The Consumer Revolution That Saved Humankind
Hi kids. Let me tell you the story of how global warming started down the road to defeat when I
helped start a consumer revolution way back in 2024. … Again! … Well, it’s a good story, worth
hearing again – this time direct from Grandpa Don.
Back in 2024 we figured we were facing yet another year of increasingly frequent and severe
global warming climate disasters. For years I had been promoting – with only moderate success
– the following message, hoping to quell the increasing frequency and intensity of the disasters.
“Consumers (individuals, organizations, businesses, governments) must promptly minimize their
greenhouse gas emissions to bridge the gap while we work on long-term green technology and
infrastructure. Less heating and less cooling (none between 13C-30C/55F-85F,
https://greenbetween.home.blog). Less driving. Less flying. Less meat-eating. Less population
growth (2 children max). Do it yourself. Tenaciously encourage others to do it.
Embrace the message and tenaciously introduce the message “business card” to all you
encounter. (Print the business card 12 per 8.5×11 using a file from the Promote page of the
website.)
Be a climate superhero – take it to the next level. Promote the message at local events. Files for
posters are available on the Promote page of the website.”
Finally in 2024 the message began to spread. Up until then, very few in the climate activist
community had embraced the message. But that year a few big-name climate activists finally
focused on the message and fired-up their followers in the climate activist communities. Then
the climate activist communities started to promote the message to the general population. The
general.population met the challenge. “Oh, I need to do less heating, less cooling, less driving,
less flying, less meat-eating, less population growth – and do it now, not later. Well, why didn’t
you say so sooner! I’ll do it!”
Well, I’m not saying that everyone jumped on the bandwagon immediately. Initially it felt like a lot
of the biblical “voice of one crying in the wilderness”. As the number of voices increased, peer
pressure tipped in favor of those minimizing their greenhouse gas emissions and the movement
accelerated. Pursuing the pleasures of high-emissions activities became socially unacceptable
within an increasingly large portion of the population. There were holdouts continuing with
high-emissions activities – but over time peer pressure is doing wonders to encourage rethinking
irrational positions.
With consumer emissions greatly reduced, we continued working diligently and progressing on
technology and infrastructure for long-term solutions – green heating, green cooling, green
vehicles, green airplanes, green food chain, green concrete, green steel… – and on the green
energy necessary for the long term solutions.
Sally. … Yes, Sally, I agree it is wonderful that we’ve made sufficient progress with green
technology and infrastructure that in many cases we are now, in 2050, once again able to enjoy
more rather than less of our favored activities that are now minimal emissions rather than high
emissions. And we will continue to progress with green technology and infrastructure to allow us
to enjoy even more of our favored activities.
Bobby. … You ask “Who do I think was the climate hero in this success story?”. Well, I think
there were, and continue to be – many climate heroes – major and minor – all very important to
the cause. Everyone combating global warming is a climate hero. If I had to narrow the field, I
would choose the big-name climate activists who finally committed to inspire the climate activist
community to focus on the less-consumer-emissions message and to spread the message to
the general population. That eliminated the immense “Why didn’t you say so sooner!” roadblock.
Carol. … Yes, Carol, it did seem somewhat like a miracle when the message finally took off after
all those years of only moderate success. What we see is the extraordinary impact leaders can
have on the course of events. An outcome – good or bad – that otherwise seems impossible can
come to fruition when promoted by dominant leaders. The leaders’ followers set aside the
time-consuming complexities of detailed evaluation and decision, and simply go unquestioningly
with the leaders’ decision. With strength in numbers, the leaders’ followers charge forth to
change the world. The “burden” of leadership – leaders can end up carrying immense credit for
good or immense blame for bad.
Vince. … Would humankind have been saved – would the consumer revolution occurred – if the
big-name climate activists hadn’t stepped forth in 2024 to lead the charge? Maybe. Maybe not.
I’m sure us little-name climate activists would have continued on our own to promote the
less-consumer-emissions message, while working to refine our promotion to more effectively
move folks to action – moderate progress toward saving humankind. The worsening global
warming crisis would move some folks to.action – more progress toward saving humankind. The
big-name climate activists might have come on board later in the game to accelerate progress –
better late than never – a big boost toward saving humankind.
Mary. … You can say that again. Thank goodness we minimized our consumer emissions when
we did. The scientists are very clear that we would otherwise now in 2050 be dealing with far
more global warming than we are currently dealing with – perhaps overwhelmingly more
warming.
Well, kids, you are not inheriting a perfect earth, but it could be a lot worse. Thank goodness we
got our act together when we did, and significantly minimized those consumer greenhouse gas
emissions. Hope you are committed to taking care of the planet you have received. Be vigilant.
Pay attention to the science and data. Keep the emissions minimized. Enhance the green
technology and infrastructure. Patiently work with the remaining non-believers to move them to
global-warming-defeating action.