmentalist would capture my attention more if they focused on pollution and how affects the environment. For example, Company A dump in this river and cancer rates have gone up. Or the trees and animals are dying at a rapid rate due to the toxin released by Company B. Not trying to change anyone’s mind, but would encourage everyone to question both sides more. BTW, I use to believe in global warming, but I’m now on the fence.
I was thinking about all this one abnormally warm day last February while my friend and I walked around at a year-round outdoor market.
“If this is global warming, then I’m all for it!” laughed a man in a short-sleeved shirt who was selling merchandise on a weathered wooden table.
“Ha! Global warming, my a**!” agreed his grubby friend.
I looked up at the sun shining in the blue sky and shrugged my shoulders. Then it snowed a week later. Even the local weather plays with my thoughts on the matter!
The weather is the first indication that global warming is a reality and not a scare tactic conjured up by environmentalists. I live on the other side of the pond, in California USA. My city, San Francisco, climate has always been foggy and cool but just this year alone, we’ve had weird weather cycles. Imagine this: cold and windy one day and beautiful and sunny the very next. People get sick easily with this kind of weather. The cycle repeats itself for every month and we never had this kind of weather before. Our summer from June to August was cold & damp and then in September it was hot. I think rather than simply feeling defeated and accept what will come, everyone should be proactive and put efforts to reverse the damage to our planet. It’s never too late. I work for Honda and I see the changes to the cars my company invests in to make cleaner emission cars. All industries should be more socially and environmentally conscious.
Dear KN,
I love what you are saying. People should become more conscious of the carbon footsteps we are making, myself included. It is about time that we realize the impact
of what we are doing to the earth, if not for ourselves, but for generations to come.
I’m so happy that Honda is worrying about the emissions. Every car maker should.Hooray for Honda! Let’s see the other car makers get on the clean air bandwagon.
Climate change is a human issue. It isn’t just about saving the planet and communities around the world face serious threats from the climate crisis. The TckTckTck campaign has created a great tool for learning the stories behind the human face of climate change. It’s called the Climate Orb and it is an animated interactive tool housing first-hand stories searchable by country, keyword and timeframe.
What a bunch of sappy comments. Climate change is a battle about Cap&Trade. Cap&Trade is about turning CO2 into a tradeable commodity. Carbon trading will be worth trillions annually, eventually becoming the single largest commodity market in the world. Why do you think AL Gore is so motivated? because he will become a Carbon Baron and the worlds first carbon billionaire. If I had the prospect of billions sitting in my lap, I’d lie about saving the planet to anyone who would listen. So get with the program folks, it’s about the money.
All of this sappy talk about the end of the world is absolutly bizaare. You folks need to slash your wrists and end it all now.
a very serious issue, but it has no marketing, no money opportunities in it..so
no one`s interested in climate change 
what do you do to protect the climate, the earth? nothing… we all do NOTHING
That’s a good point actually jucarii, this is something similar we talked about in my Microeconomics class at college, the fact that in a free market society, eventually there will be someone that will invest into projects such as global warming, because they care enough about it and don’t want to suffer the consequences and everyone else in society will benefit from it, thus it becomes a true public good. So my Econ professor says we shouldn’t worry as the market will take care of the climate problem.
Till then,
Jean
The message that “it will be too late” is a sad one. We take a few talking heads, a warm day, and some bad science and shout, “It will be too late!” and everyone starts trying to evoke action. It is just like smelling burned popcorn and running into the crowded theatre to yell, “Fire!”
Is C02 a green house gas? We don’t know. The carbon cycle in what makes life work. So I don’t think we can call it a pollutant.
I care about the environment because I live in it. But I don’t think we have any idea of reducing carbon emissions will help or hurt the problem. Let me explain.
There are two basic ideas (yes I have heard many ideas, but I have limited space here). Idea 1: Producing and emitting CO2 into the environment causes the greenhouse effect, thus global warming and climate change. Idea 2: Global Warming causes a rise in the CO2 levels in the environment as the way that the ecosystem prevents runaway warming.
Evidence: If I take a glass box, and I put some dirt in it. Then seal the box and heat it up with a sunlamp, surprise, it fills with CO2. Now I take the same glass box and I fill it with CO2 and shine a sunlamp on it. Well, it also heats up, but not as much because the cloudy CO2 blocks the light. (wow, you mean clouds block the sunlight? Only people who have never been outside should be surprised.)
Conclusion: CO2 counteracts global warming.
If we are really going to do something about the weather, we really do need to figure out how it works. The evidence that is brought to the table by climatologists is computer models. And you can make them say anything. But they don’t have real experiments that support them. This is bad science, and it gets people like me, all worked up about not very much. (and all this hot air is the real cause of GW.)
What happened to global warming? – BBC
Oct 10, 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm
This headline may come as a bit of a surprise, so too might that fact that the warmest year recorded globally was not in 2008 or 2007, but in 1998.
But it is true. For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.
And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise.
So what on Earth is going on?
Climate change sceptics, who passionately and consistently argue that man’s influence on our climate is overstated, say they saw it coming.
Climate change is a natural process that has happened to our planet hundreds of years ago…our planet obviously survived the last change as we are still here.
