Climate Change Can’t Be Stopped…

A political cartoon showing the fossil fuel industry’s reluctance to change. Credit: (Phil Hands, Tribune Content Agency/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The climate change crisis has never been worse. We are headed toward disaster, and we know the results are coming sooner or later. But here’s the sad truth: no matter how many articles we publish or how many reports scientists give, society and its corrupt corporations will never give in.

Since the late 1980s, climate change has become an increasingly large problem. However, society is like a high schooler doing homework: putting it off until it’s so late that the solution doesn’t become effective anymore. Who can take initiative?

It certainly starts from some of us doing certain things. I’ve seen students and adults alike carelessly tossing litter on the sidewalk and not giving a second thought about climate change. It starts from the ground level, where we can save energy at home, reduce food waste, switch to electricity, reduce shopping habits, and become more eco-friendly. And that’s a common argument presented by a lot of people, but there are two problems with it.

Number one is the fact that a lot of us have no concept of self-sacrifice. Give up my precious fast fashion!?! I’d rather not. Biking and walking? I’d rather drive. Society has 0 concept of looking toward the future because who cares? That’s for tomorrow for me to do it. Oh, just this one time won’t hurt. Oh, it doesn’t even matter in the end. And this is a systematic thing: I could tell maybe an entire high school about it, and the next year you can ask them, and guess what. Nobody’s changed.

Number two is the fact that corporations are the most responsible for this. Sure, spending a couple of hours of useless energy hurts the planet, but I don’t think you and I are capable of causing a billion-dollar oil spill that irreparably damages the environment. It isn’t we who have profited off a manipulative fast fashion industry or other corporate industries that rely on consumption. It’s plain human greed coming from the top.

So what can we do? Support grassroots movements to stop the bleeding. It is the only way we can change these corporations' mindset about how they approach business – it must be approached in an eco-friendly way. Support yourself and your family as well: small things do indeed add up, and you not caring about the environment isn’t helping anyone. Change begins with advocacy.