Why Even the Smallest Personal Actions Make a Difference in the Climate Fight
We have to start somewhere
More than 30 years ago, an argument with a friend made me question my stance on the power of individual actions. We were discussing climate change, an issue that was just getting the public’s attention. My friend, an organic farmer, argued that not only can the consistent actions of one person influence others, but also that small actions by an increasing number of individuals can add up to a critical mass that leads to change from the ground up, which in turn becomes a social movement.
Before she was done talking I was shaking my head.
“No way,” I said. “Recycling and changing light bulbs isn’t enough, we need big changes. We need politicians to change laws and corporations to become environmental.”
Though neither of us budged in our perspectives, that argument has stayed with me, and over time I began to see the wisdom of my friend’s perspective.
