The latest IPCC report can’t be ignored - we have limited time
ROVMERS,
We have spent the last week going through the IPCC report and we have to say, the future looks real smoky unless we all start to wake the F up. From our daily routines to evaluating every choice we make as businesses large and small to get to carbon-neutral, to pressuring large corporations and global policymakers, we all play a part. It does our species and planet a disservice to pretend the situation will miraculously reverse itself.
Here are the five things you need to know:
(Pulled summary from Sustainable Brands)
Humans are responsible. Previous reports said it was “extremely likely” that humans had caused global warming. The science is now incontrovertible: “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.”
The world is already hot. Global temperatures have skyrocketed since the Industrial Revolution. To find a warmer period than 1850-2020, we must go back 100,000 years to before the last ice age.
It will get worse. All five of the new emission scenarios in the report predict at least 1.5°C of warming over pre-industrial levels by 2040.
It could be catastrophic. A 3°C (and beyond) rise is a real possibility. This could lead to some parts of the tropics becoming too hot for outdoor work; the death of coral reefs; the evisceration of the Amazon; the melting of the polar ice sheets; and catastrophic fires, floods, sea-level rises, water shortages and failed harvests.
We’re almost out of time. Limiting warming to 1.5°C requires the planet to stick to a carbon budget. We only have 400 billion tonnes left to emit — global emissions currently total 40 billion tonnes a year.
What are we doing about it?
Personally, the ROVM team has made significant lifestyle choices over the last 5 years to become carbon negative. This includes biking/walking whenever possible (you should see Julie get around Chicago on the Lyft Bikes, she hustles), eating a 75% or more plant based diet, buying slightly worn or used apparel, and shopping at thrift stores (shoutout Thredup and Poshmark!), setting a timer for showers, and of course, recycling, composting.
We are creating a climate strategy for ROVM as we grow: As a business, we struggle with how to grow a startup in Covid when everything is more expensive. This is not an excuse, however is a challenge we face and we are aware that every decision from labels to packaging increases our carbon footprint. Today, we have committed to setting a net-zero target in 5 years, using our voice and platform to bring awareness to environmental issues, partnering with environmental and outdoor nonprofits, and when facing two decisions, making the greener choice each time. That is what we can share now, but we are seeing how we can hold ourselves and our business more accountable through Future Fit Business Benchmark, working with environmentalists to create a climate strategy, and setting science-based targets on how to reduce our emissions.
What are you doing?
(pulled many of these recommendations from the LA Times)
The situation may sound almost irreparable, but it’s not, experts say. It’s just going to be really, really hard to turn things around — and it’s going to require an unprecedented level of concerted effort to make the systemic changes needed to ensure a livable planet for all of us. And those changes need to happen fast, because the longer we delay, the more the Earth will warm — and the more difficult the task will become.
Flex your purchasing power: If you’re comparing products, look into the companies behind them, their emissions and environmental impact, she said. Have they set goals for reducing carbon emissions? Have they given a clear explanation of how they’re going to get there?
Insulate ... and lay off the thermostat - one of the easiest ways to reduce your energy use.
Vote: If there’s one tried-and-true way that individuals can contribute to change on a societal scale, it’s by voting for people who take climate change seriously, several experts said. If that seems like a lot of legwork, go ahead and lean on organizations such as the League of Conservation Voters, which tracks elected officials’ votes on climate and environmental issues.
Make one decision a month that reduces your carbon footprint. Individually, it isn’t much, but if 7.5 billion people did that, collectively we can make a difference.
Ask your friends and families if they have read the report and ask them what they are doing about it. Besides bringing awareness that we all face an uncertain future, they may have other amazing tips for you.