Do we need a loud and clear wake up call to start actually worrying about climate change?
This might sound surprising, but I don’t think we do.
We don’t need a natural disaster of epic proportions to move the needle. We’ve had plenty. We’ll keep having plenty, year after year.
And people are worried, especially young people. But the goal isn’t to create worry. It’s to reduce emissions and protect the planet. As far as worry goes, I think it’s accomplished what it can accomplish. In some cases, it’s even backfired, making some people give up doing anything about climate change because ‘we’re already screwed.’
I think what we need more of are stories about solutions, and case studies of people adopting those solutions in their community.
An opinion like ‘it’s too late, why even try,’ just doesn’t cut it after you’ve spoken with a farmer in Thailand who’s convinced his whole community to stop monocropping and to plant hundreds of trees per person.