May 2, 2023
Over the last week I’ve been reading the latest Rebecca Solnit book, a compilation of climate essays - entitled “Not Too Late.”
I realize our platform here at be radical is business. Still, upon reading essay after essay, I feel compelled to encourage us to read more widely about the climate crisis and its implications for all life and business and to work on building a positive future through business.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the cost of climate and weather disasters in the United States last year totaled more than $165 billion – the third most costly year on record. Meanwhile, CO2 levels show no sign of slowing down, ocean temperatures continue to rise, and more people and creatures are being displaced due to extreme weather. The climate crisis is already affecting us all.
One of our biggest challenges is actually believing we can make a difference both on an individual and industry level. Both are possible, and both are needed (plus a massive one from our governments). We’ve done this before. Think of penicillin, organ transplants, the hole in the ozone layer, or the Covid-19 vaccine developed and produced in record time. Humans have a massive capacity for innovation and deployment – we only need to apply a concerted and sustained focus.
We talk on our be radical forums continually about the latest and greatest, such as our current AI debate in WhatsApp. There is so much potential and opportunity to use our technologies for good, which by the way, will also be good for jobs and business. This is why I implore you to explore the gimmicks like ChatGPT for social media posts and your kind’s homework, and also to consider how this might be used to push boundaries and harness technology for all our sakes.
It will take all our collective work to stop our breakneck speed from careering to the unthinkable, so please, today, take a moment to think and build what matters. (via Jane)
