There is no single answer to climate change
OPINION: When you're feeling unwell, you go to the doctor. When you run out of hot water, you have a cold shower (and usually find someone to grump at). When consumers found out Cadbury was putting palm oil in their chocolate products, they put pressure on them until they caved . When Earth is heating at unprecedented levels, causing seas to acidify and rise, habitats to be destroyed, icebergs to melt and countries to burn, it's only human nature to want to know what 'the answer' is. I'm often asked "what can I do to help?" or "if policymakers could make one decision, what would you want that to be?" when it comes to reducing the impacts of climate change. There are a lot of answers I can give - cut down on your consumption, eat less meat, strengthen the Zero Carbon Act, engage farmers on sustainable agriculture - but not one of these can be 'the answer'. READ MORE: * Taupo student inventor takes on Glad Wrap with her edible wrap * We asked about climate change coverage and got 15,000 responses * Kids, don't let climate grief stop you looking forward to the future * We must act on climate change before it's too late The effects of climate change are not something that we can reduce through one method; we need the combined efforts of everyone on this planet to be able to solve it. Yes, protesting, passing the Zero Carbon Act, and reducing the number of trips you take in your car are all fantastic ways to reduce the impact the human race is having on the planet, but we can't do just one of these things and expect to see a difference. On a broader scale, there is an answer: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we need to be seeing "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" . But how we do this is completely up for debate. Some people will point you to returning to a fully Paleolithic lifestyle; some will argue that we all have to abandon our cars; others will pin the rapidly changing climate on the USA, China and India, throw their hands up and say "well, there's nothing we can do here". There's no straight answer, but there is an idea of what can make a difference. If you believe the prediction of having 12 years left to act on climate change to keep global warming within 1.5C is true, then we don't have much time. We need to be making improvements to the world we've got now through innovation. We know that what we're doing at the moment isn't working. We don't need to wait for global domination of electric cars and meatless beef before we start to choose to live sustainably and support those who make that easier for us - whether they be MPs, councillors, people who make products and so on. Farmers are innovating to reduce nitrate leaching and methane emissions through new agricultural practices, like Happy Cow Milk's new model which also cuts the use of plastic. Speaking of plastic, with the resources we have there is almost no need for it. Student Brooke Moore has created Wrapt, an edible alternative to glad wrap. Reusable coffee cups, food containers and straws can replace their single-use counterparts. The government can start engaging with forward-thinking solutions to our current problems. Sometimes these forward-thinking solutions and policies cost more, but they don't cost the earth. The options are there, we need to start employing them. In no way will the impacts of climate change be reduced through my suggestions alone. It'd take a lot more than 600 words and just me. But, the modern issue of climate change requires smart solutions. Governments, individuals and businesses need to make these solutions the norm. I'm sure whoever is reading this is someone who has some influence over something. Their own lives, their children, or their parents, their workplace, their MPs, wherever and whoever. This is my plea to you to take action as a collective for a better planet. Mia Sutherland is a Christchurch high school student, an organiser of School Strike 4 Climate NZ , and a Stuff columnist.