Hypothetical Solution to Climate Change

Our world is currently in one of the worst states it’s ever been. Temperatures are skyrocketing, weather is becoming more extreme, ice sheets are melting, ocean levels are rising,  drinking water is becoming scarce, deserts are expanding, the list can go on. Many of these also have underlying effects, including an increase in poverty and a decrease in food and crops. We have no one else to blame but ourselves. For decades humans have been exploiting the planet, leaving their trash and waste wherever they please, tearing apart forests, and burning fossil fuels without concern. Though there have been many efforts in recent years to prevent climate change, oftentimes they take a lot of time, resources, and money, leaving people discouraged. But under the assumption someone were to have all the money, power, and resources in the world, what could they do?

To save the planet, it’s not gonna take some big expensive project that somehow eliminates all greenhouse gasses, or grows back all the trees. Because the fact is, even if something like that were to happen, people will continue to burn fossil fuels, demolish ecosystems,  and improperly dispose of their trash. It’s because that’s just what’s in their own self interest. And that’s why you’d need to look at things on more of an individual level. With all the power in the world you could encourage people, perhaps pay them to be more environmentally friendly. For instance, you could make a system, where people record how much energy they use, how much they recycle or compost, how much water they can conserve, how much they use their cars. Then reward them based off the results. For businesses, particularly factories, they could record generally how much greenhouse gasses they are releasing, or what they’re doing with their waste. Then boost their income if the results are positive.

But obviously all this is easier said than done. There is no one person with all the power and money in the world who will pay us for helping the environment. And we cannot continue to expect someone else to make a change for us. You need to take action, even if it’s just small steps at a time. It could just be starting a compost, or walking more places instead of driving. And perhaps along the way, you’ll encourage those around you to make a difference as well.