How to Be a Climate Hero in Six Steps

Like many a rambunctious child, I used to pretend I had superpowers. My imagination was swirling with battle after heroic battle in the quest for destiny, immortality, or whatever I happened to be pursuing at the time. Usually I would be up against impossible odds, but my friends and I would always overcome, because that’s what heroes do.

Unfortunately I grew up, and the epic superpowers were soon forgotten. I settled into a normal life as a normal human, albeit one that was always looking for a chance to fight the good fight, to save the world in a pinch. If I couldn’t have super strength, super speed or superintelligence, then at the very least I could give the world what I did have, which were my feelings of love, empathy, and compassion. I asked how I could make the world a better place, and I didn’t have to look very hard to find the answer.

Of all the big challenges facing the world today, climate change has to be one of the most fearsome. It sounds like a no-win scenario: we’re up against the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world — the fossil fuel industry. If we can’t free ourselves of our carbon problem, humanity is in for dire straits. The stakes are enormous; if there was ever a time for a superhero to swoop in and save the day, now is it.

But then I started thinking: there may not be superheroes coming to our rescue, but we don’t need them. We have each other. Humans may not be superpowered, but we have a lot going for us that’s just as good. The world doesn’t need a superhero; it just needs regular heroes, everyday people doing the right thing at the right time.

I learned that any one of us can be a hero, especially when it comes to the challenge of climate change. The only way we can face what’s coming is if we all become climate heroes. Thankfully, it’s really easy to be a climate hero. You can do it in six steps.

Educate — first ourselves, then each other. Climate change is surprisingly easy to understand. And in order to overcome the challenge, we have to put our heads to the problem. Rocky never walked into a boxing match with a blindfold on and his hands tied. This applies to politics as well; vote for people with a plan. We didn’t win World War II pretending it wasn’t a problem.

Engage — volunteer with your community! Join a club, a congregation, a movement. Become a leader and bring others into it. Everyone from small churches to global corporations are committing to sustainability. Why not bring your community into that league?

Health — take a bike to work! Try making more salads. There are some pretty good vegan options out there too. That doesn’t mean don’t eat meat; it just means be responsible about it. Some meats are better than others, and meat production is a dominant source of US greenhouse emissions.

Create — create songs, stories, films, art, anything. Express ourselves. We’re human, and we’re driven more by passion than reason. Find what gets you passionate about climate change, whether it’s social justice, helping the poor, fighting racism, or eliminating waste.

Inspire — literally, “to breathe life into.” We must inspire ourselves every step of the way. Celebrate successes. Think positively. There’s so much to smile about, and smiles are infectious. Breathe life into our world.

Believe — in anything and everything. Believe in the divine. Believe humanity is destined for greatness. Believe in our courage to do the right thing. Believe in our ability to overcome any challenge. All we have to do is believe in ourselves. If we can do that, the rest will come.

Just like that, we will all be climate heroes. We’ll be one of the billions who lead humanity to the bright future waiting for us on the other side of this crisis. We’ll build a world that’s stronger, safer, and singular, a world united by our common regard for life. We’ll be ready to carve our true path through history, a path we can be proud of. History will look back on us as the men and women who saved the human race. And isn’t that a legacy worth claiming?

When I think back to my youth and my wild imagination of superpowers, I never thought I’d find myself where I am today, in a position to literally save the world. And now that I’m a little wiser, it’s clear that the superpowers I sought were always within my capacity to possess. Love, reason, ethics. These are superpowers we all wield, superpowers that only humans have. These are the powers we will use to save the world.