Why Carbon Neutral Goals Are Failing: A Reason To Think Differently

The most impactful solutions are often the simplest ones!

Does anyone ever wake up from a nightmare, dreaming of the world burning, or the ocean swelling, or the ice caps melting? Probably never. It’s all so distant, so fictional!

And, yet, all this time, the clock has been ticking, taking us there. All of it linked by a single thread emerging from each one of us — the carbon footprint!

The news of wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts, make us wonder why, all of a sudden, nature seems to be trying to eliminate us at all cost?

Not realising, that the distant “sci-fi” future with natural calamities is at our doorstep! We are at a tipping point, standing at the cusp. And, what we do about overcoming the challenges of reducing carbon footprint will decide if we are going to transition into a future with opportunities, or spiral down the dark-hole of our extinction!

There have been numerous actions to dust the carbon off our footprints by organizations globally, yet, we are failing to achieve the targeted goals! The simple reason being the solutions are not backed by proper supportive measures.

Solutions Not Backed By Supportive Measures

While…

“Simple ideas could lead to the greatest transformation!“

“Live Green”, “Become Green’, “Reduce Carbon Footprint”, all are mere preaching if there’s no intent or action. Simply asking individuals to go “carbon neutral” is nothing more than hollow advice without having a planned strategic infrastructure to support a carbon neutral lifestyle.

The carbon footprint is yet to stomp us out of existence. But, there is a need for strategic interventions with infrastructural remodelling.

We need ideas that are simple, yet implementable, to transform the infrastructure, with the right intent to have maximum impact against the ‘challenges of becoming carbon neutral.’ And, we don’t need ‘rocket scientists’ to figure them out.

A Simple Thought To Bridge The Gap Transforming Cities

‘Walk for a greener and healthier world.’ or, ‘Ride a bicycle for zero carbon emission.’ Advices thrown around like advertisements! But, are they practical without supportive changes? Most of the time we are using the vehicles to get our essentials unavailable within walking distance. Moreover, at most places, we don’t even have roads properly designed for bicycle riders!

Now imagine a world where everything we need is within 15 minutes of walking or bicycle riding distance. We prefer to walk or cycle, thereby getting into a greener lifestyle. And that’s exactly what cities like Paris, Melbourne, and Milan are planning! A simple solution in the form of the hyper-local model that can transform the society as a whole. So, all it needs is the right planning and infrastructure.

Also, let’s be honest, we will not be cycling unless we are safe doing so. So, how about having a cycling lane along every road? Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, is already planning on having cycle lanes for every street in the city by 2024.

It’s a challenge, but one simple idea can usher in the change!

Keeping The Cars In The Garage

What happens when we have to walk for 10 minutes after parking our car or bike to get to our destination? We have fewer people opting to drive!

Human beings are essentially lazy by nature! So, merely asking us not to use cars and bikes to reduce emissions is never going to work, unless there’s something absolute urging us to make that choice. And, removing parking spaces from every road and lane is the easiest yet most effective means to do so! These parking spaces can actually become bicycle lanes as well!

Transitioning Towards An Electric Future

Get electric cars and bikes because they are greener and turn out to be cheaper! We have been told this time and again. So, what’s stopping us from reducing our expenses? Well, the lack of infrastructure!

We cannot be a city full of e-vehicle owners unless the cities are equipped for the change. Charging points at every gas station and in the parking areas can definitely be a point to begin with. Technology improves with demand and necessity, and so will the efficiency of e-vehicles. But, to drive adoption, we need ease of use. And, once we have it, shifting to e-vehicles won’t have to be advertised. For, we all love what comes cheaper, and travelling in an electric vehicle certainly is, not to mention greener.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Is there anyone who isn’t familiar with the 3 R’s? And, it’s amazing how much of our carbon footprint will come down if we implement these steps. The best thing is, most of us are ready to adopt this lifestyle. So, what’s stopping us? Probably the fact that we will have to look out for recycling points and then go all the way to deposit our wastes! Tedious and definitely not practical!

But, the solution isn’t difficult or mind-altering! Simply implementing a recycle process with either daily or periodic collection cycle will turn this into a default practice among every individual. Not only will we be reducing the cost of recycling, but will also involve more people in the carbon footprint reduction initiative, turning it into a successful collective effort!

Awareness — Intention — Action

We have been woefully unaware, and many among us chose to remain so! And, in our ignorance, we have declared war on nature, when all it did was sustain life. Now, we face the wrath of her force. It isn’t going to end well for any one of us unless we are aware and build the intention to implement the change through action.

Consequences and incentives are the driving forces for us. They always have been. Right now the consequence of inaction is nothing other than extinction of the world as we know, and the incentive is a cleaner and greener world with reduced carbon emissions. Let’s give that a long and hard thought.

I will leave you with this quote by Art Buchwald,

“Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it is the only time we have got.”

Originally published on WeNaturalists.com