Nick, great content as usual! I love all of the policy wonk data, trends and insights, quotes from financial leaders, and of course the politics! I can't help but think about the "so, what can I do as a small business owner, niche brand, consumer, etc.?"
Thanks Adam! Great question and one I don't focus on (here) a lot. I think my first answer is, be informed, learn as much as you can, and try to experiment with and learn what a more sustainable life could look like. We're all constrained by the system we live in (especially those of us in North America), which is heavily fossil-fuel based and full of perverse incentives, but that doesn't mean you can't start trying to build alternatives.
From a practical standpoint as a consumer, there are the obvious ones -- eat less (or no) meat, fly less, etc. A lot of people argue that these actions make no difference (including some pretty prominent outdoor advocacy groups like POW), but I strongly disagree with that. Yes, you or I can't make a difference in terms of global emissions -- but we can make a difference both by influencing others with our actions and by influencing ourselves. The more "climate-based" decision-making is part of your every day life, the more you internalize it. I found this article this morning -- https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/20/how-peer-pressure-can-help-save-planet/ -- which makes these arguments much more cogently than I've ever been able to. As a business and brand, I think the same thoughts apply? Spread the good word, as it were. Even if actions don't make a "real" difference, messaging and visible steps from businesses and content-producers force the people receiving those messages to think about things.
Another fun one -- I can't find the link to the paper right now, but it's been pretty well documented that talking about climate change with friends and family increases overall acceptance of climate science, etc. So, just talk about it with people!
Nick, great content as usual! I love all of the policy wonk data, trends and insights, quotes from financial leaders, and of course the politics! I can't help but think about the "so, what can I do as a small business owner, niche brand, consumer, etc.?"
Thanks Adam! Great question and one I don't focus on (here) a lot. I think my first answer is, be informed, learn as much as you can, and try to experiment with and learn what a more sustainable life could look like. We're all constrained by the system we live in (especially those of us in North America), which is heavily fossil-fuel based and full of perverse incentives, but that doesn't mean you can't start trying to build alternatives.
From a practical standpoint as a consumer, there are the obvious ones -- eat less (or no) meat, fly less, etc. A lot of people argue that these actions make no difference (including some pretty prominent outdoor advocacy groups like POW), but I strongly disagree with that. Yes, you or I can't make a difference in terms of global emissions -- but we can make a difference both by influencing others with our actions and by influencing ourselves. The more "climate-based" decision-making is part of your every day life, the more you internalize it. I found this article this morning -- https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/20/how-peer-pressure-can-help-save-planet/ -- which makes these arguments much more cogently than I've ever been able to. As a business and brand, I think the same thoughts apply? Spread the good word, as it were. Even if actions don't make a "real" difference, messaging and visible steps from businesses and content-producers force the people receiving those messages to think about things.
Another fun one -- I can't find the link to the paper right now, but it's been pretty well documented that talking about climate change with friends and family increases overall acceptance of climate science, etc. So, just talk about it with people!