Although yesterdays historic agreement in Paris falls far short of what is needed to keep the global temperature from rising 2C above pre-industrial levels, let alone 1.5C which was at least mentioned in the final agreement, it does lay a solid foundation to do so; but only if we as citizens continue to press our governments to take increasingly ambitious action to mitigate climate change. This means making it clear to our representatives in government and any candidates who seek our vote that we expect action, not apathy, and certainly not denial when it comes to this increasingly critical issue.

Considering we’re already more than halfway there limiting temperature rise to 1.5C will take a considerable amount of effort and ingenuity but if most of us do our part anything is possible. We can all start by eating less meat and more plants, and by burning less fossil fuels and more plant derived calories by walking and biking. By taking these two health conducive actions and reducing the amount of resources we waste in our daily lives we can go a long way in reducing our carbon footprints and by setting an example and speaking out we can go a long way in helping others reduce theirs.