Climate Action: Climate Strikes & 20 more Actions You & Your Business Could Take to Contribute!
- Vicent Nemeyimana
- September 23, 2019
- Innovation + Entrepreneurship
Climate Action (s): “I am doing this because you adults are shitting on my future.” Greta Thunberg
Global advocacy for climate action didn’t start just yesterday with sustainable development goals (SDG 13); no, it has been on for a longer period of time.
READ: The history of sustainable development
Apparently, it seems, little has been done about it. On one account, the call on us all to behave responsibly towards environment has been thwarted by some unethical opposition from scientists (I dare say, fake scientists) and capitalists altogether.
The fight for climate is a big and uneasy fight because it is a fight against capitalism, against money and how it is made and used nowadays. And, let me tell you, people love money more than anything, more than their own lives! And so the fight goes on!
Yesterday, the whole world had #ClimateStrikes. In these strikes, young people and sensible leaders are calling upon corporations and governments to reduce carbon emission and thus control global warming and other disasters that have recently threatened our being. Talking about climate strikes, they began as early as 2015 or even before.
In 2018, following the courageous advocacy actions by a 15 year old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, strikes for climate action took another turn, greatly spreading everywhere across the globe. Greta started the strikes when she refused to attend classes but instead stormed parliament gates with a poster that called for action on climate. Many students later joined her, subsequently voting out Fridays as action day or days. In fact these strikes are also know as, Fridays For Future (FFF).
From 2018, climate strikes have happened in hundreds, if not ‘thousands’ of cities across the world. In 2019, two major global #ClimateStrikes were organized; the one of 15 March 2019 in which more than 1.4 million young people participated across more than 125 countries with more than 2200 events and the one of 20th September 2019 in which more than 4 million people, including leaders and famous non-profit organizations like WWF, Oxfarm, Amnesty internation, 350, and many more participated.
Additionally, the one of 20th happened in two ways; 20th strike (for three days) and then the continous strike from 20th to 27th the same month, also called #earthstrike. Obviously, you can take part; if there is no strike near you, just organize one. See here how to go about it.
But why? Is the threat posed by climate change worthy the fight?
For details regarding scientific evidence, effects and proper actions for climate change, just explore this: the intergovernmental panel on climate change
Almost all scientists agree that climate change is, largely, due to human activities, in particular, carbon dioxide emission. In this case, we are looking at all human activities that increase the carbon footprint, including the use of fossil fuels and coals. Apparently, since industrial revolution, almost all corporations are culprits.
Actions that induce global warming go beyond burning of coal and fossil fuels to any actions that end up fighting against the healthy of environment. These include businesses that include cutting down of trees, misuse of water and land, degradation and misuse of swamps and so much more. As always explained by Charles Eisenstein, it is even safe to regard all businesses (small and big) in our today’s capitalistic world to be contributing to current climate change threats.
The general scientific consensus among scientists across the globe highlights these 4 ‘facts’
- Earth’s climate has warmed significantly since the late 1800s.
- Human activities (primarily greenhouse gas emissions) are the primary cause.
- Continuing emissions will increase the likelihood and severity of global effects.
- People and nations can act individually and collectively to slow the pace of global warming, while also preparing for unavoidable climate change and its consequences.
Clearly, despite few scientists and politicians who still argue against this scientific consensus, science and physical evidences of climate-led disasters show that climate change is real, dangerous and an ‘unfair’ threat to human-kind. According to Just Security’s Mark Nevitt and Skeptical science, climate change is a threat that amplifies all other threats that man-kind suffers, including insecurity as we fight for the few available resources or a hide-out from disasters of climate change.
I have always resounded with Charles Eisenstein that each one of us is a part of the whole ecological system for life and purpose. Therefore, effects of climate change affect us all, especially and unfairly and in worst measures, those who are poor and vulnerable, even though they actually contribute less to our nature’s revolt!
Individual and small businesses’ actions towards climate action are not just a responsibility but a call to self-salvation. Our action isn’t about others only but ourselves and our businesses. Whether we want it or not, effects of climate change; floods, wars, hurricanes, drought, pests and diseases, poor land productivity, fierce volcanoes, winds and rains reach us all. It is therefore our duty, responsibility and moral call to uphold our values as human beings and take care of the planet, our home, just as God had asked us to.
READ THIS: Climate Action and Moral Responsibility
20 Actions Individuals or businesses can take about Climate Action
There are various ways you as individual or small business can contribute to climate action and make this world a better place.
Starting with #ClimateStrikes, which by the way have been taken serious by UN, Geoff Dembicki suggests 5 other things you could do to participate even when it’s impossible to leave work for strikes:
Ask your management to close-up the whole day, take time of your lunch break or leave work earlier and be part of a nearby protest, take selfie and share it with hashtag #ClimateStrike to win over public support or ‘active popular support’, go to work but keep it silent the whole day or simply get a notebook and pen and plan to start something in line with this SDG 13 (This is where we come in; visit us and we enable you start your own business)
Besides the above 5 things you could do between now and 27th September, there are other life-time activities that you and or your business can do to contribute to positive climate action. Below are some suggestions:
- Have few children
- Eat plant-based diet
- Change your house bulbs and use energy-saving bulbs
- Have no car or buy a hybrid one or use your car occassionally
- Say no GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) and be careful with all fertilizers
- Avoid meat or eat very less
- Build resilience into company’s assets and supply chain against risks of climate
- Expand forest sustainability through responsible sourcing practices and product substitution
- Are you involved in any awareness program regarding dangers of climate to your business, suppliers or even your customers
- Identify risks and opportunities associated with climate change
- Invest in early warning signs systems and create awareness along your supply chain regarding climate change
- The company identifies any soil and water contamination at its site or sites, assesses the environmental impacts and remedies any significant contamination.
- Prioritize energy efficiency across all operations, preserve light, heating or cooling etc
- Partner with other stakeholders to promote clean energy
- Support innovations in sustainable energy
- Influence partners and suppliers about the same, create awareness in your neighborhood and make fellow companies adopt
- Measure your energy consumption and saving, make reports and inspire others
- Unplug home appliance when not in use to save electricity
- Turn off lights when you don’t need it
- Speak up and let others know about it so they too can act. For example, i have written this blog post!
READ THIS TOO: How to create SDGs Awareness Campaign
If you want to know more about sustainable development goals and how you can start a sustainable business or incorporate them in the business you have, just call or whatsapp 0779342057 or send email to miklahlife@gmail.com or simply come to our offices on Fridays. Visit Sacred Entrepreneurship Program for SDGs Trainings and businesses.
God bless you
