If you are reading this, it is likely that you are not a climate denier. But how can those of us paying attention to the climate emergency - and adjusting our lifestyles accordingly - get the message across to the majority, who aren't?
There are plenty of suggestions on this thread:
For me, reading David Wallace-Wells' The Uninhabitable Earth was a game changer. However, I had also been diagnosed with epilepsy by then and lost my driving licence, so I had an extra incentive to adapt to cycling instead of driving.
But even getting people out of cars isn't the end of the conversation. Once you get people using public transport or cycling, it is vital that nudges and encouragement continue with initiatives like these regular, kid-friendly mass rides in Haringey:
After all, as people give up their cars and driving becomes easier for those left behind the wheel, it is easy to slip back into old habits. Now, I look forward to cycling. I don't care if its raining or the temperature is below zero, getting out and riding along the Thames is a pleasurable way to start my day.
Not everyone is going to feel that way though. Many people living on the outskirts of London are, according to a report by the BBC yesterday, unhappy about the extension of the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) this coming August, for example. Whatever the reasons for their disgruntlement, this needs to be addressed in order to make progress as a society.
We have to start taking swift action; not just against the emissions that contribute to global warming and the air pollution that is killing many of us prematurely, but also other forms of pollution that are poisoning our rivers. Work to reduce pollution and emissions is imperative, whatever the doubters say. Even our road surfaces are against us, especially as temperatures rise (and remember, 2022 is officially the hottest year on record)!
There is literally no time to waste. Even if we manage to meet our Paris Climate goals - which would be pretty miraculous, at this point - once the Antarctic ice sheet starts to melt, then global sea levels are going to rise by 2.5 metres a year.
By then, the ULEZ will probably have to apply to the boats people are using for commuting, rather than their cars.
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