There isn’t much good news about the climate, but this is still the perfect time to be an optimist because optimism is a way of thinking about life. Optimists believe that things will turn out ok, that there’s always a way to get the job done and that we can improve our lot through effort.
Five reasons to be an optimist
- Three quarters of adults in Great Britain worry about climate change. Gloomy yes, but people worried about climate change are more likely to make lifestyle changes to improve the long term. History is full of examples of how we’ve changed our habits against insurmountable odds, and quickly. Who would have routinely worn a face mask two years ago?
- The solutions are here. The ‘technical barriers have been crossed’ and we are beginning to see carbon saving as ‘gain not pain’ – lovely phrase from the Carbon Tracker Initiative (carbontracker.org). Renewable energy has the potential to keep the lights on; battery storage works; we can capture carbon through better soil management and agriculture. Now it’s time for us optimists to get on with it and put the effort in.
- It’s easier to do the right thing. Organisations are responding to buying signals. They are producing longer lasting and more efficient machines. Sustainable design is beautiful rather than a compromise. We’re riding a wave of innovation and it keeps getting better and better.
- Research says that humans prefer simplicity: we naturally prefer no hassle to hassle. Doing less and keeping it simple simply makes us happier, healthier and wealthier.
Five good reasons to be an optimist in 2022. Happy New Year!