Individual vs Systemic Action to Combat Climate Change
Recently, I posted a TikTok arguing that leading by example can inspire others to take climate action.
I got a thoughtful comment that said, “I agree with all these ideas, But I sometimes feel our energy would be better spent pressuring corporations/industries responsible for this mess.”
This is a classic debate, but I find it counterproductive.
It’s true that we will not recycle and compost our way out of this. After all, just 100 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 70% of the world’s emissions since 1988, and the top eight are responsible for 20%. We need systemic change.
However, I have only fought for systemic action after first making individual change. I only became invested in improving our public transit once I started living without a car myself.
I know that taking the bus or the train won’t change the world.
However, making personal changes has taught me about the systems and motivated me to fight to make them better.
That’s why I see this debate as a false dichotomy. By taking more individual action, it leads us to fight for systemic change. They’re not mutually exclusive; they’re mutually reinforcing.
So compost, take the bus, or say no to single-use plastic today. I’m sure you won’t stop there.
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