Hero Worshipping Greta Thunberg Doesn’t Solve The Climate Problem — We do!
So, Greta Thunberg is on everybody’s mind. She is an inspiring young lady, no doubt, and I love to be inspired, especially these days when there is much about the world that is really disturbing. I get it!
So we praise her and collectively put her on a pedestal so high that I almost feel sorry for her. What does a young person do with all that hero worship?
The problem I am having is that by focusing all our attention on Greta and how terrible our politicians are, we absolve ourselves of the huge part we play in contributing to the problems facing the planet and the part we can all play in reversing it. Climate change isn’t just about the politician — yes, policies can and will have a great impact — but policies cannot change our “consumer” mindset or our consumerist habits.
We, the consumers, are a major part of the problem. As long as we keep consuming and fail to change our lifestyle in pursuit of comfort, things won’t change and policies can only go so far.
“We use too much, too much of it is toxic and we don’t share it very well. But that’s not the way things have to be. Together, we can build a society based on better not more, sharing not selfishness, community not division.” — The Story of Stuff
It is estimated that 1500 plastic bottles are used every second in the US alone — Let that sink in! 70% of these bottles will end up in landfills. We update our wardrobes every season to keep up with the latest trends. We update our homes every time a new trend in housing comes along. We consume more meat than we need to, risking wildlife and destroying forests for grazing in order to feed our insatiable appetite for burgers and steak. We throw away food that is slightly dented or doesn’t look perfect and waste roughly 40% of the food that we produce while unimaginable numbers of people worldwide starve.
We drive around more often than we need to, we double-bag items in stores without questioning why. We do not fix things or build things anymore, but replace them with newer, faster, and better-looking models that are designed to break down faster than necessary. The list goes on. That is not a problem of government or policies; that is on us. We need to start taking responsibility for the part we play.
The day after the climate strike, I logged onto Facebook to see all the beautiful photos of the climate strike flooding social media. On the one hand, I was so proud of all the youth, but I couldn’t help but marvel at all the garbage that had been produced during a climate strike about protecting the planet. Then I started to wonder how many plastic water bottles were used on that day, or how many burgers were consumed after the strike. Then I began to think… what if the estimated 5 millions people who went out to strike, also did a few of the following? What if we all did a different kind of strike— how would that begin to effect change?
- Eat less meat and consume more plant-based foods.
- Consume less junk food, processed food, or foods with a lot of packaging.
- Eat seasonal foods.
- Buy organic and local whenever possible.
- Don’t waste food.
- Grow your own food.
- Support local farmer’s markets and local small farms.
- Use reusable bags when shopping for food, clothes or anything you buy, and refuse plastic bags.
- Buy clothing from thrift stores or do clothing swaps with friends.
- Change to energy-efficient light bulbs and make our homes more energy-efficient.
- Unplug computers and other electronics when not being used.
- Wash clothes in cold or warm water (instead of hot).
- Take public transit more often, or carpool.
- Walk, bike, and advocate for bike lanes in your community.
- Spend more time with each other and in nature.
- Spend time being of service and making a difference in other people’s lives and less time shopping and consuming.
- Stop buying party favors that end up in the garbage faster than you know.
- Stop using pesticides in the quest of perfect weed-free lawns.
- Carry reusable mugs, water bottles, coffee mugs — Do we really need straws to drink? What about lifting the cup to our mouths?
- Spend time creating, fixing things, up-cycling, repurposing, and composting.
- Get out and VOTE!
The truth is, it’s challenging to achieve all these, but are we willing to try?
We the consumers have a lot of power to change things. Corporations will continue to brainwash us into consuming their products until we awaken to the fact that we have the power to stop. We need to stop falling for the lies they feed us about what makes us happier, healthier, prettier, wealthier, and more spiritually satisfied. Materialism does not and will never lead to a more fulfilling or purposeful life, or a cleaner or healthier planet. Corporations need us to consume, so they will tell us anything to sell us stuff: stuff that ends up in the landfill within days, weeks, or months. Consumerism is a monster that needs to constantly be fed, and we have to find healthier ways to feed our bodies and souls. Our planet cannot sustain the garbage we produce.
The reality is that we love being comfortable. To do what is required to make a radical change takes sacrifice and we are not a nation that encourages sacrifice. Rather, we glorify self-gratification at the expense of others and definitely at the expense of the planet.
So when someone like Greta comes along we follow, we strike, we take photos and post on social media to let the world know we did our part. It makes us feel good, satisfied, fulfilled (momentarily). We share, and share, and share articles about the same subject to the point of exhaustion, then we go back to our busy lives and ignore all the things that need changing. We are too busy to do what it really takes to turn things around. We blame the corporations and the politicians, we hope that the miracle of new policies will solve the problems of the world, and we worship the current person that comes along to inspire us, and by glorifying them, we think we’ve accomplished something.
Personally, this year’s strike has been yet another reminder and a call to take stock of my life, to figure out what more I can do to contribute to change.
Of course we need policies to protect the earth, and we should hold our policymakers accountable. But let’s also use our spending power whenever we can to make a statement. Ultimately, I believe it is going to take a spiritual revolution, a revolution of the heart, a drastic change in our lifestyle before we start to see a difference.
When we care more about the planet than our own comfort, when we take care of each other and make sure that things are equitable for all, when we stop wasting and start sharing, and when we are willing to make the painful and uncomfortable sacrifices for a higher purpose beyond our own self-interests: only then will we begin to see a difference. Only then will our demands and collective voices be heard loud and clear!
Greta has inspired me and millions of youth and adults worldwide. But I hope we can all begin to reflect on our individual lives in order to make the necessary change that is required to make this world a better place for all.
We are the ones we are waiting for, not Greta and certainly not the politicians.
The revolution begins with me.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
