There are many ways we can attempt to slow the progression of climate change. Here will be listed a needed systemic change, and some individual habits that must be adopted by the vast majority of the global population. The truth of the matter is that we as a society, no, as a species will never adopt any of these. One of the most obvious ways to help the environment is to abolish fossil fuels and move toward renewable energy like wind farms and hydroelectric dams and other alternatives like nuclear power . Unfortunately, the oil and gas companies have hundreds of billions of dollars and therefore nearly as much influence on environmental directive as the governments themselves. As long as oil companies exist, there will continue to be pockets lined to keep the coal burning. Due to the sheer wealth that lies in the fossil fuel industry, in addition to the fragile economic conditions in coal mining towns, this kind of systemic change can never happen. On an individual level, people could recycle, use less resources, use sustainable transportation and eat less meat. Unfortunately, even one of these things is a tall order for most people on Earth. Recycling is probably the most feasible of these, which is why it's already fairly widespread. However, we could still do more but we're not. Why? Because we're lazy and we have no time. There are still people who are too lazy to separate garbage from recycling. We don't even have to sort the recycling where I live In addition, why would we want to repair our torn clothing when we can throw it out and buy more? You don't see many people keeping their meat scraps, bones and limp veggies to make soup when we can throw that stuff out and buy it in a can. Composting and separate organic waste collection are also underutilized. Now onto the habits we actually need to bring into mainstream culture but won't. Like using less resources in our daily lives. We all waste energy, even the cheapskates. Be it leaving lights on in unoccupied rooms, running water for five minutes to get it cold enough to drink or turning on the television while away to keep your pets company , there are many things we could do but won't. It's commonly suggested to adjust one's thermostat by a couple of degrees to save on electricity, however many people won't do this because being comfortable is more important than conserving energy and reducing the electric bill. Walking, cycling and taking public transit. It sounds simple, right? Again, people won't do this either. Realistically, only fitness enthusiasts are going to even consider cycling everywhere, and walking can be very time consuming. People who can afford the convenience, freedom and luxury of their own personal vehicle will always prefer their vehicle. There's also the stigma that public transit is only for the poor. It doesn't help that buses in many cities smell like urine and are filled with drunk and or miserable looking people. Most of all, though, there's the fact that public transportation systems in the Western world are seemingly made to incentivize people into driving, with nearly all suburban communities receiving little or no bus service. Add onto that municipalities raising bus fares to justify declining ridership, and it's no wonder people would rather drive. Mainstream vegetarianism veganism would probably be the one thing on this list that would make the biggest difference, but it's also the most difficult one to adopt on a global level. Meat is a staple in most cultures, especially Western. Even I can't bring myself to give up meat. Bacon, steak, ribs and chicken are all just too delicious. Okay, I'll admit that this is a weak argument, but livestock is a real issue within the climate change issue.
Humans will never truly want to protect the environment