Can we save the planet?

I have just read this interesting opinion from George Marshall on the The Guardian.

Here are some quotes I thought I should pass on:

people have already acquired a severely distorted sense of priorities. Forty per cent of people now believe that recycling domestic waste, which is a relatively small contributor to emissions, is the most important thing they can do to prevent climate change. Only 10% mention the far more important goals of using public transport or reducing foreign holidays

With recycling, Mori concluded that it was becoming an act of "totem behaviour" and that "individuals use recycling as a means of discharging their responsibility to undertake wider changes in lifestyle"

People can make informed decisions in the knowledge that, say, a return flight to Australia will have the same climate-change impact as 730,000 plastic bags or 176,000 overfilled kettles

And let's be clear that voluntary action will never be enough - we will need radical political, economic and social change

Interesting I may say. However, the aim of individual action also includes putting pressure on governments / businesses to adopt a stronger approach towards mitigation and adaptation. I dare to say that hard political decisions will be few and probably too late. Unfortunately, we have become too used to a life of excess, waste and carelessness which we believe makes us feel good, look rich and be happy. Changing this way of life is akin to moving mountains.