Expanded thinking expands our world
On Earth Day, The New York Times admirably stated that climate change is not our root problem. Like pollution, wildlife habitat loss and weakening public health, climate change is a consequence of overshoot. Overshoot, as the late ecological economist Herman Daly explained, is when humans take from the Earth faster than it can replenish, and waste faster than the Earth can absorb the waste.
In this context, The Times asked a dozen experts, What is the single best thing anyone can do for the planet?
In response to their responses, I had plenty of questions.
When William Rees said to have a smaller family, I wondered where anyone learns to balance personal desires with ecological limits.
Seth Wynes suggested cutting back on meat. But—like meat products—vegan and dairy products are often laden with GMOs, fertilizers, herbicides and preservatives. Shipping coconut water, soy protein bars or tortilla chips to a grocery store is also an intercontinental, energy-guzzling affair with plastic wrappings. Why not encourage people to grow food and/or buy from local farmers?
Other experts advised forgoing cars, choosing trains, cutting back on non-essential flights and opting for smaller, well-insulated homes. Here again, I need discussion: In a society with limited public transportation, how does anyone survive without a car? Ecologically, is it better to keep an old gas-guzzler—or buy a new hybrid or EV? (Engineers tell me it’s better to keep the old car in good repair.) What criteria determines whether a home is too large or a vacation is beyond our society’s ecological means?
When Bill McKibben suggested switching to solar energy and a heat pump, I wondered if he knows how much fossil fuels, extractions, water and toxic waste that manufacturing these items involves.
When I wondered, what’s the single best thing anyone can do for the planet? two responses occurred to me: 1)Host forums where we can discuss these issues respectfully, and 2)Include ecosystem needs in my thinking about my needs.
EXPANDING THE PICTURE
Say I need a newer laptop to access my email. When I learn what goes into manufacturing, operating and discarding a computer, my world broadens. Every computer (like every solar panel, TV, appliance and vehicle) involves mining, smelting and refining ores; chemicals; ultra-pure water and intercontinental shipping of raw materials, toxic waste, and packaging. The cobalt, coal, coltan, copper, lithium, manganese, natural gas, plastic, silicon, silver, tin and titanium, etc. in manufactured goods…took billions of years to form. Think of the people who live near a mine or a smelter. According to Vaclav Smil, 81% of a laptop’s lifetime energy use is consumed during manufacturing—before the end-user turns the laptop on for the first time.
Of course, from its cradle to its grave, every mass-produced item needs electricity.
Then, focusing on the Internet, no one can access email, websites, social media posts, bank records, videos or engage an AI without data storage centers. From floor-to-ceiling, they’re covered with servers (computers) that are kept cool by water guzzling, electricity-guzzling air conditioners and swamp coolers. Some data centers are large enough to be visible from outer space. Pity the (increasing numbers of) people who live near a data center.
While states and municipalities face federal cuts that fund school lunches, Meals-on-Wheels and libraries, data centers get tax breaks. Ten states already lose more than $100 million per year to data center tax exemptions.
The Internet also requires energy-guzzling access networks—satellites, routers, cellular antennas and cables. Mobile networks emit radiation 24/7.
QUIT THINKING
Quit thinking that tech will save us.
Quit thinking that children need their own devices.
Quit thinking that solar PVs, “energy-efficient” heat pumps, EVs…or an AI’s idea about wildlife habitat restoration…will help our ecosystem.
Remember the Jevons Paradox: efficiency actually increases consumption of energy and raw materials since mass production of any item requires mining, smelting, refining, chemicals, intercontinental shipping of raw materials and packaging.
THINK ABOUT ECOLOGICAL LIMITS
Get to know your watershed. What fuel, food, water and ores does it offer? How/could your household decrease its dependence on international supply chains and increase dependence on your watershed’s offerings?
Think about water and soil. Covering soil with paved roads, parking lots, solar facilities, battery storage facilities, data centers, shopping malls, factories (etcetera) raises temperatures and prevents soil from absorbing and holding water—the Earth’s primary cooling mechanism.
Ask: how/can I balance my personal desires with my region’s ecological means?
REDUCE CONSUMPTION
Challenge your school, workplace or household to reduce its consumption by 2% per month for a year. Where would you start?
Start a neighborhood forum for respectful discourse about reducing consumption.
Host a free clinic where volunteers repair tools and furniture and mend clothes. Enact Right-to-Repair legislation.
If you must upgrade equipment, buy used.
Do not use AI.
Observe an electronic Sabbath. One day each week, let your devices rest. Or, block mobile Internet access for two weeks—and improve your mental health, subjective well-being and attention span.
Grow a wee bit of food. Start with sprouts or a favorite culinary herb.
Compost your kitchen scraps.
Say thanks for what you have.
Aim for humility.
KEEP INFORMED & PARTICIPATE
“Why the Greenpeace Trial is a Lesson for Us All: Criminalizing the protection of water, not its degradation, is a sign of things to come—but Water Protectors are here to stay,” Winona LaDuke, April, 2025.
New WHO-Funded Study Reports High Certainty of Evidence Linking Cell Phone Radiation to Cancer in Animals. Scientific experts urge the FCC to establish science-based exposure limits to address wireless health risks.
A French court’s ruling "questions our collective relationship with imposed technologies.” It could redefine the legal obligations of essential infrastructure’s operators, the criteria for assessing technologies’ health impacts, and the complaint mechanisms available to citizens.
President Trump plans to speed the permitting process for deep-sea mining of critical minerals (for electronics and e-vehicles).
In California, landlines are under immediate threat. AB 470 would provide a legislative path forward for AT&T to get out of its carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations, threatening more than 580,000 California customers who rely on Plain Old Telephone Services (POTS). OPPOSE AB470.
Does Donald Trump know how mining the deep sea could change life on Earth? He plans to fast-track deep-sea mining. Consider Mining the sacred: questions for a sustainable relationship with the Earth.
Would you buy me a cup of tea each month and upgrade to paid?
Thanks for the link.
yep!