Be the change you wish to see

When it comes to climate change, many of us who want to do something about it are often left asking ourselves and others, "What should I be doing as an individual?"

Mary Heglar responds to that very question in an essay that is simple and direct.  And her bottom-line is also simple and direct:

We don't know that special thing that you bring to the movement—only you know that. And we can't wait to see the magic that will happen now that you're part of our world.

Only you know that.  Yes, YOU!

But, it is complicated.  Four years ago, in this post, I wrote:

how would one go about convincing people that they have to make some serious lifestyle changes?
...
As that grand old man from the old country said:

If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.

The following is a slightly edited version of the post from April 23, 2016.
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This opinion essay at the Scientific American explores what ought to be done:

Social science can point to effective ways communicators can help the public distinguish fact from untruth, and hopeful understanding of how science might sidestep contention in the first place.

Good luck on social scientists helping ways in which the public can "distinguish fact from untruth."

It is not as if the public is in the dark about the lifestyle aspects of climate change; Pew Research Center notes this from its global survey:

Even in the US.  Yes:

Even in the U.S., a country known for its technological advances, only 23% believe technology alone can solve climate change. 

If so, then how would one go about convincing people that they have to make some serious lifestyle changes?

Here's where things get complicated.  I suppose it can easily become a game theory scenario where people think it is a great idea--as long as others do it.  But then everybody waits around for others to implement changes!

As that grand old man from the old country said:

If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.