If it was not about life or death, I would say that I find it amusing when people ask how they would solve global warming if money and technology were not obstacles. This is because it serves up the excuse that the problem is out of our control when, in reality, there are already pre-existing solutions if humans pay attention and put them into action. For instance, if one turns their focus to agriculture - a significant contributor to the issue - there are countless strategies that could be immediately employed to make an instant impact on a significant scale.

Rather than continuing with the mass industrial agricultural practices that have and continue to cause significant damage to the world, we need to pivot towards sustainable agricultural methods. Ironically, a number of these steps do not even require vast sums of money technology that is beyond our imaginations. For instance, a key element to yielding abundant harvests is ensuring that soils are healthy since they are the critical component to plant growth. Just by applying simple sustainable practices, such as reducing tillage and cover cropping, rapid improvement can be made to the quality of soils to ensure that future harvests will be healthier.

Second, the faster we move back in the traditional direction that encourages biodiversity, the better. Rather than limiting ourselves to extortionate quantities of a miniscule number of crops, society should encourage diversity in crops, livestock, and natural ecosystems since this will not only bring variety back to our lives, but also tackle our diminishing resilience to pests, disease, and other environmental stresses.

Finally, water management is a key factor in creating a sustainable agricultural environment. Inefficient irrigation practices that rely on unsustainable water sources need to be eradicated immediately. Rather than seeing water as an infinite source, farmers need to be encouraged to use more effective methods, such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting. Thus, it is not a case of taking the water away from the farmers; instead, it is about educating them about sustainability.

Evidently, there are significant changes we can make to our environment immediately without having to think outside of the realms of the world’s abilities. It is not about having unlimited money and technological ability, it is about having a real desire to create change that will determine whether we, as a society, overcome our environmental problems.