Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II
The very best thing you can do on climate change, right now, for free, is stop suggesting people "do their part" by flying less or eating less or making any other kind of individual sacrifice. Erase that proposition from your brain and never mention it again.<p>Climate change is a collective action problem. It can't be solved by voluntary sacrifice or any other kind of uncoordinated action. Suggesting that it can is harmful in two ways:<p>1. It puts the focus on solutions that don't work and won't even help.<p>2. Framing it in terms of sacrifice—which, again, won't even work—makes people less inclined to help in ways that <i>might</i> work, like lobbying for more effective policy.<p>"Eat your vegetables" is not the answer. People won't—no matter what. You might, your friends might, but <i>people</i> won't, and that's what matters.<p>Deny this fact at everyone's peril.