Emily Cunningham

Thanks for this thread, @leafwax. The main reasons I like to focus on individual action are: 1) It really does make a meaningful difference! 50% of emissions are from the wealthiest 10% of humans (ie, all of us reading this right now, who make >$50k/yr)https://twitter.com/leafwax/status/1080883217773645825 …

2) Political organizing/grand-scale thinking just doesn’t do it for a lot of people (including me). The history of social movements shows us that change is most effective if it’s bottom up. I prefer to do what I can — that’s the only sure way of making immediate difference

Eric, first I want to thank you for being a climate journalist - it's one of the most important jobs out there right now. My deep appreciation and thanks. But, history shows us collective action is The Thing that shifts society. Study the suffrage movement, civil rights, labor.

that's what i meant to say by "The history of social movements shows us that change is most effective if it’s bottom up", sorry if that was unclear. i choose to effect change in ways that aren't lobbying representatives directly (mostly bc it's illegal as a non-profit journalist)

I'm not at all criticizing the way you effect change. You're doing AMAZING work as a climate journalists cutting through misinformation and BS. All I'm saying is that how you frame this issue has consequences and can leave people with a distorted view on what it's gonna take.

i’m very insistent that it will take large-scale societal change that involves everyone. i say it almost every day. but please if that message isn’t resonating, i’d love to chat more.