Why Climate Change?

Aiming to do the most good through your donations can involve making difficult judgements, including choosing a cause to support. Addressing the climate crisis is a more than worthy cause.

Climate change, specifically the unprecedented rate of change in the planet’s temperature since the mid-20th century because of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activity, is widely considered one of the most pressing issues of our time. These GHG emissions are primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, and deforestation. The change in global temperatures is already increasing the frequency and strength of extreme weather events, melting land-based ice and alpine glaciers, and increasing sea levels. Climate change has set off a range of feedback loops that will be difficult, if not impossible, to stop.

While no corner of human society will go without feeling these consequences, the world’s poorest are most vulnerable to its impacts. As glaciers disappear, the hundreds of millions of people dependent on glacier-fed rivers will be deprived of water to grow their crops, increasing the risk of famine and conflict. Rainfall patterns are shifting, leading to droughts in some regions and severe flooding in others. Rising sea levels threaten low-lying coastal regions, leading to the displacement and forced migration of climate refugees.

For these reasons and many more, donating to an organization tackling the climate crisis can reduce present and future suffering.

The scale of suffering caused by the climate crisis demands comprehensive action to

1) slow the rate of climate change and mitigate its impacts and

2) help vulnerable communities adapt to its inescapable consequences.

Because climate change is a complex, global, and long-term crisis, it is critical that donations go to the most effective organizations working on this issue. Effective interventions include decarbonizing our energy systems by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and employing carbon sequestration techniques, which include restoring degraded forests and carbon storage technology.

HIA’s recommended charities focusing on addressing the climate crisis are The Clean Air Task Force and Carbon180. Best-guess estimate suggests that both of these charities can eliminate 1000kg of CO2e for every 20 cents donated. Because the most conservative estimates suggest that animal agriculture accounts for almost 15 percent of annual global greenhouse gases, we also recommend donating to The Humane League and The Good Food Institute to support the spread of plant-rich diets and the development of protein alternatives. You can learn more about these charities on our Environmental Impact section. All of our services are entirely free-of-charge, and 100% of your donations go to the intended charities working to solve the effects of climate change.

Whether you choose to contribute to addressing climate change or a different cause, join us as we seek to do the most good we can!