Tackling Climate Change: Why All-Sized Efforts Matter

When Editor-in-Chief Michael Ogden and I began discussing plans for this issue (and may I note that the original idea for an issue focused solely on climate change was Michael’s, so he gets all the credit there), we decided on one key thing: We’re not using any part of this issue to debate science. We’re producing the issue on the premise that climate change is real, and its goal is to help credit unions learn how to adjust their business behaviors in response to climate change, if they wish to do so.

While I personally do not question the existence of climate change, I recognize that some people – perhaps even some CU Times readers – do. As someone who always strives to understand the thinking behind an opposing point of view, I did a bit of research and found two general mindsets of climate change doubters: 1) Those who base their beliefs on their own weather experiences. These folks say things like, “It still snows a lot where I live, so the planet can’t be warming.” 2) Those who doubt science because of their religious beliefs.

I respect those who put their religion above everything else if that’s what leads to a happy and content life, but for those who simply haven’t done their research, here are some hard facts from NASA on what’s happening to the planet:

• Since 1950, atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide have risen from 200 parts per million to over 400 ppm, and before 1950, the level had never risen above 200 ppm. Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree climate-warming trends are extremely likely due to human activity.
• The planet’s average surface temperature has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century. Oceans have absorbed much of this heat, with the top 2,300 feet of oceans warming 0.4 degrees since 1969.
• The rate of ice loss in Antarctica has tripled in the last decade, with a loss of about 127 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2016. Meanwhile, the rate of rising global sea levels in the last two decades was nearly double that of the last century.

For individuals looking to do their part to respond to climate change, some common lifestyle changes include using renewable sources of energy at home, bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store, not purchasing products that use plastic packaging and eating locally-produced food. Many people find these activities inconvenient or expensive, plus they may think, “Well, I’m just one person, so what’s the point?” And I get that. You can’t control what others do and you can’t solve the problem alone, so why make the effort?

But caring for the environment on an individual level is kind of like voting. If you sit out of an election because you think your vote doesn’t count, and a lot of other people start thinking the same way, the election’s outcome – as we’ve witnessed before – can be greatly swayed.

When I think of people I know who embody an environmentally-friendly lifestyle, I immediately think of my Bostonian cousin, Erin. She follows a mostly vegan diet, has banned plastic straws, avoids purchasing products with non-recyclable packaging, grows her own vegetables, uses recycled materials in DIY home improvement projects, goes to the beach with her dog to pick up trash and recyclables, and only uses cloth napkins/towels. The last time I saw her, she was sporting some cool sunglasses made from recycled ocean plastic. She even has a separate Instagram account chronicling her earth-saving journey.

I know I could never be as admirably earth-conscious as Erin. I’ve always avoided wasting food and other products, reuse/recycle whenever possible and very rarely drive, but I also fly on a ton of airplanes, use a lot of tissues and paper towels, and generally make consumption decisions based on comfort, convenience and enjoyment. So when it comes to individual efforts to respond to climate change, I believe everyone should do what they can without majorly impacting their quality of life.

If you work for a credit union or another organization within the CU industry, know that you can make a much greater impact on climate change than one individual can. If an entire organization implements a policy or makes a business move that reduces environmental harm or use of resources, that’s big. Many organizations also have wide-reaching communication platforms that they can use to influence behaviors and share how they’re responding to climate change. With about 115 million credit union members in the U.S., messages shared by credit unions can impact many.

To get started, here are a few areas where credit unions can funnel their climate change response efforts:

• Operational decision-making: Can you use fewer and/or renewable resources at your headquarters and branches? For example, can you go paperless or reduce employee travel? (Note: For some great examples of how some credit unions are taking the lead on this front, check out the feature stories in this issue by Tina Orem and Tahira Hayes.)
• Making business moves with purpose: Could you offer loans for solar panels or other energy-efficient investments, and incentivize members to jump on the clean energy bandwagon? Could you choose to only lend to or partner with businesses that share your philosophy on responding to climate change?
• Out in the community: Credit unions have endless options when it comes to choosing volunteer projects and causes to support. Could you encourage employees to use some of their volunteer hours on environmental conservation efforts, or donate to non-profits that are working to reduce the negative impacts of climate change?

Making public efforts to go green makes sense for credit unions because it’s in line with their cooperative philosophy. If credit unions want to continue serving members for decades and centuries to come, their business practices should not only help improve the financial health of their future members, but help improve the health of the environment in which their future members will live.

I hope the stories in this issue will inspire credit unions to implement new policies that address this urgent issue that affects everyone around the globe.

Natasha Chilingerian is managing editor for CU Times. She can be reached at nchilingerian@cutimes.com.