Nowadays, the news media are presenting more and more evidence of climate change, backed up by various scientific proofs. While governments are incapable of following the guidelines proposed by envirnomental scientists, it is down to each of us making a change of our lifestyle to prevent further damgage. Despite the idea, that everybody should start from oneself, I do not think that individuals are able to make a change without deterministic policy of the world’s biggest countries.
Infrastructural improvments of cities are vital for giving up on fossil fuel. Developed bicycle lane nets and comfortable and yet green public transportation, these are the aspects which could at least push city residents to consider abandoning their cars for the everyday commuting. There are some successesful stories, though, but my point is that if there is no infrastructure, people would not change their habits. Those who are sensible enough and are ready to sacrifice convinience for better future, are minority.
Local comunities have far less power over big decision making, than the governments. If only people could shift to carless lives, that is not the end of the story. Households need electricity, which could be generated in more poluting or greener ways. Urban comunities barely have any impact on the source the electricity is genretated and brought to their homes. It is worth mentioning, that in most developed societies you can theoretically choose, which energy you buy, but it is only a theoretical leverage of the impact you are making towards greener energy. If only urban area habitants could refuse using electricity at all, that would have a tremendous impact, but our daily lives would be completely disturtbed.
In conclusion, I do believe that individual change of the lifestyle has some impact, but it is yet so small that is far not enough for any trackable impact on reducing carbon emissions.