How effective are personal changes really when trying to combat something as humongous as climate change; a problem so large that even entire countries going carbon neutral would only make a dent. Personal action isn’t everything without systemic changes it will be hard to make progress. The very idea of measuring your personal impact of the environment was popularized by the fossil fuel giant BP to reframe climate change as the fault of greedy people not greedy organizations. The rise of the carbon footprint started in 2000 when BP launched the Time for a low carbon diet campaign. Which was crafted for them by renowned public relations professionals Ogilvy & Mather to promote the slant that climate change is not the fault of an oil giant, but that of individuals. The BP lower carbon diet adds present the carbon footprint as a new thing that most people are just learning about as an unseen camera man takes to the streets asking people what they know about their personal impact on the environment. The ignorance of the people in the video shows us as ignorant of these issues and therefore partially at fault. Needing the BP guy to come by and inform us of our planet racking tendencies. And finally, by positioning themselves as an ally ready to help with their emission reductions projects and their emissions calculator tool and learn how to reduce your carbon footprint at bp.com/carbon footprint. To have the impact the world needs we need many people using a range of these strategies imperfectly to have any effect. If you had to eradicate any trace of fossil fuels and plastic from your life before qualifying as an environmentalist, we would have a movement of five people. Which is exactly what big businesses want. So do your part as best you can and try not to be harsh on people who don’t have the space for a compost pile or the time to find a farmers’ market. My own experiences with sustainable transition have been rocky. I will leave the subject of vegetarianism alone here because that topic has already been exhausted it in another article and precede to cover the failures and success I have had on other branches of sustainable change. I have tried many times to give up the nye irresistibly cool cans of sparkling water my parents used to replace soda. Soda is long gone put the cans persist it is one of my eco failures. At college they will no longer be an inevitable part of my environment and perhaps the habit will be kicked for good. I’ve tried bar shampoo goes poorly with my long thick hair. I tried I can’t I’m done. Sustainable experiments that have gone well include the bamboo toothbrush felt a little harsh at first but works and is totally compostable along with its cardboard packaging. Thrifting the new gen z hobby has served me well so far. I have found comfortable pants a casual top and two sturdy Capri for gardening and general summer wear.
My own history is not particularly majestic, but I want to illustrate that every contribution helps and doing something for the environment is always better than doing nothing. Despite the origins of the carbon foot print we can effect change by taking what actions are in our power and encouraging others to take what actions they can. Our societies must learn to live more simply so the earth may simple live. I hope my blog has provided the resources to help people change aspects of their life to achieve that. Sources https://www.thecapture.club/post/the-term-carbon-footprint https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon- footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywrZPypqSB4
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AuthorI am a high school student who is creating her own blog for the first time for school about our food system and environmental issues Archives
May 2022
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