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The All-or-Nothing Trap: Why Small Climate Choices Still Matter
Rethinking what it means to make a difference
A few years ago, I ate four Girl Scout cookies and felt bad about it.
So what did I do next? I ate the rest of the box.
Why not? I’d already gone past my limit. Crossed the point of no return. Four cookies or 20 — what was the difference?
I see that same mentality in the way many of us approach climate change.
“I already drove to work. What’s another 30 miles?”
“I already ate a burger. Might as well get a steak tomorrow too.”
“I flew once this year. So much for being an eco-friendly traveler.”
We assume that if we can’t do it perfectly, it’s not worth trying at all. The damage is done, so what difference does it make now?
But that mindset isn’t just unhelpful — it’s actively hurting us. Because eventually, the consequences stop feeling abstract.
They become personal. Immediate. Real.
Months ago, I woke to the news that massive wildfires were ravaging Los Angeles. I immediately called my friend, who lives with a family in the Hollywood Hills.
