Written by: Adrienne Brookbanks
The answer to this question can keep you occupied with endless debates and fiery deliberations depending on who your audience is. Vegans will say one thing, economists another and environmental activists will have their own set of views. However, all parties can agree that there is no one liner answer, and requires an honest look at the state of the world and our role in it.
Dealing with global warming
According to Bill McKibben, a leading American environmental activist and writer, Global Warming is the crux of the most significant issue we face today: “Global warming is the crux. If we don’t deal with it, then all our other failures and successes are largely moot,” says McKibben.
Global warming did not happen overnight, and is not attributable to any one person, but we need to take collective responsibility for it. “Moving away from fossil fuel which releases dangerous amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere – then many of our problems will be easier to solve as well,” continues McKibben.
Private companies and entrepreneurs should solve the problem
While admitting government’s role in solving and dealing with the global warming issue, author and activist Van Jones believes that it will not be governments that will solve the problem: “At the end of the day, government won’t solve this problem – private enterprise and entrepreneurship will solve global warming.”
Taking responsibility for the role we play in the global warming crisis is a necessary first step for every eco man, but the realisation that a collective effort is needed to affect the necessary resolution is the next required step. And the way to do this is to speak in a language that big business understands, says Jones.
“First you have to change the rules. We’ll have to put a price on carbon,” explains Jones.
Get philosophical about the subject
Bill McKibben puts a philosophical twist to his view: “We are failing to protect the world that is under our dominion, failing to love our neighbors. Instead, we are making life impossible for some many people and other species on the planet.”
An immediate aid to curb the global warming problem, and inadvertently create millions of eco men is to start retrofitting each country. “The low-hanging fruit is a massive program to retrofit America, to weatherise millions and millions of American buildings to leak less energy. Starting there, we can take existing technology and an idle workforce and power ourselves through the recession,” says McKibben.
Educate future generations
Sam Branson, heir to the Richard Branson empire, recently took an expedition to the Arctic which only further served to solidify his determination to educate young people on the real problems global warming present to their generation.
Branson firmly believes that every person can make a difference. “Many people are concerned but think they don’t have time, but all it takes is small changes and it adds up to make a big difference. People need to recognise that we have a voice together, especially young people. They’re going to be in a position to make a difference in time to come.”
Small changes can kick start your eco man journey
The fight against climate change needs to come from both generations, and should see a concerted effort from both the current and future leadership of the world. Having discussed the responsibilities of governments and influencers, consider these practical ways to increase the individual’s environmental impact on the world, the start of the eco man journey:
- Become carbon natural or at least try to reduce your carbon footprint, and offset what you cannot use.
- Upload instead of burn. Everyone uses computers these days – upload large files instead of burning them to discs
- Recycle. Put two bins at your desk – one for recyclables and one for waste. Also recycle your print cartridges
The above points may seem arbitrary, but if these types of actions are implemented by millions of people, imagine the impact on the environment. Sam Branson believes this is exactly what is needed, explaining his own small contributions to becoming more eco conscious: “Small things like changing my light bulbs and not driving a car unless you need to…this can all make a difference,” says Branson.
There are many theories and debates about what is needed to curb the hemorrhaging results of global warming on the world, but ultimately the onus does not solely lie at the government or lobby groups’ doors. It will require a unified approach from industry, public and private sector and citizens of the world.
The liveeco team
