What should we fear more – climate change or lifestyle change?

By this point I think many of us are familiar with the idea of climate change – it’s causes and consequences for humanity. Rising sea levels, more frequent natural hazards and loss of our beautiful Earth’s biodiversity. This alone should be enough to scare most of humanity into action. And yet it doesn’t. Because we fear something much more – changing ourselves.

We know climate change requires a great deal of input from ourselves, and yet we don’t act. We tiptoe around the subject by not using plastic straws and reusing bags, but we are scared to take the next step – me included. Scared to lose the lifestyle we are familiar and comfortable in. We are happy to swap small parts of our day, like straws, but not big parts of our lives. It’s only natural, once you’ve had experience of a washing machine, a hair dryer and other high energy technologies, it’s very difficult to stop. And society makes it harder – maybe you could go without your phone, but within the parameters of our society it wouldn’t be long before you would struggle – how would you call for help, or check your bank, for instance? Much harder without a phone… The same could be said for getting rid of your car, as well as many other household items we have come to take for granted.

So what is my point, in this increasingly rambling essay? What do you fear more – losing the familiar, the known in your life? Or losing everything that matters to your children, grandchildren or even your future self?

If you are reading this in a rich, developed country, it is us and our lifestyles that contribute the most greenhouse gases, and have the most impact on climate change issues. It is the aspiration to this resource-intensive way of living that threatens the stability of Earth as other countries further develop and aspire to the same rights and desires of ourselves – what right have we to deny them? So it is we who have to change – and most importantly lead by example. Discover what is a luxury in your own life and what is a necessity – holidays, gadgets, shopping from businesses abroad…. These are all carbon intensive activities that are not necessary. Does this sound restrictive and scary? Reducing these activities will not render your life to joyless basic survival, but will mean you have a better chance at your future. Again, what do you fear more – not having the latest phone or running out of food in the future?

I know from the comfort of your home, reading this sounds very apocalyptic, gloomy and stark, but this way of thinking can help put into perspective the decisions we face. We know we can’t carry on as we are. So what will you change? Is it really that scary to holiday at home, or to know that others may lose theirs? Something to think about…..