Last week's diary was on a very specific topic--bathroom trash. I think it's important to talk about specifics, because that is where the actual work is done on a consumer level, but it's also important to step back and see the big picture.
The war on global warming, the war on manmade climate change is the most important war not only in the life of my generation, but it's more important than World War II, it's more important than the Revolutionary War--it's the most important war humanity has ever faced. I think it's a lot like the Lord of the Rings. Certainly environmentalists have lost this war. The Internet is filled with paid denier trolls and denier bots and more and more people believe less and less that climate change is caused by manmade greenhouse gases. We've lost. But quietly in the background, Frodo has been busy making solar cheaper than any other form of energy generation, and with that coming in the next few years, we will win. Big Oil and Big Coal overlooked Moore's Law and solar innovation.
This is the first time since I watched an Inconvenient Truth that I have felt genuinely cheerful about the future. Obviously we are too late. Climate change is happening now, as anyone can see by looking out the window or watching the Weather Channel. But hopefully we can stop any further change and avoid triggering any truly scary feedback loops with quick action. Especially cheering were the two recent Think Big posts here: Energy spring is here and you can join the uprising and Transportation overhaul would save money, create jobs, cut pollution, burn less oil.
What do I believe? I believe that in 50 years 95% of our energy will come from solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric (both rivers and tides). I believe that with solar in particular that energy will be so abundant that it will basically be free. However, unlike certain movements on the Internet (that shall remain nameless!) that think that cheap abundant energy will have us all living like the Jetsons or the McCains (with their ten houses); I am quite sure that while energy will be nearly free, things will not be. There is a finite supply of stuff and we are using it up too rapidly.
I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Last Wednesday on NPR, On Point interviewed Paul Gilding about the inevitable imminent changes to the world's economies, that he calls "The Great Disruption". The interview itself is well worth a listen. To give a taste, here are a couple quotes from his website:
It’s time to stop just worrying about climate change, says Paul Gilding. We need instead to brace for impact because global crisis is no longer avoidable. This Great Disruption started in 2008, with spiking food and oil prices and dramatic ecological changes, such as the melting ice caps. It is not simply about fossil fuels and carbon footprints. We have come to the end of Economic Growth, Version 1.0, a world economy based on consumption and waste, where we lived beyond the means of our planet’s ecosystems and resources.
The crisis represents a rare chance to replace our addiction to growth with an ethic of sustainability, and it’s already happening. It’s also an unmatched business opportunity: Old industries will collapse while new companies will literally reshape our economy. In the aftermath of the Great Disruption, we will measure “growth” in a new way. It will mean not quantity of stuff but quality and happiness of life. Yes, there is life after shopping.
More nicking from his website, to give some background on Gilding:
An activist and social entrepreneur for 35 years, his personal mission and purpose is to lead, inspire and motivate action globally on the transition of society and the economy to sustainability. He pursues this purpose across all sectors, working around the world with individuals, businesses, NGOs, entrepreneurs, academia and government.
He has served as CEO of a range of innovative NGO’s and companies including Greenpeace International, Ecos Corporation and Easy Being Green. He has also helped to establish and served on the board of a number of new NGOs including Inspire Foundation, the Australian Business Community Network and Climate Coolers. His speaking and work has taken him to over 30 countries including the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, South America, Europe, South Africa, the USA and Mexico.
Of course the main thrust of the interview and of his book are top level, dealing with the inevitable change from a growth economy to a steady-state economy, and also focusing on the best strategies to fight the excesses of manmade climate change, to blunt its force as it hits us. But on the periphery is the acceptance that, yes, a steady-state economy means we will turn away from both shopping as a recreational activity and the disposability of goods that should be durable. Planned obsolescence will become obsolete.
This is directly entwined with the basic concepts of zero waste:
- refuse stuff you don't want or need,
- own less stuff,
- maintain your stuff,
- share stuff communally when possible,
- minimal packaging,
- recyclability of both packaging and the item itself when it reaches the end of its useful life,
- focus on quality, durable purchases,
- do not buy anything disposable, only consumable (food, soap, vitamins, etc.),
- buy used,
- repair before replacing,
- buy local.
When done right, combined with downsizing and uncluttering, zero waste is the way we will all be living in the not too distant future. Best to get used to it!
I'm an early adopter. Not bleeding edge, but I was a heavy Compuserve user back when there weren't any pictures on the Internet. I bought a Prius several years ago. Zero waste is the same thing. We will all be trending towards zero waste within the span of a generation. Those of us who start early will find it easier to adapt.
For those of us with more money, this is a good time to start thinking about investing in quality, durable goods. Things are still cheap, even quality things; they will be getting more expensive soon. I use quality pots and pans from my mother that were bought before I was born, and am quite sure that many will last to be passed to my children.
For those of us with less money (like myself--oh please, employment gods, smile upon me), this is good practice to get used to living with less. We will have an advantage in the coming Great Disruption, because it will already be old hat to us.
My standard disclaimer: Zero waste is not the most important thing a person can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Taking public transportation over driving, particularly for a daily commute, weatherproofing one's home and turning down the thermostat, cutting down on air travel, switching to renewable energy sources, avoiding factory-farmed meat and most importantly political action to get the Republican climate deniers out of Congress are all bigger priorities in fighting climate change. Don't use zero waste as an excuse to rest on your green laurels.
