, shared some surprising tips for how to combat climate change. As Earth Day turns 50, she says we should convert our “green guilt” into group action—when it comes to saving the planet, we have bigger battles to fight than the ones we wage against ourselves. This transcript has been condensed and edited for clarity.It’s bad. The fires in Australia are a great example. How bad things are going to get depends a lot on what we do now and in the next couple of decades.
I think that this focus on lifestyle choices is a trap. It’s a trap that is gleefully supported by the fossil fuel industry. It was British Petroleum that first popularized the individual carbon footprint calculator, because it really puts all of the burden and guilt about solving climate change on the individual consumer’s shoulders—which, within our current system, is extremely time-consuming, expensive, or both.
So, according to what you’re saying, does that mean I can just kick up my heels, use as many plastic bags as I want, and every four years I promise to vote for whoever is a little bit green?
Emma_Marris Nope! Political and economic action. Demand it from your representatives!