Does the “Do Anything Anywhere at Any Time” approach stop climate change?

 “Do Anything Anywhere at Any Time” and climate change!

KAKALI DAS

Today, many of us are increasingly concerned about the impact our daily actions have on the planet.

A quick internet search reveals numerous suggestions to reduce our footprint: recycling, adopting a vegan lifestyle, switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, or driving an electric car—if it’s within our budget.

Companies are also taking action by constructing LEED-certified buildings, installing solar panels on rooftops, or participating in carbon offset programs.

This is often referred to as the “Do Anything” approach—the belief that if everyone takes small steps, anytime and anywhere, it will collectively lead to a healthier environment.

The problem, however, is that these small changes alone don’t effectively address climate change, biodiversity loss, air pollution, or any of the other environmental crises we face. In fact, the “Do Anything” approach may even distract us from the larger, more significant changes we truly need to implement.

The average person in India emits approximately 1.6 tons of carbon annually, primarily from driving, household energy use, and food consumption. In contrast, global carbon emissions total around 36 billion tons per year, making an individual’s contribution just a tiny fraction of a percent.

Not everyone contributes to emissions equally. The wealthiest 1% of the global population is responsible for more than double the combined emissions of the poorest 50%. While the richest individuals have a much higher carbon footprint, those with lower incomes tend to emit far less.

You can make significant changes in your life, such as installing solar panels to live off the grid, but this would still result in only a minuscule reduction in global emissions.

Moreover, for most people, practical alternatives are limited—they often have no choice but to drive fuel-powered cars to work or purchase food grown with chemicals and transported from distant locations.

The food system contributes to 20-30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is why small individual lifestyle changes often fail to make a significant impact. A single person, going about their day, has limited control over the high-emission systems they depend on.

These are intricate systems that encompass energy sources, transportation options, agriculture and land use, industrial activities, goods transportation, and construction.

Individual carbon footprints are relatively small compared to the broader societal structures and the decisions made by entities like fossil fuel companies, whose actions have an impact thousands of times greater than that of individuals.

If the changes we need are so substantial, why do we continue to rely on the “Do Anything” approach?

Why do we place so much emphasis on small, convenient individual actions to combat climate change and reduce our environmental impact? For many, it’s simply easier.

It doesn’t ask us to challenge our energy infrastructure, where our reliance on fossil fuels contributes to two-thirds of carbon emissions, or to question an economic system that promotes endless pollution to maximize profits.

For the wealthiest individuals, who consume the most energy and benefit the most from the economy, saying “I’ll just build an energy-efficient house” lets them acknowledge the climate crisis without having to question how they profit from polluting processes or how they invest their money. The same applies to companies.

With the “Do Anything” approach, the biggest polluters can claim they’re contributing to climate initiatives while continuing with business as usual.

For instance, between 2008 and 2018, Exxon invested $250 million in developing algae-based technologies to produce clean biofuels for planes, ships, and trucks—a step toward doing something.

However, during the same period, they spent approximately $100 million per day exploring and developing new oil and natural gas sources, while allocating around $42 million annually to lobby against climate initiatives.

Along with other fossil fuel giants, they spent $175 million annually promoting themselves as climate heroes. This is one of the ways ExxonMobil positions itself as advancing climate solutions.

The “Do Anything” approach prioritizes politically convenient changes that allow the economy to continue operating as it always has.

Since the mid-1990s, United Nations Climate Conferences have brought countries together to negotiate global agreements on addressing climate change.

Nations form coalitions to phase out coal and fund forest conservation, often celebrating their non-binding, nationally determined contributions to reducing global emissions.

However, these reductions fall far short of the targets scientists have set to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The difference between 1.5 and 2.4 degrees Celsius is a matter of survival for millions of people and countless species on the planet. Current commitments put us on a trajectory for temperature increases of 2.4 degrees Celsius or higher—assuming UN countries fulfill their pledges, which they have largely failed to do so far.

Have the UNFCCC conferences made significant progress in limiting temperature rise? China and India have resisted a complete phase-out of coal, agreeing only to a phase-down. The final wording on coal has left many disappointed.

The “Do Something Anywhere at Any Time” approach has enabled the countries and companies responsible for the highest greenhouse gas emissions to avoid taking any truly effective action.

Meanwhile, it shifts the blame onto individuals, making you believe that you are both the problem and the solution. It encourages actions like upgrading laptops or buying energy-efficient cars, rather than pushing for widespread policy changes.

So, what do we need to do? We must recognize that we can’t save the planet through our personal choices alone. However, we can influence where our energy comes from. For example, Hayward is the largest jurisdiction in the Bay Area to adopt fully carbon-free electricity.

It’s also about how products are made and who has access to sustainable options. For instance, Honolulu recently unveiled its first all-electric buses and plans to eventually replace all its buses with electric ones.

In this way, everyone’s emissions decrease, regardless of individual choices. We can transform how we collectively impact our environment.

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