Yes we do. At the moment it is all but impossible to use no fossil fuels whatsoever. But refusing to endorse and justify our ongoing reliance on oil and gas – to give it ‘social licence’ through our work – is different and far more powerful than just minimising personal consumption. If we remove the cultural power of fossil fuels, we undermine the political, financial, and diplomatic support companies like BP and Shell desperately need to continue drilling ever deeper.
Fossil-fuelled culture makes it difficult to imagine not using any oil or gas. And by refusing association with fossil fuels we are enabling alternatives to flourish.