The consequences of humanity’s carelessness on the world is a huge concern of mine, especially after the latest threats and results that have been published. I often think about what can I do to reduce my negative impact on the world, such as recycling, avoiding single-use plastics, carpooling. I don’t mean to sound egoistic and irresponsible, but I cannot fail to think, what’s the point?
I know that if everyone says “what’s the point” our situation would be much more dire, however what difference am I making by using one less plastic bag, when unthinkable amounts of fossil fuel are burned every second by large factories all around the world? My plastic bag does make a difference, but I feel like it’s like a droplet of water in a huge ocean.
I also believe that the people behind “Every little helps” are the people that don’t want to people to look at the elephant in the room, the real problem to the world. Shifting people into piecemeal behavioural changes such as re-using plastic bags is not a proportionate response to climate change. Engaging the public through their personal carbon footprints is really only a means to an end – and that end is a political and economic system that has sustainability as its central organising principle. A real radical change needs to be made to our economic system, to our political system. Politicians are afraid to make change, and this is costing everyone.
Should governments like ours be imposing upon their people to use less single use plastics etc. Or should their energy be focused on putting pressure on big corporations to change their ways?