The first time I encountered the term "mass procrastination" in the context of climate change was at the TedxSydney Salon event: Net Zero.
In a world that glorifies extreme productivity and competitiveness, procrastination can feel like an untreated burnout. We tell ourselves we work better under pressure, convincing ourselves that maybe a sudden deep cleaning session will spark inspiration.
But how does this concept relate to climate change, and have I been guilty of it unintentionally?
Mass procrastination refers to the widespread tendency of individuals and societies to delay taking action against climate change, despite understanding the urgency. This inertia often stems from feeling overwhelmed by the crisis, uncertainty about effective solutions, or a lack of clear pathways for engagement.
Research shows over half of Australians are "alarmed or concerned" about climate change. However, the public narrative doesn't always reflect this widespread worry, indicating many people are procrastinating on taking concrete actions despite their concerns.
This year’s first TedxSydney Salon event took place at Big Top at Luna Park. It featured some of the greatest leaders and thinkers in the climate and sustainability industries who shared their ideas through fast-paced presentations and interactive discussions.
Walking into a setting full of professionals from various industries was intimidating. The only things helping me feel less like a poser were my massive microphone bag and my trusty winter coat, which at least made me feel cosy and confident.
The event focused on Net Zero—a term referring to balancing the amount of emitted greenhouse gases with the amount removed from the atmosphere.
The event's core question was: How can we maximise existing solutions, innovations, and technologies to achieve a net-positive future for Australia? We have the solutions, but what is holding us back, and what will our future look like if we succeed?
Pete Ceglinski, the founder of The Seabin Foundation was one of the keynote speakers at the event. The Seabin Foundation uses data and science to help address the problem of ocean pollution, more specifically plastics in the ocean. Hearing him compare plastic to asbestos made me realise the severity of the climate change issue.
Author, environmentalist, and advocate for climate action, Claire O’Rourke delivered a powerful message about transitioning to renewable energy and supporting communities. She highlighted the spread of disinformation by those with the resources to mitigate climate change.
The genuine irrational fears that we're feeling are being weaponised and exploited by those various interests that seek to delay the action that's required. Disinformation is being intentionally spread to sow division and undermine our democracy.
Claire also noted that Australia is nearing 40% renewable energy, with almost 4 million solar rooftops.
"These are the stories that start to create the positive emotions that will create virtuous cycles in ourselves, in our conversations, in our industries, and in our communities," she said.
I realised that climate change was going to undermine everything I cared about and everything I had worked on. That moment of intersectionality was crucial because climate change affects the social fabric necessary for social cohesion.
Chris Andrew, a social enterprise mechanic working with First Nations enterprises, discussed the need for a new financial system prioritising sustainable agriculture and climate action. He criticised the current banking system for prioritising profits over environmental and social responsibility and proposed the 'Mother Earth loans.'
The Mother Earth loan operates similarly to HECS; repayments are based on the country's well-being. For example, farmers repay less during droughts and focus on building resilience instead.
"Our banks finance colonisation, massacres, and dispossession. These are organisations that also finance the extractive industry, mining, and oil farming, which have done a lot of harm to the country," Chris said.
We can continue to accept the product that came from England 200 years ago and continue to do the same thing causing the same harm. Or we can adopt 65,000 years of knowledge and understanding of this country and use the finance designed by First Nations people.
It was inspiring to see so many diverse individuals taking the initiative to attend and participate in these discussions. Seeing everyone eager to incorporate sustainable practices and share their stories of making a difference gave me hope for our future. After the event, I felt more confident and decided to network.
While networking, I met Maxime Chaury, Co-founder of Upworth and Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree. He told me, "I was thinking about how we can incorporate some monitoring for the climate change impact that we have as individuals in our FinTech platform."
So, what can we take from this? How do we move from collective procrastination and distractions to energising ourselves for action? Here are three things I took from the event:
Identify your joy: Focus on actions close to home, like changing your bank and superannuation to more sustainable options. Make this your motivation.
Find your network: Connect with your community and build those connections. The impact of everyday people working together can drive policy changes and foster progress.
Choose to be hopeful: Intentionally seek out good news. There are many victories to celebrate on our individual and collective journeys.
Danielle Osifo is a third-year Media (Communications and Journalism) and Commerce (Marketing) student. She loves writing poetry and creating hyper-specific Spotify playlists. She has been featured in Australian Poetry, Unsweetened, and other literary journals. Danielle is currently crafting 'Indigo Sun,' her debut poetry book, and runs a blog called 'Offline Wonder.'
