Millions of people make decisions that will impact the environment for better or worse. For the past 20 years, the world’s leaders have been working towards implementing processes, laws, legislations and infrastructure that will help to protect the environment and improve sustainability. There are always ongoing threats to the environment. However, there have been some recent decisions that will have a major impact on the environment.
What are some alternative solutions that could have been taken?
Technology is best solution to keep all parties happy. Many countries have implemented programs or policies that will see energy-efficient technology installed and used to curb power demands. For example, LED lighting will reduce energy consumption by up to 80%. Lower energy consumption leads to lower energy production, which means that coal-fired power plants will lower their carbon output.
Local governments like the one in Australia’s New South Wales have even started to show signs of success by rolling out schemes that will help residents and businesses upgrade to energy efficient lighting.
Alternatively, macro and microeconomic parties investing in renewable energy sources are another optimal solution. China is currently leading the way by replacing many of its Beijing-based coal-fired power plants with renewable energy power plants.
Improving people’s habits and behaviours.
There’s over 7 billion people on the planet and each individual has a different level of influence when it comes to their actions or decisions impacting the environment. People are naturally inclined to waste or put their own priorities first at the expense of the environment. The need to earn an income or gain wealth has more of an influence than preserving the wellbeing of the planet for future generations.
Education has a big part to play. One of the reason’s why action isn’t moving as quickly as it should is because there are skeptics that don’t believe that human impact is contributing towards environmental problems and global warming. Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed this issue in an open Facebook post titled, “I don’t give a f*** if we agree about climate change.” In the post, he urges people to take action rather than debate as to whether or not climate change is real or not. Responding to the challenge will create better solutions.
We need to do something as a global community. And it is important to get people that have significant impacts on the world to make decisions and to take actions that will improve things for the better.
This post is sponsored by LEDified; image from Shutterstock
