Shift Blaming in a Climate Crisis

So, who is to blame?

In short, the answer is all of us. We all contribute to climate change through our daily decisions and activities. Some of us just leave much larger impacts as we lead our lives.  The individual holds responsibility to their own habits. Politicians and Governments hold responsibility to create more combative policies and regulations. Corporations hold the responsibility to have sustainable practices. And we all have the responsibility to keep each other accountable.

But who is most at fault? Politicians want individuals to believe it is themselves. Corporations want individuals to believe it is themselves. Individuals often time do believe it is themselves. But it's not. Corporations worldwide are at fault. It is often stated that the ratio between municipal waste (home, small business) to industrial waste (manufacturing) is 3:97 in the United States. If every individual achieved a zero waste lifestyle, and corporations made no changes, all else equal, we would only reduce 3% of national waste. The blame should not be placed on the individual. Up to 71% of carbon emissions are produced by the top 100 corporations. The top 8 corporations account for a collective 20%. So why is there a shift of personal responsibility?

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I won't suggest that personal responsibility is not essential to change. Each individual making a conscious effort to be more sustainable makes a difference and more importantly, individuals mobilizing to advocate change is what will make the largest impact. Politicians and governments are large at fault for a lack of previsions being placed to respond to climate change. However, if voters make it known they are concerned with climate change, politicians will be concerned. If every individual decided they will not buy from producers who chose to use single use, non-biodegradable materials for their products, this may send a message to manufacturers that they now need to be concerned with climate change.

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That being said, it is not on the consumer for consuming what producers are producing. Producers always have the choice to use more sustainable materials and practices, but consumers do not always have that choice. Many corporations argue they are responding to demand but in order for there to be demand, there must be supply. When the blame is placed on the consumer, the question is then limited to what to do with single use plastic when it is consumed. Rather, we should be asking, how do we produce less single use plastic? This shifts the blame back onto corporations and manufactures but it also places a financial burden on them to switch to biodegradable products, thus one reason why they are so reluctant to take responsibility for their practices. The future depends on keeping corporations accountable and transitioning to a more sustainable future.