So often we hear about the futility of various efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. We hear how little effect changing our habits in various ways will have. We hear how solar energy isn't the answer--not enough storage capacity. Wind energy is expensive to build and maintain. Geothermal energy isn't practical everywhere. Tidal power is expensive to maintain. People won't change their habits without strong legislation. There is no political will. And so on.
We hear how little things--like conservation measure including recycling, composting, turning off lights when not in use, line-drying clothing, etc. are all futile and have such a tiny effect as to be insignificant. We hear people refer to the environment in terms that work well for an economic or business model, but have no bearing in the reality of nature.
We hear how we can't just shift gears over night (despite knowing about climate change for several decades now). We hear from people who fear the shifts that must be made, for various reasons.
We are caught in a "you go first" childhood game, except the stakes are much higher. And some countries are bravely starting, such as Scotland with new clean energy investments. Unfortunately, North American countries are much more cowardly, preferring to let others take the lead.
Yes, the world is full of cynicism, which infects all areas of society. It is so very easy to lose heart and become overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. It is certainly easier to give up than to try!
But for a moment, let's put aside all the "glaring realities" and other cynical comments and consider the more positive possibilities. What if we all worked together on this? What if, instead of pitting ideas against each other and searching for one single Holy Grail of the energy issue, we made use of what we have, with the vision of investing in further research and development as we go?
When we put together all of our current technology, we have the capacity to exceed current energy demands. If we invest in research rather than sinking our money into a losing cause (aka oilsands and further oil subsidies), we can continue to expand our options in the renewable sector. We can invest in high-speed rail and better public transit options, with the joyful side-effect of job creation. We can give tax breaks to employers who encourage telecommuting. We can pass legislation requiring better vehicle fuel efficiency. We can enforce anti-idling laws. We can reshape our international trading practices to require less movement of materials.
We can vote, or rather, those of us old enough can. We can write letters, make phone calls and send emails.
No one solution is the magic bullet, but each piece is vital. We cannot afford to shun an action, however small it may seem, because it won't do it all. It is vital to remember that there are a lot of us. Within a 100 km radius of where I live, the human population is numbered in the millions. If just in this small area each person were to reduce their energy use by even just 5%, this would have an impact. Imagine if this idea spread!
But we are conditioned to a state of learned futility, not only in terms of the environment and politics, but in virtually every aspect of society, so we shrug off these facts because we feel insignificant. Many of us don't even vote anymore because we have lost faith in the system, because we feel overwhelmed by the sheer numbers, because we feel powerless to change things.
Whether your are the "99%" or the ""1%", whether you even know which or could care less, if you do nothing and give up without trying, you become the "0%"--you have no effect at all. This is a defeatist way in which to approach life. We can do better.
And this is exactly why we need even more to keep up our own efforts. We keep hearing about the economic recession, and many are affected deeply by it. But the biggest recession we face as a society is the lack of faith in ourselves. We have to do better, and we have to do so now.
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