The basic premise of Who Rules the Earth, by Paul Steinberg, is that we must change the social rules that govern society, if we are to properly combat climate change and pollution.
He argues that there are four misconceptions many of us hold when it comes to combating climate change. The belief that technology will continue improving and becoming more efficient, with or without any social or political action, and solve our problems for us, is wrong. Who Rules the Earth is littered with examples that suggest that “political innovation is often a prerequisite for technological innovation”(Steinberg, 2015, 216). “A second idea that will not save the world, closely related to the first, is the assumption that environmental conditions automatically improve as societies grow richer” (Steinberg, 2015, 216). Some argue that we must put our faith entirely in the free market, yet they ignore the fact that markets have been overwhelming unsuccessful at providing incentive for, and implementing environmental protections (Steinberg, 2015, 217). Steinberg’s most emphasized point is that “isolated individual actions are fine and well, but are simply inadequate given the size of the challenge” (Steinberg 2015, 219). Environmental action on an individual scale cannot properly address the issue. We must convert individual action into institutional change.
When I have consider the steps I have taken to fight anthropogenic climate change and protect our planet, the first thing that has come to mind are the personal steps I have taken to minimize my carbon footprint. Throughout all of my childhood and adolescence, I biked to and from school and to and from any destination in my small town. I have been very conscious of my plastic and electricity consumption. There are solar panels on my home’s roof that produce more electricity than we consume as a household. I could go on, but the point is that, growing up in a very environmentally conscious family has programmed me to value individual change. I have had the “man in the mirror” (RIP Michael Jackson) mentality that says “If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change!”(Jackson, 1988). After reading Who Rule the Earth, I am more proud of the changes I made in my high school as a member of my school’s environmental club. My friends and I won a grant that provided my under-funded public school with enough money to buy new bike racks. In a town that consists of around 2 square miles, far too many of my peers drove to and from school. In the four years that I attended that school, I noticed a stead increase in the number of bikes that were consistently locked up in front of the school. The environmental club and my activism, while it was at a relatively small scale, made a lasting impact on the institution that is Highland Park High School.
Steinberg, Paul F. Who Rules the Earth?: How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. New York, NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 2015.