We’re so used to the bad news—the “it’s too late” doomsday scenarios that end with the planet’s destruction. But what if we thought about the good stuff, the positive things that could be if we solve climate change?
Like many of you, I often have climate anxiety and know how easy it is to focus on the negative. I think of things like, what if we don’t limit the planet’s warming to the IPCC recommended 1.5°C? Will we survive catastrophic events like flooding, wildfires, and lack of clean water?
What keeps me hopeful is my love for nature. I grew up playing in forests and farmland, surrounded by fresh air—a hidden luxury at the time. Throughout adulthood, I’ve been lucky to live near woodland and oceans. These natural habitats have brought me and others overwhelming peace and fleeting moments of happiness. Today, as wildfires and pollution increasingly threaten my home state of California, I’m committed to protecting my surrounding environment.
What a positive climate future looks like
Within twenty years, I dream of a safe, equitable, tree-filled world where everyone has access to clean air and water. When you write it out, it sounds straightforward, really. We’ll achieve this future through three main approaches.
Global alignment to reduce emissions
Governments worldwide coming together and quickly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in clean energy, and scaling climate adaption efforts.
Behavioral lifestyle change
Individuals pursuing a simpler, more sustainable life by making personal choices in areas like diet, transportation, home energy, and travel.
Societal shift in prioritizing people and planet over profit
Governments, corporations, and individuals prioritizing restoring and preserving the health of humans and Earth above all. There’s a sizable financial opportunity in this approach. From a business perspective, there’s a real cost to replacing employees leaving for organizations that take better care of them. For business and federal, managing the impacts of extreme weather events worsened by climate change will cut deeply into budgets.
If you can, imagine all the possible solutions in these categories, such as climate justice and corporate action programs. Like all crises, like-minded people who are determined to make a change will solve the climate crisis. Through consumer demand, talent expectations, and activism, we’ll see governments, corporations, and our communities shift to a more sustainable world.
Fighting climate change through environmental communication
Everyone is good at something, and for me, that’s bringing sustainability ideas to life through storytelling and education. I’m bullish on the ripple effects of individual activity ranging from inspiring behavioral change to shaping climate policies through voting.
Though it might be a lot to ask, I encourage people to watch this fifteen-minute Can YOU fix climate change? video. It’s by Kurzgesagt, who create science and history animations, and it reaffirms we could all participate in global systemic change.
Shifting mindsets towards a more positive outlook will help us solve the climate crisis. Through optimism comes the drive that helps discover how our unique backgrounds can contribute to a better, more sustainable future.
I’ll leave you with a question. What’s one thing you enjoy doing or are good at that could help solve climate change?