Are there aspects of your daily life that you know contribute to your carbon footprint but you are unwilling to compromise to change them? In other words, what about your life is “off the table” when it comes to carbon emissions? It's OK to admit it- we all have these cherished behaviors!
Off the Table? >
Individual Responsibility is a trap
It is unrealistic to expect individuals to drastically change their lifestyle simply to reduce their carbon footprint. For instance, how can we expect people to drive less in a place like the United States when there is so little infrastructure for people to do anything else? Solutions must reach beyond the individual.
I agree and I'm glad someone said something about this. Most of the time the way people want us to change our lifestyle is just not possible. Another example being our eating habits. Although going organic would be great, it's incredibly expensive to uphold.
I don't disagree with you two, but I would caution to you not to fall into a different trap: the one where you absolve yourself of any personal responsibility.
Ruiz: on eating habits. Yes organic food is more expensive, but eating sustainably can include your choices of what to eat. Eating less meat really lowers your personal impact quite a bit, and it can be done cheaply.
Zoe: on driving less. Sure, but this points to a bigger problem - lack of alternative transportation choices. This is an important thing to advocate for, but when they are available, do you use them? Buses and trains for travel rather than driving or planes when possible? Riding your bike on shorter distance trips?
I am a firm believer in the concept of "me to we": we start by modeling environmental behaviors in our personal lives, and that leads us to greater and informed advocacy. For example, as a bus rider myself, I know a LOT more about what makes for a good public transportation system than someone who has never been on a bus. It also makes me a more trustworthy spokesperson.
A great example is Great Thunberg. She started by modifying her own personal behaviors (her own diet and transportation choices) with her family, convincing her parents to go vegan, then she started advocating for climate in front of her school. And that became an inspirational global movement.
So...don't cut out the personal just because that seems ineffective by itself. It's all connected. And when you act personally you avoid the "cop out" trap where you excuse yourself for any behaviors because you don't see them as having a big effect by themselves.