What do I do now?

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When you have read a lot of this website, you may want to think next about what you can do about the grim situation that is described.  It is very clear that these frightening changes and destructive forces have been developing over a very long period and that it will take a massive collaborative effort to alter the way things are going.

But you may say “What can I do to try and stop a complete catastrophe?  I am just one person with very little power to influence.”  But all changes come about because people talk to other people; they have discussions; they discover the facts; they come to conclusions; they create common opinions; they influence people with power; they vote for better policies; they take actions together like stopping buying drinks sold in plastic bottles; so they use their economic power to buy or not buy, to take this job not that one, to vote for this politician or support that campaign, to become persuasive with their friends and family.

But all this has to start with being very honest with ourselves – are we really doing as much as we could to stop the destruction?  Are we supporting people who do the right thing?  Are we really trying to understand all the facts, the science, the psychology, the politics and the world around us?

So we have put together some ideas that might help to get you started.

HOW DO YOU USE THE POWER YOU ALREADY HAVE?

• How do you spend your money?
  • Clothing – new fast fashion? Pre-owned? Quality and style that lasts a long time? – What impact does your buying have? Can you really afford it? What about the people who make it?
  • Food and drinks – do you know where it comes from?  How many food miles did it travel to get to you?  How many manufacturing processes did it involve?  What impact do various ingredients have on the planet? How is it packaged – plastic or recyclable/ how many layers?  Again what about the people involved in making it?
  • Holidays and travel – what impact do you make with your journeys?  What sort of emissions did your travel create? Do you feel that your holidays are making things better or worse for the planet?
• Are you old enough to vote yet?  If so, do you really find out about candidates?  What policies have they supported?  If you don’t know, find out how you can discover this.

IS IT WORTH TRYING TO INCREASE THE INFLUENCE YOU HAVE ON OTHERS? 

• Do your friends vote?  Do you support reducing the voting age in the UK to 16?  How could you persuade people to take this idea seriously?
• Why do you think there is a lot of evidence that more women than men support environment-friendly policies and parties?  What are the implications of this? Does it suggest anything that you should be try?
• Do you get into discussions with your friends and family about environmental and climate issues?  When somebody expresses an opinion that seems wrong, what do you do?
• What do you read to keep you informed?  Do you regularly try to find out the facts rather than just agreeing or disagreeing with other people’s opinions?
• Do you join groups that are doing positive and useful things?

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY?

There is now quite a lot of research that explores this subject and here are 2 particular animated cartoons that explore this:

See these and try to work out what you understand about people, happiness and human behaviour.  You will find that some of the things that are commonly believed are simply not true.  Celebrity and great wealth do NOT make people happy.  So what does?  Make up your mind after watching these short films.

Once you get going on thinking and talking about this, you won’t need somebody else asking you questions.  You will have many questions of your own.  You may be talking seriously to friends and family about this enormous subject.  Keep talking!  Keep asking! Keep thinking!  Keep trying to change the world!  It won’t change without your help!!