How do we REALLY fight climate change?

Read this to find out how to fight climate change – the 4 most important ways.

Climate change is coming, people.  But we can fight back and minimize the impacts on our communities & planet.  

 

There are TONS of small ways to fight climate change.  I wrote about 50 of them here.  

 

But in the bigger picture, the more life-threatening picture, there are 4 key actions we need to take to fight climate change.  Here are the 4 most important ways to fight climate change.

 

4. Fight disinformation

 

Disinformation is a huge threat to climate change action.  And hunting down this disinformation is a big project at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Big oil companies fund disinformation in several ways.  One of their sneaky ways is to create fake scientific information with made-up research results, and by only publishing certain findings (as opposed to all the results), and by using flawed methodologies.

 

Another way that corporations create disinformation is by intimidating scientists who publish information that goes against their financial interests.  They also create clever campaigns to create doubt in scientific findings. For example, they’ve created “grassroots” organizations in states like California to oppose legislation that targets carbon emissions.  Big oil companies also use their wealth to buy influence among universities and government officials in the name of their particular agendas.

 

So how do we fight this disinformation?  

 

Use your voice to call out these corporations for their misinformation.  You can call them out on your platforms (Twitter, FB, IG, etc) and you can also send letters through the Union of Concerned Scientists.  ExxonMobil, for example, has known about climate change for decades and buried the facts in favor of profit.  ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Chevron & ConocoPhillips have paid billions to hide climate change facts.  You can read it about here.  Call them out for their misinformation.

 

3. Demand a tax on carbon emissions 

 

“Carbon pricing” puts a monetary cost on carbon emissions.  It’s a market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and it can be put into action at a local, state, or federal level.

 

The idea is that corporations have to pay for emitting carbon and that cost will get passed on to the consumer.  This puts pressure on the market to find more cost-effective approaches to doing business that creates less carbon emissions.  

 

Carbon pricing is already in place in California and other states, as well as in other countries, but we need to do more.  National carbon pricing bills have been introduced but none have passed to date.  Reach out to your Congressperson & senator and tell them to support carbon pricing legislation.  Head to senate.gov and house.gov to find your representatives and contact them.  

 

2. Demand that the US sign the Paris Agreement

 

The Paris Agreement is a landmark international agreement among global leaders to fight climate change.  It’s super important to tackle climate change on a global level, and this legislation accomplishes that.

 

Of course, Trump began the process to withdraw us from this groundbreaking agreement which would go into effect this November 2020.  His reasons?  He cited false information (see above), he doesn’t believe in climate change, and he takes millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industry to fund his campaigns and inauguration.  I guess if you take millions of dollars from an industry you’re expected to offer something in return??  

 

So what can we do about this poor decision on Trump’s part?  Reach out to your representatives & tell them how important it is that the US rejoin the Paris Agreement.  Write to Trump asking him to rejoin the agreement.  And tell all your friends and family to do the same!

 

If anyone in your social circle is uncertain of the value of this agreement, the NRDC has a great piece on how to talk to them about it here.

 

1. Vote.  

 

This is the absolute most important thing you can do.  Vote for local, state, and most importantly federal representatives who will fight climate change and vote on legislation.  Look at candidates’ positions on climate change before you go to vote.  You should be able to find their stance on climate change on their website.  And if they don’t mention it, well, there’s your answer about their position (not good).  

 

Research local and state initiatives on energy & power plants, transportation, vehicles, agriculture.  Join your local climate action network to stay in the loop on important topics.  Head to usclimatenetwork.org to find one near you.

 

This November 2020, make sure you stand up for climate change at the ballots and vote for action.

 

There you have it -how to fight climate change – the 4 most important ways.  I hope something in here inspires you towards action.  

 

Do you have any to add to this list?  I’d love to hear in the comments below!

 

Thanks for reading,

Liz