Brian Ettling, in his excellent blog review of Michael E. Mann's 2021 book The New Climate War: the fight to take back our planet says: "I can’t stress this enough as a climate organizer, PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO TAKE CLIMATE ACTION."
Fossil fuel companies have waged a thirty-year campaign to deflect blame and responsibility and delay action on climate change. Part of their marketing strategy has been to place inordinate emphasis on individuals making changes to their behavior rather than focusing on the producers making necessary systemic changes. "Meanwhile, they've blocked efforts to regulate or price carbon emissions, run PR campaigns aimed at discrediting viable alternatives, and have abdicated their responsibility in fixing the problem they've created."
As concerned citizens we need to:
Force our governments and corporations to wake up and make real change. Vote out of office those who do not support or oppose effective solutions to our climate emergency.
Not allow the enormity of the challenge be so overwhelming that we don't take action
Keep positive conversation going among our friends, community and institutions, stressing urgency and agency about our climate challenge
Be clear about priorities and impacts of change without oversimplifying a complex situation. Tell others what they can do.
Debunk the false narratives and arguments that have worked their way into the climate debate and driven a wedge between even those who support climate change solutions
Inspire awe, wonder and love of nature/mother earth and responsibility to future generations
Take appropriate individual actions, but not expect that they will be sufficient without systemic changes
Yes, taking small, visible actions are important as they raise community awareness and conversation leading to systemic changes. An example is for faith communities in Rogue Valley to let their lawns go brown this summer in response to climate change caused drought. Brown is the New Green.
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