We have an urgent task. We have about 5-10 years to drastically change our society so that we can continue to exist on Earth. We must build a better society - one that is in balance with the Earth. This is not an arbitrary timeline imposed by activists, this is a real timeline imposed by the disastrous effects of human-caused climate change.
It's easy to despair - I have been an activist of one kind or another since the tender age of 11 and I regularly despair about climate change. But the Earth and the future of most species who live here cannot wait for us to grieve. There is also no time for us all to make tiny lifestyle changes like recycling more. It is time to act: to raise your voice for the Earth and to put your hands to work building a better society.
One of the biggest letdowns I have felt as an environmentalist was at the end of The Inconvenient Truth. I had no illusions in Al Gore, who is very much a part of the status quo in the United States. But after presenting so many important scientific facts on the reality of climate change, the list of suggestions for individuals at the end of the film were pathetic. Every time the discussion of climate change comes up, we are presented with terrifying, mind-numbing facts and yet left with very little suggestions about what we can do. Naomi Klein's wonderful and important book This Changes Everything is different - it gives concrete things we can do, the main thing being build a mass social movement. But how do we do that? Most of us under the age of sixty do not have experiences with mass social movements. The first step is accepting the reality of the situation; the second step is jumping in feet first, ready to act.
Here's the hard truth: Our society is based on corporate greed. That's what capitalism is in a nutshell. And this has led to a society addicted to oil, coal, and gas. This addiction has caused climate change which will make the world inhabitable to most life on Earth. The only thing that will prevent this mass destruction is a social movement involving millions - even billions - of people. This movement needs to be made up of people who want to create a society that is in balance with nature and needs to involve all struggles for social and environmental justice.
Here's a short, no bullshit list of things you can do right now to be a part of this change.
Fifteen Things You Can Do IMMEDIATELY to combat climate change
2. Join an activist group but beware of big environmental groups that have corporate ties. Find an organization that actually lets you be an activist. Council of Canadians is consistently progressive and has local chapters. Give your support to activists.
3. Get off your computer and go to a protest. Make your own sign, Chant, yell, sing. Be heard. Few things are more empowering than joining in protest with others who feel the same way that you do. Bring your kids: you are fighting for them.
4. Do not vote for the status quo. Enough said.
5. If there is a co-op in your city, join it. In London there is a food co-op, a skateboard co-op, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and the Co-operators Insurance. Switch from your bank to a credit union. Many credit unions and co-ops also need a push to the left so make sure they know you support them because they are democratic, co-operative organizations.
6. Avoid industrial agriculture as much as possible. Go beyond organic. Join a community-supported agriculture program of which London has quite a few - for example Triple Cord and Wake Robin Farm. Join the London Co-op Store. Go to the Farmer's Market and talk to a real farmer. Then buy something from her. If you must eat meat, dairy and eggs make it organic and local. If you consume corn, soy, canola make it organic and GMO-free.
7. Speak up. If a co-worker complains about a First Nations blockade of a pipeline project, say something. If your aunt tells you climate change is a myth, say something. If a friend makes fun of environmental activists, say something. Every time we use our voice we are planting the seeds for the mass social movement our species desperately needs. Don't listen to people who blame unions, immigrants, refugees, feminists, women, poor people, people in other countries, young people, or old people for their problems: corporate greed is the problem.
8. Get on your bike and pedal. Or on your feet and move them. Or on a bus and sit your ass down. If you have a car, leave it in your driveway as much as possible. If you have a second car, sell it. Join a cyclist group, or a public transit user union. Be seen by your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers walking or biking or on the city bus.
9. Support public institutions. They have the potential to be accountable and democratic. Increasing corporate control in our society will push us further to disaster. We must stop and reverse privatization. Right now struggles are going on for Canada Post, public health care, and more. Support increased funding for libraries, schools, and public transportation. Raise that voice of yours. Green capitalism will not save us. We need public institutions that are accountable and democratic. Low taxes won't help us if we can't breathe the air, eat the food, or drink the water. We must push for the energy sector to be under public control.
10. Grow something other than grass. Grow food wherever you can. Grow flowers and herbs. Make sure they are organic. Support heirloom seed companies such as Urban Harvest, Hawthorn Farm, and Cottage Gardener. Make outdoor spaces for wild animals and insects - it's as simple as leaving a pile of sticks or a patch of dirt. Bio-diversity is the most important thing for balanced eco-systems and is the thing that suffers the first and biggest blow.
11. Support independent artists and musicians. Be part of a cultural shift away from corporate entertainment to a vibrant culture of change. Support festivals such as Mantis Arts & Eco Festival that reject corporate sponsorship and build community. Find your voice and sing. Even if you're a little off-tune. A new society can be way more fun, vibrant, participatory and creative than a society characterized by corporate greed.
12. Tell an activist you appreciate them. Activists are maligned and mocked by the media and sometimes targeted by the government. Yet they are doing work that is critically important. It's easy to burn out and feel demoralized as an activist so give them love (but not in a creepy way!)
13. Do not use artificial fertilizer or pesticides. Ever. Soil is rich and full of life. Artificial fertilizers burn and damage the life in soil - the fungi, the micro-organisms, the beneficial bacteria, and the critters. Pesticides and herbicides do damage far beyond their intended target. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are in dramatic decline. Without them, we will not be able to grow most fruit and vegetables. So stop. Now.
14. Wander in nature. if you have kids take them with you. Nature awareness and connection is crucial in helping us re-build our relationship with the Earth. Wander in nature on a regular basis, every day if possible. Try to have fox feet and owl eyes so you notice the small things. Let the beauty of nature wash over you. You are part of it. This is you.
15. Support struggles for freedom and justice. Act in solidarity with other people who are also struggling against oppression and corporate greed. Support feminism, anti-racism, queer rights, worker's rights, the peace movement, etc. This means speaking up, educating yourself, going to events and protests, and changing some of your previous assumptions and behaviours. A society that rejects oppression and exploitation is a society that rejects corporate greed.
Pick something from this list you can do and do it. Start tomorrow. Rejoice at your effort and then pick something else from the list. Make your own list.
Think of your future grandchildren (or metaphorical grandchildren if you don't intend on having your own). Will they look at you with accusing eyes - silently asking why you didn't do anything - or eyes of admiration and thanks? The choice is yours.
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