Hello,
After starting the year with a rather “robust” text entitled “Big Problems need Big Solutions”, I thought I’d come back this time with something lighter, but which will still be relevant.
January is always a good month for personal resolutions of all kinds. We all want to change things in our lives. Whether it’s seeing friends or relatives again, eating better and losing weight, exercising more, taking more time for ourselves, the list can be long!
Why not take advantage of this new year, and why not all the others that follow, to adopt resolutions to fight climate change and social inequality. We all have a role to play. In our daily lives, we do very little to leave our children and future generations a planet in good environmental and social condition. Why this passivity? Is it because our actions carry little weight in the face of the energy voracity of China or India? Are they really more voracious than we are? What do we know about the policies adopted by these countries to make the energy transition? What do we know about their per capita GHG emissions, which are significantly lower than ours? Is it because, on the scale of human needs, those concerning the distant future come second? Is it because we don’t want to alter our comfort zone?
Wondering what to do? Here are a few suggestions, which are by no means revolutionary, and which have also been put forward by a number of change agents. The idea here is not to implement them all in the same year, but to take a step-by-step approach, choosing those that have the best chance of success. We need to learn to integrate the four Rs (refuse – do I really need it, reduce, reuse/repair, recycle) into our decision-making process as a consumer. Each measure, replicated on a larger scale, has a positive impact on the environment and the social climate:
find out more about climate change and social issues from credible sources, to better understand them and encourage people to take action;
eat better, by avoiding food waste and reducing meat consumption (and introducing tofu and legumes, which can be prepared in all sorts of ways) and buying local products (reducing the carbon footprint linked to transport);
consume better (i) by favoring local travel, thereby reducing cruises and air travel, and when they do occur, by extending their duration and purchasing carbon offsets from recognized sources; (ii) by purchasing durable goods and using and repairing them until the end of their useful life, especially automobiles, clothing and electronic products, which are a very significant source of GHGs over their life cycle; (iii) by renting or borrowing goods that are only used occasionally;
consume energy more efficiently, (i) by reducing unnecessary lighting and heating during the day (and even more so at night), (ii) by not neglecting renovations that have an energy impact, including insulation and the use of heat pumps, (iii) by adopting eco-driving habits, i.e. reducing sudden acceleration and generally reducing speed (a resolution I’m trying to apply in 2024!);
to commute and move better, by promoting active transport, such as walking and cycling, as well as public transport, including carpooling, for work or everyday life, and why not for activities and leisure for young and old alike;
show solidarity, by supporting charitable organizations active in your community, notably through donations of money, goods or time, by acting as a volunteer.
As Mr. Benoît Savard rightly pointed out in an opinion piece published in Le Devoir earlier this year and entitled “La résolution tranquille”, we have three choices of resolutions for 2024: to take none and prefer the status quo, with negative consequences for ourselves and the next generations; to imagine some for ourselves, without taking action; or to take a step forward and in the present context, implement certain climate and social resolutions. I invite you to sign up for the third category – you’re sure to win!
In a forthcoming article due for publication in February, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the obstacles to taking action. Until then, I cordially invite you to adopt a few climate and social resolutions for 2024, for your own good and that of your loved ones!