Climate Change and Personal Responsibility

We hear a lot about climate change and how our planet is dying. We get many messages from adamant supporters saying that we need to change our way of life NOW before the world is ending sooner than expected! We see different data points showing how the planet is not normal like the past. We can see, especially from history, that our world is changing rapidly, and human hands have always played a big factor in its future. Even though I believe that we need to be better stewards of the earth, that has to be much more than some institutional policies and political moves. While we have people who are very vocal on both sides of the subject, denying or pushing it all at all costs, I wonder how many of us are willing to change our own personal ways of life to simply be better stewards of God‘s creation?  I am afraid that, too oftentimes, very few are personally responsible and willing to change their ways of life because it is easier to talk about things.

First, let us talk about some facts.

Cities are getting bigger each day. So many people are flocking to bigger centers, and those concrete jungles are not going to solve any of the ecological problems. As a matter of fact, more high rises, compact buildings, and road networks are going to retain more heat signatures and cost more energy to keep them connected, fed, and balanced. The bigger the city, the more effort it will take to sustain it! Not only will we have to deal with the energy consumption issues, but it also creates bigger problems of creating and sustaining extended networks of numerous farms, ranches, factories, and amenities to keep it nourished, fed, and moving. As a matter of fact, those small-town people are the ones that are being held back, working harder, and being affected by big city dwellers and their consumeristic, sheltered, and convenient lifestyles.

I find it very interesting that the most adamant and vocal supporters of climate change are city dwellers. They tend to be trendy, comfort-liking, technologically-driven, and detached from real labor-intensive work. Many of them are very ignorant of what it takes to put a piece of food on the table because it is easier to go to the local supermarkets and stores to get what they want. All they see are pieces of meat already butchered, vegetables already trimmed, fruits already picked, and things already packaged, prepared, and well-presented for the typical consumeristic lifestyle. They are vocal about climate change but get easily agitated when they do not get consistent, comfortable, and controlled climate environments. How many people are willing to go out of their city-oriented bubbles and comfort zones to see and understand how consumerism and industrialism affect others in bigger ways?

Perhaps it is easier to want healthy and “environmentally conscious” labels and options to feel superior and cleaner than those unenlightened small-town people! We have no problems enjoying our comforts as long as we get what we want — fresh, wholesome, sustainable, healthy, and the likes —  because we think that they are signs of enlightenment, progress, and care for the environment but we lack knowledge of how much it takes to make things happen because we ignorantly expect other people to provide them for us. Where is the real stewardship, connection, knowledge, and responsibility in those lifestyle choices? Have we gotten our hands dirty and gotten to know the people who work hard so we can get what we want or are we still sitting in our own little comfortable space of “sustainability” lifestyle?

Many of the younger generations want to have more policies and changes to protect the environment and fight against climate change, but they have no issues with upgrading phones, tablets, technological means, and chasing after new things that actually create more waste and energy. How can we combat something if we are not willing to let go and change of way of consumeristic thinking and lifestyle? Trust me, it is hard. It takes a lot of intentionality to not be consumed by consumerism, materialism, and political correctness because our society has been built on these operational principles. It takes a lot of humility to take personal responsibility instead of expecting the government or others to “do their part” because we think they are the “real part of the problem” and not us.

Why do I see so many young people who have no problem hopping on planes to travel the world, doing all the touristy stuff, and expecting American standards of luxury and comfort wherever they do but have no willingness to take personal accountability, responsibility, and sacrifice? That is definitely American-made hypocrisy. That is, without a doubt, Western superiority, entitled, materialistic, and consumeristic complex.

I get so irritated with Americans and Westerners expecting things to be like where they are from wherever they go! I am saddened when tourists smirk and look down on others who are not as enlightened, accommodating, open-minded, and educated as them. I get so frustrated with us sitting in our own little armchairs to talk about world problems but are so blinded by the effects of our luxury and comfort. We have no problems of talking about higher pay, sustainability, and all the like at the expense of other poorer countries and developing economies to feed our desires. We have no problems working for big corporations and wanting better life qualities (at the expense of others) because we do our part in ensuring desirable returns on investment strategies. We talk about nice ideas and come up with new development solutions but look down on others, turn a blind eye when we get our way, somehow expecting them to serve our needs, but never want to do the hard hands-on work.

