Much of the ClimateCorps website is devoted to ‘high level’ solutions to the climate crisis.  That is, it’s great to change to compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), but focusing on the individual small things pales when compared to making the big, difficult changes… lifestyle changes. 

We say this in many ways in many places in the ClimateCorps, but a true, lastsing solution to the climate crisis will involve deep changes to the way people think about the world, for Americans, changes to the very nature of ‘the American dream’, and more broadly applied, changes to the ’consumerism’ that has taken hold of much of global civilization.

In contrasting ‘needs’ to ‘wants’ we may in fact be making a distinction that is curious, confusing, or hair-splitting to many people.  Indeed, in western culture our wants and our needs have become virtually indistinguishable and the words are often used interchangeably.  Simply making the distinction thus may be a difficult, but powerful exercise.

To apply this ‘global warming solution’ one needs to start with something that you think you need.  Try this today with the very next urge you have to buy something.  Before making the decision and effort to obtain it, stop and think.  Do you really need it, or do you simply want it?  Mind you, it’s not a sin to want something.  But if you can make that distinction, you may find that your desire can be redire addressed in some way, or filled in some manner that is less energy-intensive in its nature.  This is a highly abstract, but far reaching ‘global warming solution.’

For instance, say the next thing you want is a candy bar and you’re fresh out of them at home.  Instead of jumping in the car to go get one, perhaps you’ve got something else to satisfy that sweet tooth at home.  Or maybe you can call someone who’ll be coming home shortly and have them pick one up for you.  Or maybe you’ll think of health and weight factors, and you’ll walk to the store to work off the calories in advance.  This is a rather trivial example, but you get the idea.

The essence of this solution is the sheer power that you create in terms of self-determination, and determining the fate of the world, if you can distinguish more clearly your needs from your wants, and start to address them both in the light of your eventual environmental footprint on the planet.