Most people believe that the environmental crisis must be stopped, and that in order to do this, we must unite our efforts. That each individual must contribute their part. We have long heard about reducing individual carbon footprints, zero waste lifestyles, reducing consumption, and about similar efforts. But can individuals really make a difference?
In response to the climate crisis, we give up plastic straws, paper coffee cups, and plastic bags. In reality, plastic straws account for less than 1% of all the plastic dumped into the ocean each year. Although banning straws is environmentally friendly, it has received disproportionately more attention than its actual impact warrants, given the magnitude of the environmental crisis.
The idea that banning straws significantly impacts the environment suggests that consumer choices can have significant consequences—that these choices can save us from the environmental crisis. This shifting of responsibility for the greenhouse gas emissions driving the climate crisis onto individual consumers deliberately overlooks the disproportionately large influence of corporate interests.
Let’s look at some numbers. To prevent the warming of the atmosphere by more than 1.5°C, each individual must produce less than two tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The wealthiest 1 % of the population, however, produces more than 70 tons per person on average. This means the richest 1% cause more damage than the poorest 50%. Bill Gates is estimated to produce nearly 7,500 tons, mostly from flying in a private jet. For Roman Abramovich, the estimated figure is 34,000 tons, much of it from his yacht.
Furthermore, only 100 investment and state-owned fossil fuel companies are responsible for 70% of all greenhouse gas emissions in history. This contradicts the idea promoted by the fossil fuel industry itself: that individual actions alone can stop the climate crisis. Individual actions, compared to those of corporations, have almost negligible impact.
Given this, we must demand that fossil fuel producers take responsibility for their disproportionate contribution to the climate crisis in our fight against climate change.
It is still important to start with ourselves and think about the impact we leave on the environment. That certainly doesn’t hurt. But it is also crucial to realize that the environmental crisis is too large to be solved by small actions alone. And that we must find ways to persuade and compel the big players to make changes.