How Can We Beat Climate Change
You can’t just turn a blind eye anymore. Climate change is happening now and no longer just a figment of our imagination. Our planet has endured enough and it is now showing drastic signs of our abuse and misuse of Earth’s resources. It even came sooner than expected and we only have ourselves to blame. Just look around you and you can see the answer. Technology is one of the major factors why all these things are happening. All the tech gadgets we are using uses up lots of fuel, something we may have not but may run out sooner. Remember that widely used energy today comes from non-renewable sources like fossil fuel. They aren’t just expensive but they may eventually run out in the coming years. What’s worse is that the combustion coming from the burning of these energy sources contribute to global warming, thereby leaving the planet hotter than ever as hot air is trapped in the planet’s atmosphere and consequently melts glaciers making the sea level rise.
Don’t feel helpless just yet. It is not the end of the world. We still have time to change our ways and salvage what little is left of our planet, so the future generation won’t have such a hard time in simply surviving and all. Of course, the little changes you do can make a big difference if done by a multitude of people. However, we need to level up our efforts if we want to contribute greatly to global warming solutions our planet so badly need at this time and day. There are certain industries that can also make a big contribution if they just make the ultimate sacrifice. Unbeknownst to many, the meat industry generates a lot of greenhouse gases. Aside from that, there are other equally alarming issues caused by livestock production such as air and water pollution. Over the past few years, we’ve also learned that livestock growers inject antibiotics to the animals to boost their profit. If the sin tax on (red) meat consumption is increased, people would reconsider their diet and perhaps reduce their meat consumption as well, which will have a profound effect on the industry.
“Sin taxes” on meat to reduce its huge impact on climate change and human health look inevitable, according to analysts for investors managing more than $4tn of assets.
The global livestock industry causes 15% of all global greenhouse gas emissions and meat consumption is rising around the world, but dangerous climate change cannot be avoided unless this is radically curbed. Furthermore, many people already eat far too much meat, seriously damaging their health and incurring huge costs. Livestock also drive other problems, such as water pollution and antibiotic resistance.
A new analysis from the investor network Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (Fairr) Initiative argues that meat is therefore now following the same path as tobacco, carbon emissions and sugar towards a sin tax, a levy on harmful products to cut consumption.
These are just some of those things you don’t realize right away as a mere spectator in the world. It is actually quite surprising to many to find out that just by patronizing meat products, we contribute to the hastening and worsening of climate change. 15% of all greenhouse gases come from the livestock industry. It may not sound big but when you look at it on a global scale, you’ll be blown to the extent of the damage we are unconsciously doing. It’s not as if our health don’t also suffer because we eat way too much meat than we need.
That’s why I’m joining 100 other MPs, across parties, to call on our pension fund to remove its investments in fossil fuels. Our words in Paris must be matched by our actions in parliament – our constituents expect nothing less. This starts, but by no means finishes, with where we invest millions of pounds through our pensions. But we need to open up this conversation beyond parliament to ensure a just transition to a green economy.
This campaign is the fastest growing divestment movement of all time, which has seen more than $5tn of assets divested across more than 800 institutions. Campaigning for our universities, workplaces, unions, and pension funds to divest is one important way we can help to build a more sustainable society. Parliament must play its part.
We may be facing diverse issues right now but it should not distract us from the most important of all, climate change. All our problems pale in comparison to the danger and disruption it will cause if climate change continues to progress over the next few years. The only planet we call home may be gone forever along with us. We know that the problem rooted from us and it is only but right for us to correct our mistakes. Our over-reliance on fossil fuel may have allowed all these innovations to exist and flourish for years now but they can also be the means to our end.
Green technology should be developed and supported and everybody should look into possible energy source alternatives without disrupting the natural world order right now. Funds should be properly allocated and give priority to those showing promise in solving many of the world’s environmental issues and not be a part of the problem anymore. It may look bleak right now but we’ll be able to find that silver lining if we just all set aside our differences and work together in saving our home.