By Martin Elcoate
What difference do my individual climate related actions make in a system stacked against us?
I know I’m not alone in asking this question, which is why I felt compelled to share this article by Hannah Ritchie.
The false dichotomy of systemic and individual behaviour change (sustainabilitybynumbers.com)
Hannah’s article really resonates with me. She puts it so clearly: “Systemic versus individual change is a false dichotomy. Both matter. No individual behaviour change is not going to solve this. But governments and businesses can’t fix it if people aren’t willing to make changes, either.”
I love her plant-based burger example. Dropping red meat from my diet suddenly became a whole lot easier for me once affordable, tasty alternatives were available. The food industry provided me with an easy way of making an individual change that benefits the climate.
But the food industry is also driven by demand. Hence my individual choice helps drive demand and demand changes the industry. And if I talk to others about why I’ve made the change, I can help increase the demand for change. And so my influence grows, making it easier for others to follow suit and create a new normal.
The more people make sustainable individual changes in their lives, the more normal it becomes. We are frequently bombarded with social media images of people living a high-carbon lifestyle (think jet-setting travellers on sunny beaches). If we begin to talk more about our sustainable choices in our private lives, we create a new normal. Imagine glamorous influencers taking buses and trains on their holidays!
As with many things in life, it isn’t a case of “or” but “and”. We need to do both. I’ll keep eating plant-based burgers, explain to others why I do it (turns out I can take action against two of The Green Runners’ Pillars at the same time) and push for institutional change.
Please don’t take my word for it. Grab a mug of tea of your choosing and take some time out to read Hannah’s excellent article.
About the author
Martin is a recreational runner living in Devon, UK. He runs to explore his local area, enjoying long days out in the Devon hills. Martin works behind the scenes for The Green Runners on campaigns, social media and promoting ways in which we can make a difference in the face of the climate emergency. His pledges include continuing not to eat red meat, speaking up to promote The Green Runners & calling for action in relation to the climate emergency.