Recycling plastic bags isn’t going to stop temperatures getting hotter however all the hype helps to create great business opportunities for cunning businesses wanting to cash in on the planets natural way of changing!!
Recently, my country got struck by the earthquake and almost 800 people died, and this is the second time this disaster happened in the same area, the first one was Tsunami. And i keep wondering why many people there are realize that the area they are living is a source of disaster area but they keep living in that place. It’s obvious that people there is a stubborn human, they always think individually instead of as collective human. Why one of them can’t just lead the rally to leave that area or do some action. This goes the same with all the human on this planet, they just dont care about the environment and future of the next generation after them, as long as they can make lots of money, then they are fine.
I live part of the year in the Philippines and get to experience not having some things we take for granted in the U.S. Believe you are grateful if you don’t have everything all the time.
Of Course, changing of climate has a great impact on me, coz on my side i cannot easily adopt to the changing temperature like for example , from cold to hot.
Don’t you think that, maybe, our desire to “fix” the weather and climate change is somewhat contradictory to our desire to not interfere with nature? It’s not necessarily our fault that climate change is occuring, considering the climate has changed so many times in earth’s long history.. we’re actually due for one
Climate change used to be called global warming…it was only recently changed to climate change when the Obama rhetoric team came into office. The truth is that Global Warming doesn’t exist…and climate change is a naturally recurring cycle that happens about every thirty years (in the 70′s there was a big global cooling scare and the government purposefully emitted “greenhouse gasses” into the atmosphere). The truth is, we as humans don’t have as much power over the Earth as we’d like to think. That being said, I think that we should all be responsible, obviously it is important to respect the earth as any one of us would respect our own home..I try not to litter, or pollute the earth as much as the next guy. I believe that if it is in our power we should take steps to using alternative sources of energy, but not at the risk of bankrupting our nation…American families have to be the priority when considering legislation like “Cap and Trade” or as many like to call it “Cap and Tax”.
So remember, climate change is a naturally recurring cycle that happens with or without our help…and Global Warming is a business created by Al Gore, and many others who have large amounts of stock in “green” energy companies.
I’m not a fan of the last few posts. Please do more interviews and strategy posts – i.e., seo, keywords, etc.
Hey Yaro,
I am writing a post on climate impact on me. It will be on my blog within few hours.
Such encouraging things are a wonderful way to create awareness as blogs controls a lot of readers worldwide and if even a single person from your blog start being serious about the climatic change than it will be a major difference.
Very timely, I guess we need a hard hit before we realize how we’ve been so careless with our environment. Although, the situation right now is a serious matter, we could find something positive over it, like voluntarism and unity towards a great cause. Yet, it’s still too bad we have gone this far before we realize that we are all advocates of our environment.
Climate change is really affecting me and I hope people will do something to save Earth.
Hi Yaro!
The information you presented on Climate Change is very important for everyone. It is a shame that Blog Action Day wasn’t more publicized so that other media could focus on this topic as well. People are going to have to wake up now and realize that the changes we are already experiencing with the climate WILL get worse, not MIGHT get worse. Obviously, the situation is not bothering the masses or they would be “up in arms” about it. People don’t get energized about a change like this unless it affects them personally. One of these days it will. Then, we will want to do something about it. Then, it may be too late. Something needs to be done about it NOW.
By the way, I want to let you know that the free information I received on your blog site helped me to start my own blog. The site has only been up 2 days. I haven’t monetized it yet, but I will. Please take a look at it and let me know what you think and how I might improve on it. Right now, the articles are short. They will get longer with more detail as I get better and better. Thank you very much in advance.
Yes Yaro, the most important issue that must be discuss and a concert part from most influence blogger. But the very important part is to take ACTION, not just only talk.
Thanks for that.
Well, this argument will rage and rage. For every climate change expert there is another sceptic telling us they’ve got it all wrong. The best we can do is keep talking about it and see what research throws up. However, its far too obvious that big money has a handle behind the scenes – in both camps! Thanks for the post, Yaro.
Like or not, we are now go to the one point about climate change…
As blogger, we have to call everyone to save our planet by using their personal blog, post, forum and other way..
This is a sensitive subject and enough and more has been said about it at various fora without my having to add to it. It is frustrating that everyone knows something needs to be done, but no one is doing anything about it. We need to do whatever it is that we need to do fast and every day is important but our leaders do not seem to consider the issue to be serious enough.
Hey Yaro,
The only thing we can change is ourselves. It might not seem like much but it can add up. I know we humans are affecting the Earth. Mother Earth will bring things into balance, on her terms. How that will affect us, I am sure we will find out.
Those people who rely on politicians will be severaly dissapointed when it turns out they cannot help people. Peolpe should really realize that it is their consciousness that creates the sourrounding reality, not the other way round. Wake up people!
Thanks for trying to bring more awareness to this. Although most people know about the current climate change, very few do anything to prevent it or prepare for it. If everyone does their part, it can add up to a huge difference. Unfortunately we are a society of convenience. That convenience comes before everything including the environment.
Climate change effects everyone and it’s an important topic to address. I work with Low Cost Power and while you’re paying such careful attention to the environment you should also pay close attention to what you’re spending for that energy. They can save you tons of money on your energy services.
It’s fun to read back and see that the same points are still being argued today. Great read Yaro.