Climate Panic In A Banana Republic: What To Do When Corruption Overshadows Action
We are living in a post-truth world where opposing political groups live in radically different universes. Now that the “impeachment trial” or, “liberal hoax”, depending on your ideology, is over, a more brazen reality emerges. Our president stunned the world with pardons of a dozen hard-core white-collar convicts. Some expect eight of the president’s convicted colleagues who have been or are awaiting sentencing will eventually be pardoned. Not to mention, other associates who seem to be headed for investigations by a Department of Justice, headed by an Attorney General, who himself has been urged to resign by over 1,000 ex-Justice Department officials. These stories promote fear that our overall justice system is imperiled and all the while, lets not forget global carbon levels continue to rise. What is the best course of action to redirect attention away from the sideshow and into environmental justice and action that will stick?
Personal Action
Katharine Hayhoe, conservative climatologist emphasizes the most important thing we can do is talk about climate change. We can each talk about the environment, the need for change, and begin to change our habits. Paul Hawken, the editor of Drawdown, says the three most important things we can do are educate ourselves, eliminate waste, and eat a plant-rich diet. These are concrete actions that we can each take that will have an impact. Our actions will multiply if we can do them collectively.
Grassroots Organizing
Plenty of organizations exist that are dedicated to collective climate action. Many of these lobby organizations for renewable energy subsidies, conversion to a clean economy, and some sort of a carbon tax. Two really good organizations with bi-partisan ideas that are making strides in reversing greenhouse gases are Drawdown and the Climate Leadership Council. Joining these or other groups and getting your friends to join are concrete ways to take action, even in a headwind.
Take Legal Action
Lawsuits ultimately stopped acid rain pollution in the northeast and a new wave of lawsuits can potentially make fossil fuel companies and irresponsible politicians liable for their actions. Student groups are suing the government, the state of New York sued Exxon, and BP paid out record fines for the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Legal action has the potential to hit corporations and people where it hurts most- in bad publicity and in the wallet.
No one knows if any of the lawsuits will pay off financially for the plaintiffs but that may not matter. As the EPA rolls back pollution regulations and more data accumulates that shows the impact of increased carbon on health, military spending, and the economy, lawsuits are on the rise.
Paul Sabin, Yale professor of environmental history said, “These cases are one moment in time in something that’s going to be going on for 100 years. So whether they win or not, they’re part of that longer process and if they win, they’ll reshape the conversation.”
