I spend a lot of time out on the road these days. I see plenty of cars zooming past, all shapes and sizes. It’s the main way we get about, rushing from home to work and return.

Most of the cars I see have one person in them. We have built these great big massive machines, able to sit up to about 5 people and carry heaps of other things, and in reality, they make short trips for just a single person.

Some households even have two of the things.

Our world teeters on the edge of catastrophic climate change. We know that things have to change if we want to limit the destruction heading our way, less carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Yet, day in, day out, we jump in our car, drive to work, leave the car in a car park, then drive it home again and park it overnight.

So, what’s the plan?

We are a one car family, with an electric car. I have an e-bike that I ride to and from work every day, and use the bike to get elsewhere too. Sometimes, riding to the train station, taking the bike onboard and then riding the last bit on the bike again.

If we all know what needs to change, why are we still waiting?

Image by wal_172619 from Pixabay

As far as I know, this is it for us. The one planet that we all call Earth. For all life, this is all we will ever know. We evolved here, and like water in a puddle, the environs are perfectly suited to our needs.

As much as I would like to, I can’t save the planet for Homo sapiens. Yet, collectively, we seemed to have made a right mess of it. We all know it, even those who deny the impact on climate, they know that the planet with us on it is a mess.

I want to do my bit to reduce my impact on the world around me. For the household that Michael and I share, that means reducing our carbon footprint. To that end, we have gone all electric. We ditched the gas stove, central heating and hot water. Put some solar panels on the roof, double-glazed the windows, bought a battery to use our own energy overnight and got an electric car.

This is what we can do, not every one can do that.

We did this to do our bit in reducing the impact of our lifestyles on the world around us. It’s not much, and single-handedly we won’t be stopping climate change.

There’s those who don’t get it, that say it will never pay for itself. The battery, for example, only lasts 10–15 years and we will never recoup that cost.

I think that’s the wrong approach. If the only reason you are installing solar panels, heat pumps and batteries is to save money, then you may need to question your motivation.

The planet needs saving from us, and those of us that can afford to do our bit, should do it. Yep, it’s going to cost you money. Yep, it will help the environment.

All the money in the world won’t help when the Earth becomes inhospitable to Homo sapiens.

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