I saw this quote online, dolled up with italicized Arial and a stylistic shot of the Earth in the background: “Our generation is too old to see the stars, too young to see the end, and just in time to save the world.” Worst motivational quote ever.
Such pseudo-apocalyptic quotes exemplify our human inaction on climate change. The voice in your head goes, “Sure, I could eat less meat and recycle my water bottles, but what about the other 8 billion people? Can I really make a difference?” With this rhetoric, we place ourselves in a box, shackled by the excuse of being just one person, unable to take on the vast, intricate, and unsustainable system looming over us.
For example, our district hasn’t mandated recycling at the school because they relied on the environmental clubs to pick up after them, but what happens when the clubs stop? This waiting game for climate action is harmful, and the solution is not just a sheltered life off the grid nor is it only placing our fate into companies and industry, hoping they change their ways for the public good; it’s in collective action.
True change will come when many people try, imperfectly, to make a difference. Our world doesn’t deal with absolutes, so we can’t run to them for comfort when thinking about climate change. Every time we think about climate change, we re-live the anxiety of a ticking clock, dwindling resources, and no clear plan to avert a human-induced disaster.
Countless intersectional and systemic changes, from our fuel sources, to agriculture, to our waste, must be made to address climate change, and many don’t know where or if they should even start. Individuals can only control their own habits, making boycotting, community organizing, and divestment from core industries a powerful tool. While the climate crisis was created by a small minority of humanity, it will take a great majority to create a societal shift. Lifestyle changes may seem insignificant, but when you join a community of individuals and mobilize others with the choice to contribute to the conservation of shared resources, you have a powerful collective action solution.
Our systemically rooted practices of depletion must be combated with a focus on stewardship, or a responsibility to protect the Earth, and regrowth. Making climate action accessible to everyone is the first step to dismantling systems that thrive on overproduction and resource depletion. From local mandates, thrift swaps, to community gardens, we can make a great difference by just creating a choice to do good on the planet.
Climate change is exacerbated by human activity, and while it may seem gratifying to use a metal straw and call it a day, effective solutions must go beyond individual fixes. Our planet is what we all have in common, industries and individuals alike, and systemic change through group efforts is what it will take to make an impact. We need the support of existing industries, from Exxon to Nestle, to build lasting alternatives. Individuals can make a meaningful difference when they act as a catalyst, equipping others with solutions and hope for a better future. So even if our generation is just in time to save the world, we need to remember that the stars still shine and before we reach the end, we can make a real difference as a collective. We have a choice.