Subscribe now

Columnist and Environment

Are ordinary people fighting a losing battle to go green?

Corporations and governments are playing fast and loose with environmental protections. Are there still ways we can make a difference as individuals, and live a climate-friendly life, asks Graham Lawton

By Graham Lawton

23 April 2025

A cyclist unlocks his bike on Silk Street in the City of London, the capital's financial district, on 8th April 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

“Going completely car-free can cut personal emissions by 30 per cent.”

Richard Baker/In Pictures/Getty Images

I have been doing a lot of work recently on how narrow corporate interests are a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to making the changes necessary to stop the destruction of the environment. A few weeks back, I reviewed A Climate of Truth by Mike Berners-Lee, which makes a powerful case that dishonesty and obfuscation by climate-trashing industries are a major cause of environmental destruction. It reminded me of an interview I did a few years ago with Harvard science historian Naomi Oreskes, who has spent…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop