Jane Goodall: On Scaling our Response to Ecological Crisis

We have all heard the saying, "Think globally and act locally." And up until recently, this slogan has seemed sensible. But today, environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall suggests we rethink or even reverse that phrase as we advocate for the natural world. Dr. Goodall, now 85, believes it might be best to narrow the focus as the existential threats loom large. "We should think locally rather than globally," Goodall says, because if we think too much about the big picture we risk getting completely overwhelmed. And then we won't do anything at all. There is much to be done in every little corner of the world. We might as well start with our own. So what can we do to reduce our own carbon footprint and make our own community more environmentally friendly? We could start with the cafeteria at our child's school. Or the plastic bags freely dispensed at our local grocery store. Or we could create a green space on our rooftop. The list is pretty endless. But once we overcome inertia and take action, we might be surprised at the momentum our efforts create. The hardest part is shoving that darn canoe in the water. But we can do this. Heave-ho!