The Folly of Individual Responsibility

In studying environmental science and following environmentalist Facebook pages, Twitters, and blogs, I've noticed an extreme focus on individual responsibility in fighting climate change. This focus typically involves listing things individuals should do in order to help the planet.

I may catch flack for saying this, but we don't have the choices available to us to truly make a difference on an individual level...YET. For one thing, figuring out which companies are truly sustainable and which are greenwashed takes research. Not everyone has the time, inclination, or the reliable internet connection to do that research. For another, sustainable products tend to be more expensive, and not everyone has the funds to purchase them.

But the largest reason making my blood boil? Big companies are the largest polluters, the most complicit in the climate change problem. Putting the impetus to change on the individual is the most toothless way to combat climate change, because it divides us into units of one and it obscures where the largest problems are coming from. We are stronger TOGETHER, with our voices amplified. And I believe, just from personal life observations, that making people feel ashamed that they aren't sustainable enough in their lifestyles and need to do more is a surefire way to make people less interested in this global problem. We can encourage individual action without making people feel bad that they aren't perfect.

Do I think individuals are powerless? Of course not. Living as sustainable a life as possible is important and does help. But we should not focus on individual action at the expense of holding corporations responsible.

How do we fix it? VOTE. WRITE TO CANDIDATES AND TELL THEM YOU CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND EXPECT TO SEE IT IN THEIR PLATFORMS. WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. WRITE TO COMPANIES.

Please don't take my word for it:
Climate change: focusing on how individuals can help is very convenient for corporations
Yes, Actually, Individual Responsibility is Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis
Personal responsibility is not enough to fix climate change
Who Is Responsible for Climate Change?

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