How much responsibility do corporations have for the climate crisis and for stepping up with solutions?
Here at the ISCFC we are committed to promoting personal, community, national and planetary solutions to reduce our environmental impacts and boldly confront the climate crisis. But as individuals, we can feel powerless when there are huge corporations -such as the fossil fuel industry and factory farms– that are disproportionately responsible for carbon emissions of the past and the present.
What should we do about this? Do you agree that corporations should do more? And if so, what does that mean exactly? How do we persuade or impel polluting industries to change their ways?
Corporate responsibility >
Corporate Silence
My average carbon footprint is 8994kg, which compared to the average American, is quite low, but comparing to the average person overseas, is quite high. Currently I am trying harder to conserve water by taking shorter showers and running the dishwasher instead of handwashing. I'm also trying to limit my single use plastic intake and invest in reusable alternatives. Although I am trying to take more accountability for my environmentally unfriendly actions, I'm wondering when big corporations will, when will they stop sweeping their overuse of fossil fuels or plastic under the rug? What are THEY doing to reduce carbon footprint? Or are they being silenced by the fossil fuel industry in return for money? When will they tell us the truth and stop increasing co2 emissions?
As long as they are motivated by money, they are probably not ever gonna stop unless the government does something about it, plus some corporates are even backed up by the government.
I agree. While Millyvanilly's efforts are obviously beneficial to the environment, and should be continued and adopted by more, I think the overarching issue is companies. If companies do take responsibility for their footprint and ACTUALLY make an effort to change it, then we can expect a more systemic change. Companies are pushing us to use paper bags while everything you see in a grocery store is wrapped in plastic. While I do think that individual efforts are important, companies need to change and the government needs to step in.
Many grocery stores and restaurants overstock and waste 100s of pounds of food per year. Although there are corporations and groups trying to speak out against this, but these companies stay silent and continue to waste food. If we want to see a change in this behavior, we have to all work together to protest.
Conner i disagree with you because it starts with you
Replying to Loic1234567890: It is somewhat true that it "starts with you"; we should all do what we can to decrease our carbon footprint. BUT, part of the reason people's carbon footprints are so big is because companies don't make cheap, sustainable products. As Connor mentioned, many things in grocery stores are wrapped in plastic, and often those plastic-wrapped products are cheaper; many people can't afford to have a lower carbon footprint.
https://instituteofsustainabilitystudie … -products/
Here is an article that may be useful.