“We are the architects of desire, we shape culture, let’s use that to drive urgent action among people and brands,” said Martin Bryan, global chief sustainability officer at IPG Mediabrands, pro bono agency of record for Project Drawdown. “Our ambition out of this research is to take these findings and build a global climate action campaign for Project Drawdown.”
Sustainable living doesn’t have to cost more
One of the main barriers to climate action that people perceive, according to the survey, was cost.
“People believe they need to purchase goods and services and expensive technology in order to live more sustainably, like an electric vehicle,” Bryan said. “But, in fact, there are simple things that people can change in their daily lives and in their pantry, for example, to be more sustainable and also have the co-benefit of saving money.”
One of the most impactful ways that consumers can reduce their individual or household emissions, according to Project Drawdown’s research, is by reducing food waste, a practice that also saves money. Similarly, cutting back on beef consumption and switching to LED lightbulbs and smart systems can also result in savings on both emissions and costs.
“A lot of this challenge of climate change is a communication challenge,” Foley said. “We have big scary problems and—not or, and—we also have very promising solutions. We all need to be part of moving solutions forward.
“It’s really crucial to work with folks who really understand how people are thinking and how we can influence and inform some of that conversation to be a little bit better.”
