So much about what is going on with climate change and politics seems (and is) so out of my control. Then I woke up one morning asking myself… what is under my control?
I live in Canada. We have one of the highest standards of living in the world. We are also a small population. Aliens could come and remove the entire Canadian population and that wouldn’t affect carbon levels on Earth.
China is the biggest contributor, next is the United States, and then India.
So if what we/I do in Canada makes no difference, why bother? That is the political conversation that is happening in Canada at this time.
Well, why bother is a good question. Then I thought about it in the context of: How can I pass the responsibility to others if I wasn’t willing to make a change myself? Shouldn’t I lead by example?
How much difference can one person make? Well, almost none, but what if I asked myself if I can’t control the world, and China, and the US, or even Canada, what is it I can control? Well, myself.
So first I did an assessment of how I live. Fortunately, I don’t have to commute to work. We only own 1 car so that automatically puts us in a decent starting position on the calculators. Our next car I’ve decided will be an all-electric one.
I own a detached home, but I had already made a conscious decision to not get a bigger house and continue with my “lifestyle creep”. So that was also a happy win win.
All the things they suggest, like a smart thermostat and LED lights, I’ve done.
So what’s left? Well, everyone screams bloody murder about a carbon tax so I investigated what that means and maybe I should take a principled step about it.
So I found a company that will add to the power grid the equivalent power and natural gas I consume but from a clean source to make up for my consumption.
They also have a similar program for the gas in your car.
I’ll also do the same thing for air travel for the infrequent times I plan trips.
For good measure I’m going to fund some trees with Tree Canada. Over time I’m going to fund 4,000 trees, 1,000 for each of us in our family. I’ve read that 1,000 trees will absorb the carbon of one human being per year.
In this little personal game, I am now carbon neutral.
I decided in the spirit of this being a tax or real cost to me I should cover these costs from my monthly budget and not take them from my charitable/giving allowance. My charitable giving will continue as-is.
I realized just like my charitable giving where whatever I donate doesn’t make a difference when you are talking about millions of dollars being raised yet I still do it because its the right thing to do.
I’m applying that thinking to my carbon usage. What I do as an individual makes no difference but it’s the right thing to do. That decision makes me feel good.
Someone might tell me that I’m like a sinner going to church, putting their money into the collection plate and keep on sinning. Well, perhaps, but I’ve taken some positive steps, both with reduction, not increasing my consumption, and supporting efforts to reduce carbon emissions. I made it into a personal game of being carbon neutral, just for myself. If you want to bash me for doing that, I don’t know what else to tell you.
But for now I feel like at least I’ve contributed my 1 drop in the ocean and that is what is under my control.
