Confront

That’s not a problem. Only contribute what you can afford. Perhaps there are other ways to contribute…reschedule the grocery trip,  silence the digital entertainment that evening. Carbon Holiday is a group effort. It all counts.

The question to ask  is whether existing protest movements are enough, are we making enough progress to avoid disaster? The evidence from the above energy graph suggests otherwise. And more importantly the Carbon Holiday movement will complement other protest movements, not replace them. The climate change movement needs more engagement and the Carbon Holiday idea has the potential of bringing in many new people, including those unwilling or unable to attend  protest marches or other such events.

Without a doubt other factors contribute to climate change, and we face multiple environmental challenges, but for a protest to succeed there must be a quantifiable demand. And the cessation of fossil fuels alone is already a huge demand. We will likely need more protests, more activism, beyond just the Carbon Holiday.

Clearly all countries must abandon fossil fuels. The Carbon Holiday recognizes this reality and is designed to work in all countries, even those less tolerant of protest movements. This is achieved because the Carbon Holiday does not require street protests or other activities that might put one at risk. Ultimately we must also set a good example, share our success with other countries, so even if our country is small, our actions have great value.

Congratulations! That’s the entire point of the Carbon Holiday, so you no longer need to participate. However, it should be noted that even if your country generates its own energy from renewable sources, the demand of the Carbon Holiday isn’t fully met if it continues to fund its economy by exporting fossil fuels to other nations.

The Carbon Holiday will continue in countries where there is no verifiable progress toward eliminating fossil fuels. Independent organizations like ClimateActionTracker and the IPCC will monitor and report on each nation’s progress to ensure accountability.

At the time of this writing the ClimateActionTracker website is one of the more approachable sources of information for judging progress.  It still requires some effort, but will likely become easier as involvement grows.

Yes, businesses can support the Carbon Holiday by encouraging their employees to participate, reducing their own energy consumption, and making a public commitment to sustainability.

While it might feel unfair, the reality is that everyone who uses energy holds some influence over energy policy—even small businesses like yours. I understand that you’re essentially caught in the middle, participating in this boycott involuntarily as part of the consumer chain. Though it may be of little comfort, you could consider planning ahead by making it a vacation day for yourself and your business. Climate change affects us all, including small retail stores, and addressing it requires collective action.

While renewable energy providers like Octopus Energy are a great choice, the current reality is that most such providers “borrow” from fossil fuel energy sources when renewable energy isn’t sufficient to meet demand. While renewable energy providers are still highly recommended, this also means that you MIGHT still be using fossil fuels during the holiday, which would conflict with the goal of the boycott.

It depends on how the EV was charged. If your vehicle was charged used only carbon-free energy sources, then yes. However, if the charge involved any fossil fuels, driving your EV would go against the spirit of the boycott.