Environmental degradation, the climate crisis and social injustice are present day realities that call all people and businesses to act. To illustrate the urgency of the situation consider climate change. Scientists tell us the the upper threshold warming limit agreed upon at COP21 in Paris last year is 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial norms. We are already 1.3 degrees above so the situation is dire, but not impossible. We cannot wait for the holdouts to come to an epiphany. We must demand that our elected officials make science based policy decisions.
As explained by Climate Reality, the signs (and the science) are clear: Our climate is changing…”the trend of exponentially rising CO2 levels and rising global temperatures that scientists have seen over the past century is unmistakable. Our climate is changing, and it’s changing too quickly for many of our planet’s ecosystems, animal species, and humans to keep up.” This is an urgent call to action.
We are not powerless to change things. In addition to casting your vote with environmental and social issues in mind, there are other ways that we can make a difference each and every day. Consumers have the power to change the world by virtue of where you spend your money.
Companies that are producing the most emissions are a good place to start. As reported in a recent Science article, a handful of companies are largely responsible for climate change. According to an analysis by geographer Richard Heede, almost two-thirds of anthropogenic carbon emissions are produced by just 90 companies and government-run industries. At the top of this list are fossil fuel use, methane leaks, and cement manufacture.
We also need to support those who are standing up for the planet against those who protect polluters. In July Heede received a subpoena from climate denying Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Through sustainable supply chains businesses also have a salient role to play.
