大象传媒

I got to interview the super sharp  last week, and she mentioned an idea in passing that I鈥檝e been unable to put down. Because it鈥檚 perfect. It鈥檚 smart and obvious and, yes, I believe in the underpromise/overdeliver, but it鈥檚 just so simple and good that I鈥檓 bigging it up with gleeful abandon. DRUMROLL through a megaphone, pls…

Let鈥檚 reframe individual action as POLITICAL STRATEGY.听

Because A) that鈥檚 what it is鈥� and B) it sounds way more powerful and unimpeachable.

Refusing a straw isn鈥檛 a twee act of reduction. It鈥檚 a political act. That doesn鈥檛 suck.

Which is such an important reframing in a world where people constantly undermine individual action. Rebranding personal behavior change as political strategy bakes in the upstream, collective goal. 

My fave Twitter handle has got to be :

Yes!! The  is such an unnecessary sideshow that we should dispense with as quickly as possible. We need them both. One begets the other. One is made up of the other. This is as basic as Gap clothes in the 1990s.

Fascinating talk by of on "Crisis messaging" in the climate movement, part of the event as part of the .

Here's a thread of some of my key take-aways 1/n

— Dr. Aaron Thierry (@ThierryAaron)

But individual action/personal behavior change has been made to feel small and insubstantial, despite its catalytic power and ability to shift norms. It鈥檚 extra annoying that there鈥檚 a very distinct type of person (append the suffix 鈥橲PLAINER to the end of their name and you know who I鈥檓 talking about) who usually diminishes the importance of individual action. Yes, 100 companies are responsible for 71% of the world鈥檚 emissions. But also: Individual change is the beating heart of systems change.

So how to stop putting Mason jars into a corner? Politicize them. 鈥淭he personal is political鈥� has always felt like a nice phrase on a button to me, and not a real, living way of seeing. But it truly is a political act to position yourself in opposition to a system, whether it鈥檚 a system that hurtles single-use cups at you, or one that forces you to buy only one form of power that happens to be dirtier than a pig in a puddle.

Pressing against these barriers is not exerting a twee green gesture, it is PUSHING THE SYSTEM TO CHANGE WITH YOUR DEAD COOL POLITICAL MICROMOVES. 

You are also shifting norms. Ervine, who gave up flying to academic conferences, said: 鈥淢y life is still rich and wonderful. Just because I can鈥檛 fly…it鈥檚 not a big sacrifice. We need to model what we need to see, but recognize that as political strategy and not consumer choice.鈥�

When other profs see her not flying, they take note. When conference organizers see many profs not flying, they adapt accordingly by making the online conference experience better.

Though I鈥檝e preached the gospel of individual action for years, it鈥檚 tiring. When the hoops are tortuous, you can feel silly. Remind me again why I鈥檓 going to so much trouble to do this small yet impossibly difficult thing that this world seems intent on not letting me do? Because it鈥檚 a POLITICAL ACT. 

My 15-year-old self, knee-deep in cynicism and corduroy, would roil at the idea that everyday actions could be infused with the political, and I concede that rebranding personal environmental action might feel sloganeeringly pat. And even unhelpful if one鈥檚 political action starts and ends with refusing a straw. But I don鈥檛 think it ever does. And if we can bolster someone鈥檚 maiden steps on the ladder of environmental action by sliding them over to the realm of legitimate political exertions, why wouldn鈥檛 we?  

THIS WEEK 

How does this framing land with you? LMK

OTHER THINGS

I wrote  on corporate efforts to start labeling more. Read it?

My parents live in Florida. Their very smart friends just bought and renovated a condo on the water. Every time I hear stuff like this, my ears fall off and float away at high tide. Which is why I more than loved this excellent essay, If Miami Will Be Underwater, Why is Construction Booming, by Sarah Millar. Funny, smart, insightful, and . Such a great listen!

LET鈥橲 SKIP THE DANCING THIS WEEK

Warning: some sadness.

I can鈥檛 stop thinking about . She loved riding her bike. She worked at a plant shop. She studied journalism. She was loved by her family. She was loved by everyone who knew her.

Every cyclist death is gutting but I guess this one is extra devastating because I see myself and my daughter and her curls and our lives in Alex. How often have we biked the exact same streets of our lovely neighborhood?

I don鈥檛 know how many more times I can read a story about senseless bicycle deaths in our (un)fair city. We鈥檝e known about this problem forever. Nothing ever changes. Despite the fact that we need cyclists. We need people riding bicycles everywhere in our city. As much as possible. For the sake of plants and planet. We need complete streets, and speeding enforcement, better design, and reduced car traffic. How can we still be talking about this in 2020? How can this still be happening?

I wanted to go to the ghost ride for Alex, but though I鈥檓 an all-season biker I suddenly felt scared, delicate, impermanent. It was dark outside, and I wanted to hug my children in the warmth of my home. This is the cycle of fear that a city that doesn鈥檛 prioritize safety engenders. I鈥檓 so sorry for Alex鈥檚 family.

Have a beautiful, wonderful, safe, healthy week. Hug the people you love (if you can),
Sarah

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P.P.S. I am part of a wonderful newsletter crew. We鈥檙e working together to figure out this format, and constantly improve our publications. Check out my ladies鈥� amazing newsletters here:  (smart pop culture),  (ambitious women doing cool stuff) and  (thoughtful takes on life rn)!

P.P.P.S. As always, LMK me how I can make it better! Is it too momjeansy?

P.P.P.P.S. This is my newsletter for the week of Dec. 11, 2020, published in partnership with 大象传媒 Media. You can sign up to get Minimum Viable Planet newsletter emailed directly to you at .