Current Challenges

Lifestyle Choices (by Leslie Kanat, 20 March 2020)

Homo sapiens sapiens are the most successful species on the planet today. Population, longevity, standard of living, health, quality of life, and education continue to increase across the globe (see https://www.gapminder.org/). This success comes at a cost. In order to sustain this success, and share it with the billions of others who are less fortunate than us, we must ensure that the foundations of this success are maintained. What are you going to do?

The foundations of our success include ecosystem services, functioning societies, strong healthy families, and adequate resources – it touches all areas of how we choose to live and how we interact with others. The gross domestic product (GDP) is one indicator of the economic success of a society. It measures the use of goods and services and is an indicator of the success of a nation. It excludes the importance of community, and the daily work conducted by those who do not get paid (including those who work at home raising their family, and those who are paid in cash). A high GDP often comes at a cost to the long term well-being of our life support systems. The challenge we, as a species, face today is to balance prosperity (wealth inequality and consumption) with long-term thinking (sustainable lifestyle choices rather than immediate gratification).

Clean water to drink, safe air to breath, healthy food to eat, and global health are all compromised by our successful lifestyles. What choices must we make in order to ensure that future generations have the safe, healthy, and nurturing lifestyle experienced by our ancestors? The decisions we make today will impact us and future generations.

The 7.6 billion people living today is so substantial that we now have the power to change the planet – and the population will continue to grow until 2100 where it is expected to level off around 11 billion people. The human population is large enough to be considered a geological force and we are making changes to ecosystem services at ever-increasing rates (there is serious discussion about creating a new era for the geological time scale called the Anthropocene – the age of humans). At what point do we take stock of our capital and decide to live sustainably, and live respectfully, such that future generations may enjoy the beauty that previous generations have been gifted?

Ecosystems have persisted throughout geological time and did not need input from society or industry. On the other hand, society and industry could not function as it does today without the services provided by ecosystems. This one-way approach to ecosystem services is not sustainable. We expose ourselves to new viruses and organisms as we move deeper into forests and other biomes in search of greater wealth. This one-way approach returns waste and pollution to ecosystems. This is clearly unsustainable. Ecosystem services are vital to future of humanity.

A few thoughts on COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic makes all headlines every day, yet there is a deeper crisis looming, and you know what it is. As we emerge from this pandemic we should do so by heading in the right direction. Society will not be the same as it was, but then again, it we continuously change. The key climate conference, COP26, was scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November, but that has been canceled because of the pandemic.

In 1665, the students at the University of Cambridge were sent home because of the Great Plague of London, the Bubonic Plague. It was during that time at home, at Woolsthorpe Manor, just north of Cambridge, when Issac Newton developed his theory of gravity -- it was more than an apple falling from a tree in his yard. In March 2020, the students were once again sent home for the entire academic year beause of the coronavirus.

We – you, me and most others – need to take action before it is too late. Do not let your government, or local industries, conduct business as usual. If we continue on our path, we will, unfortunately, get to where we are headed. Wake up.

Follow the Petersburg Climate Dialogue XI on 27-28 April 2020, livestream parts of it, or watch the speeches that follow on 28 April at 15:10 via www.bmu.de/en/press/live-broadcast/.

Improvements in energy efficiency is one direction we can take – we can do it today.

We can put a price on carbon. Learn about carbon pricing and contact your Member of Congress.

Climate change is a threat multiplier – that is, any threats that we face are only exacerbated by the climate crisis.

What are you waiting for? Learn what is possible. Learn what you can do. Make sure your Members of Congress do the right thing. Vote. Get involved. Write letters. Your future is in your hands. Wash your hands and clean the environment. Get others to vote along side of you.