Will we get off of our high chairs and learn to see the world that is bigger than us? Are we willing to make sacrifices, buy fewer things, and live simpler lifestyles to that consumerism and materialism stop being the dictating factors of wasteful societies? Will we lift our fingers to cultivate the land, work for our own food, and go back to the basics instead of only wanting to do “nice” things for the environment once in a while to make ourselves feel good but so disconnected from the bigger reality? There we go again… I do not think it is even a possibility or willingness for many… I believe the real problem in fighting against climate change is our lack of personal responsibility and humility to be simple.

We want to be paid better, have things our way, and somehow feel good about making our society, environment, and world a better place — all without lifting up a finger! Having worked in poorer and missionary parts of the world taught me that policies only sound nice on the outside and on paper but the ordinary people will continue to struggle because of Western materialism and consumerism. It has always been the poor people who have to work to provide for us who want “new” and “nicer” things. They are the people who are carrying the real burdens, no matter what labels might be used for advertisement or political correctness. We can have more watchdog, environmentally friendly,  sustainable, or any “protection” agencies, but there will always be ways to slap on the stickers, formulated wordings, marketing improvements, and things that sound nice but do not affect those who are on the ground at all. It has always been the people who have money to travel, spend, and discover new things that want things to be better but never lifted a finger to make anything real, personal, and impactful. It has always been the self-righteous people who want things to be catered to them, immediately complain when they are not comfortable, but are not willing to open their eyes to see the bigger reality and get their hands dirty to be with those who are struggling.

Simply put, we have a lot of talkers but not enough doers. A lot of chiefs, supervisors, and talkers but not enough laborers, workers, and helping hands. We have a lot of people who want to feel good about themselves but never change their way of life for something greater than themselves, their ideologies, shallow progress, political stances, or revolutionary likings.

If we really want to combat climate change, I wonder how many of us are willing to take a pay cut, buy less stuff, and live a simpler lifestyle so we do not have to be so wasteful and feed on the spending-centric world of commercialism?

Will both sides of the aisle have a dialogue in order to embrace real, personal, and sacrificial responsibilities or will we do the typical reject, blame, deflection, and self-justification talks? I would love for us to take more personal actions and approaches to become simpler, less wasteful, and humbler ways of life to be good stewards of the earth. Trust me, it is hard! It is a daily struggle. Imagine how much waste we can cut if we are more intentional with our eating habits, clothing choices, technological upgrades, convenient-based comforts, and responsible lifestyles? I would love for us to eat what is set in front of us (even if they do not look good so we can appreciate the sacrifices of others who make them possible), not to be wasteful with things that can still be finished or used, spend less on newer things, be intentional of what needs to be bought, and keeping life simple with what we are already possessing.

I would love for us to cut down on our plastics and one-time-use packaging, less waste on produce and food,  stop throwing away clothes or items that are still fine, buy less and be slower to upgrade things, and be mindful of our actions in how they might affect others. Perhaps what I am asking is too hard for our society! It is easier to be self-righteous and politically correct, blaming others and wanting things to be done on a superficial level but never willing to change our own, personal, and responsible ways of life. Perhaps what I am asking is impossible because that would impact materialistic consumerism; profit-based corporations, economies, stock markets; and bored or miserable people who need something to “fight” about. What I am asking would cut jobs, have less spending, and moving away from our society’s hedonistic desires and wants in order to keep things simple. Taking personal responsibility and being intentional in cutting back is contrary to what our consumeristic world is asking of us!

We are a disposable, objectified, and hedonistic society that would not allow those choices to happen. We treat each other like that, too! We throw away people like we throw away things. We have serious issues with personal commitments. We rather choose our own “freedom” instead of making sacrificial choices. Everything is nice and dandy until it stands in our way! Therefore, how can we really seek real change if we cannot change ourselves first and foremost? I doubt that we can do those things without having to talk, argue, and make it political… and all of that is just for show, shallow and empty talks that bear no personal effects.

Real conversion, responsibility, and stewardship need to bring some pains and inconveniences! Real choices require sacrifices and will “hurt” us. I think we can all do better, and we all need to make small, personal, and willing choices to be intentional in how we spend, buy, use, and be grateful for the things that are in our lives. We can all be a little humbler in prayerfully reflecting, taking responsibility, and discerning how we can be better stewards of God‘s creation. Simply put, the real way to change climate change is our very own personal change and responsibility…