Critics lack imagination

Depending on the reports you read, to solve climate change it would cost $300 billion to $50 trillion dollars over the next 20 years. For some critics, they point to this number and say, “Impossible. We can’t pay for this.”

Perhaps then, we look at the problem from a different prospective. 100 companies are contributing to 71% of the world’s green house gasses. But, “If we don’t do it, someone else would.”

Another way: Agriculture contributes a significant share in green house gasses. Somewhere between 24 and 31%. If everyone switched to a plant based diet then you could significantly reduce our impact. Yet again the critic in the back says, “I like hamburgers.”

And there are lots more solutions. But the critic doesn’t see a path where they can maintain the same behavior and have everyone else change.

So, how do you solve the problem then? Do we lean on personal choices or look at the system in play? Or both? Either way, it is important to understand that change is incredibly uncomfortable. It requires envisioning a world that doesn’t exist. A feeling of incompetence not know what is going to happen next.

We have to act. The environment is compelling us to make changes. Reacting is always more painful than anticipating.