I should probably explain the meaning behind “Tiny Tim”. I said that I wanted to investigate the overlap between climate change and global poverty. Tiny Tim is a good example of a resilient yet unfortunate bloke, who despite his physical disadvantages, is able to help induce a change of enormous magnitude in Scrooge. Tiny Tim may lack a lot of basic capabilities in his life, but his outspoken presence contributes in a large positive way toward improving society.
Granted, Tiny Tim is not the perfect analogy for global poverty and developing countries. Regrettably, nothing in the real world is as morally unambiguous as “God bless us, every one!” But Tiny Tim also stands for us as individuals.
Preparing for COP15, it was very easy to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem and complexity of the issues. Yes, we’ve had international cooperation on greenhouse gas emissions before (ozone), but carbon dioxide is involved in so many biological, chemical, geological systems. It resides in the atmosphere so much longer, is so much more global… The problem sounds so big that in some ways it can seem that all of the change must come from the top down; governments and international organizations in fancy meetings must show us “The Way to Solve Climate Change.” Some leading climate scientists even argue that efforts on an individual level are distracting from the bigger picture. (1)
I think that a little bit of excitement on the individual level wouldn’t hurt at all, as long as we realize that large overarching changes are necessary too. Even if the individual efforts can’t produce the same amount of offsets as efforts at a regional, national, or international level, an awareness of the problem, and a sense of responsibility is born. Michael Pollan puts it well (2) in his article “Why Bother?” for the New York Times, “Sometimes you have to act as if acting will make a difference, even when you can’t prove that it will.”
Sometimes isn’t all the time, but now it is. (3)
Which brings us to the subject of young men in Ferraris. I’m going to start a list of things we as individuals can do. (Feel free to add your own, if the comments ever start working!) The first comes from former UK chief scientist Sir David King (via my friend Deepa), is directed predominately at women, and is something I’ve been guilty of once… or twice…
1) Stop admiring young men in Ferraris!
Other, less dramatic suggestions I came across again today…
2) Each more veggies, less meat.
3) Plant a garden.
Just a little food for thought. : )
(1) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f1d9f856-d4ad-11de-a935-00144feabdc0.html
(2) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-lede-t.html
(3) Thomas Friedman also has a really interesting article about the low probability, high impact events: “Going Cheney on Climate.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/opinion/09friedman.html?_r=1
I think the Danish government is taking Emilia’s advice too close to heart! Apparently the Bella Center (hub for the conference) is only able to hold 15,000 out of the 45,000+ registrants. Many people, literally packed like sardines, arrive via the train, which is perhaps a 100 ft from the entrance. However, they’ve started shutting down the Bella Center stop because so many people arrive and the crowd becomes absolutely imaginable (see some of the other posts). So today we power walked/jogged from the previous stop to the conference. At least it wasn’t snowing!
I hear n.4 and… Thanks, but no thanks. Wouldn’t that hurt the economy? The point is to find sustainable alternatives to the way we do things, not to stop doing them. It is reducing the carbon (and other chemicals) intensity of our lifestyle, not to renounce to it. With a treaty we might some day be able to fly at a lower carbon cost. Current proposals include alternative fuels, new materials and designs that increase efficiency, and policy tools such as offsets. Without a treaty, however, the alternatives are 1) Swimming your way across the ocean, 2)Sailing with your own boat (some people try that and some actually succeed), and 3)To never leave Houston.
I am glad I flew to Copenhagen even if it was at a carbon cost (for now) because I got to see that many sectors, including industry, are willing to change things. Apparently once they do the numbers it is not so bad. I am currently sitting on a session held by the International Transportation Forum, and they have interesting claims as well as ideas, which do not include going out of business.
5) Don’t fly anywhere if you can help it. This means cut down on visits to relatives, etc.
6) Don’t maintain any sort of lawn that you need to water.
7) Give money to organizations that make birth control cheap and easily available.
8) Support anything that lets us feed an increasing number of people with minimal deforestation and water usage. This includes GM crops.
9) Support nuclear power.
10) Get a bike. Use it whenever possible.
5) Take the bus/Carpool with Tiny Tim
4)Don’t fly on a airplane to Copenhgen