Letter from the Chair: Our Climate Choices

by Colin Yost, Hawaiʻi Chapter Executive Committee Chair

It's a bleak thing to say, but the international scientific assessment of the climate crisis feels like a cancer diagnosis. I wake up every morning with the knowledge that the diagnosis hasn't changed and that our planet is one day closer to catastrophe. It's easy to feel intimidated by the unprecedented individual and collective change and action that will be necessary to fix or at least meaningfully mitigate the problem.

Thankfully, sources of inspiration are everywhere, and one of mine these days is Greta Thunberg, the 16-year old Swedish activist who – by herself – started picketing for climate action about seven months ago in front of the Swedish Parliament. She then became the catalyst for a global student movement and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Amazing!

There's no way Greta could have predicted the international ripple effect of her individual choice to picket Parliament, but even her extraordinary effort will not be enough. It will take millions more individual actions to lead to big, fundamental global changes. Other articles in this Mālama discuss ways to increase Hawaiʻi’s carbon sequestration and reduce your own carbon footprint. Some life choices will be easier than others, but making greener choices now will greatly impact the next generation’s climate. And your choices may inspire your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.

Many of us already power our homes with solar and drive electric cars or ride bikes but there are still more things that each of us as individuals can do to make a difference. So I'm using this article as a personal pledge to make five new significant changes and to solicit your feedback by asking you for five things you will do for our planet (see the cut-out response form below). I'll compile the responses and report back on the best ideas in the next edition of the Mālama.  

Here are my 5 things:

1. Research, choose and invest in a carbon offset program to make my family carbon neutral or carbon positive, and then inspire 10 friends to follow the same program for their families. There are so many to choose from – I am currently looking at Carbon Fund, Native Energy, the Nature Conservancy, and Carbon Buddy.
2. Get rid of the second fridge in my hot garage. There will be some family resistance on this one, but it must be done.
3. Finish the Marie Kondo home cleansing process that my wife and I started a month ago. This has been great not just because we've been able to donate a lot of decent quality stuff so that it can be reused by others, but it's reminded us of the value and psychological benefit of living more simply and consuming less in the first place.
5. Finally start a real garden in my backyard and grow a significant amount of delicious vegetables.
7. Plant 100 native trees in a place where they are likely to thrive.

Your turn!

I encourage you to think about what changes you can make for a brighter climate future. Share your five choices below!