Daily Dot: Hope vs. Nope

“About five to 10 years ago, there was a debate in my own country over whether climate change is true or not. And because I believe it is, and I’m deeply worried about our world and our planet, that debate was frustrating. But we won. Today we have new technologies. We can change our behavior without cutting our welfare. We just have to believe that it’s possible, and we have to continue our work.” 

– Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland in The New York Times

Dear Reader,

There’s a debate — hope vs. nope — among those in the climate communication sphere. Hope, it is sometimes argued, is necessary for people to get engaged in action to protect our planet, while the “nopes” argue that it’s little more than toxic positivity. Hope is passive, says marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, “insufficient.” The “nopes,” like Johnson, are far more likely to cite tenacity, and a deep responsibility to each other as motivators for the work they do. 

Which is why I think the latter part of Prime Minister Orpo’s quote is worth noting. It’s not just that the people of Finland — and certainly the country’s decision makers — believed it was possible to create change; it’s that they did the work necessary to make it actually happen. They changed their behavior, as he pointed out, and they did it without dismantling or harming the structures that took care of citizens. 

It’s one of Dot’s great frustrations that, somehow, taking action on climate became synonymous with a reduced quality of life, as if our current model of rampant consumerism, oversized vehicles, and nutritionless food is something to aspire to. How is it possible to associate cleaner air, pedestrian-friendly cities and good public transport, and healthy, fresh, affordable, and accessible food with a poorer lifestyle? 

No matter. We can look to communities that are acting to build the policies and structures that not only combat climate but take care of all of us. We can believe it’s possible and, far more importantly, we can take the actions necessary to ensure it happens.

Resolutely,

Dot

For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here. 

Got a question for Dot? Let her know here: