Why Saving the Planet Takes More Than Skipping Plastic Straws

We get it—sometimes it feels like no matter how many beach cleanups you go to, or how many metal straws you own, nothing really changes. The oceans are still choking on plastic, the news still sounds grim, and the climate crisis marches on. So, what gives?

Here's the truth: personal choices matter, but to really shift the future, we need something bigger—systemic change.

What Is Systemic Change, Really?

Systemic change is about rethinking the structures that shape our lives. That includes the rules (like laws and policies), the practices (like how we consume or produce energy), and the institutions (like schools, governments, and corporations) that influence our everyday choices.

It’s like fixing the game, not just playing better. You could recycle every bottle you ever use—but if your city doesn’t have good recycling systems, or companies keep producing things designed to be thrown away, your efforts can only go so far.

So, while individual action is powerful, systemic change targets the root of the problem.

Individual Action vs Systemic Change

Let’s break it down:

• Individual Action: Things like reducing meat intake, using reusable bags, voting with your dollar, or biking instead of driving.

• Systemic Change: Pushing for new laws, changing industry regulations, creating inclusive education, making green tech more accessible, or holding polluting companies accountable.

Both are important. One inspires and builds momentum. The other rewrites the script.

Why Systemic Change Matters—Especially for Climate

The climate crisis isn’t just about switching off lights or using keep cups. It’s about the big systems that shape how we live—like how we power our homes, grow our food, build our cities, and move around. And right now, a lot of those systems are outdated, unfair, and built for a world that didn’t think much about sustainability.

A 2023 review by Griffith University’s Professor Albert Gabric explains that climate change has become a pressing issue because of how deeply our society depends on fossil fuels. He says that fixing it will take more than small tweaks—it’ll take transformative change across our economy, health systems, and the way we treat the environment.

Climate scientist Michael Mann puts it even more simply: “We need systemic changes that will reduce everyone’s carbon footprint, whether or not they care”. That’s because the fossil fuel industry has spent years trying to shift the blame onto individuals—telling us it’s all about personal choices, while they keep polluting at scale.

So yes, your actions matter. But real climate solutions mean changing the rules of the game—not just playing better within a broken system.

Young Australians Making Systemic Waves

Here's the good news: you’re not alone. Across the country, young people are creating real, systemic impact. Here are three young Aussies driving change from the roots up.

1. Jean Hinchliffe
Sydney-based climate activist Jean was one of the lead organisers of School Strike 4 Climate in Australia. When she was just 15, she helped mobilise over 300,000 people across the country.
“We have people power and we have people that are passionate about this, to demand action and to take to the streets to do so.”

Her activism isn’t just about awareness—she’s calling for specific policy changes: no new fossil fuel projects, investment in renewable energy, and a just transition for affected communities.

Source: Vogue, 2019

2. Corey Tutt
Kamilaroi man Corey Tutt is the founder of DeadlyScience, a program that sends books, telescopes, and hands-on STEM resources to remote schools across Australia. He launched it in 2017 while working in university science labs, driven by a simple truth: “Our people were the first scientists.”

DeadlyScience goes beyond donations—it offers culturally relevant materials, virtual lessons, and mentorship to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to see a future in science. Corey’s goal is to close a systemic gap in access, not in potential.

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” he says. “It’s not as simple as sending books out to remote communities. It’s a real relationship, a working relationship to fix a problem that is systemic.”

Thanks to Corey’s work, thousands of young people are now seeing just how far they can go.

Source: Triple R, 2021

3. Anjali Sharma
At just 16, Melbourne-based Anjali Sharma became the lead litigant in a groundbreaking class action against the Australian Government, arguing it had a duty of care to protect young people from the impacts of climate change. The case made headlines and sparked national debate—even though the ruling was later overturned.

Since then, Anjali has continued to push for legislative change, rallying young people to demand climate justice from inside Parliament, not just outside it. “Ultimately, it’s young people who stand to bear the brunt of climate change,” she told ABC News.

Her activism proves that systemic change isn’t just about protest—it’s about policy, persistence, and refusing to be sidelined.

Source: ABC News, 2024

How Can You Drive Systemic Change?

You don’t have to start a national movement tomorrow. Systemic change isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking better questions and using whatever tools you have to shift the system.

Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Join or start something local
Get involved with groups doing the work: climate justice orgs, mutual aid, local councils, or student movements. Whether it’s Uni clubs or grassroots collectives, power builds in community.

2. Show up at the ballot box
Policies shape systems. Voting—especially in local and state elections—can help shift the kind of leaders and laws that run your schools, transport, housing, and climate policies.

3. Speak up
Use your platforms to push for bold action. Write to MPs, attend town halls, call out greenwashing. Your voice matters—especially when it’s backed by facts and lived experience.

4. Rethink the workplace
Already working? Encourage your employer to commit to climate goals, sustainability audits, or inclusive hiring. Change doesn’t stop at the picket line—it can happen in workplaces, too.

5. Take care of yourself
Burnout doesn’t lead to justice. Rest, community, and joy are essential to building a better world. Systemic change means shifting how we live as well as why.

Your Action Matters—But So Does the System

The goal isn’t just to be the best person in a broken system—it’s to fix the system together.

You have the power, right now, to be part of something bigger than yourself. And that power doesn’t come from being perfect—it comes from being brave enough to believe that change is possible, and young enough to see the cracks in the rules and rewrite them.

We’re so glad you’re here.