However, let the empty promises of world leaders be your cautionary tale. A list is only as strong as its detail. There is little point pledging astronomical change – swearing strict veganism when you are a carnivorous milk-glugger, for example – without some form of roadmap . Thus, rather than trying to out-promise your neighbour, begin with small, realistic changes. These will signpost you through the hard parts of progress and give you a vital sense of accomplishment.
For example, rather than removing meat from your diet immediately begin with reduction. Decrease your consumption to a few times a week, planning meat days for when your willpower or motivation will be at its lowest . Do this for however long it takes to settle into this habit. Then, when it feels comfortable, you can expand your list – limiting meat consumption to once a week, or only when dining out, or perhaps even decreasing your dairy intake.
On that subject: I’ve been writing or rather, living, this column for two years now. Together, we’ve monthly mustered our climate anxiety and transmogrified it into power, hacking our way through the bramble of greenwashing, consumerism disguised as activism, and political apathy.