(This will only seem like a novel approach if you are steeped in the norms and values of a hyperindividualistic culture. Which I am, and which you probably are too if you are reading this.)
Oftentimes in the hyperindividualistic (western, industrialized, capitalist, supremacy) culture, we base our decisions on the perceived level of risk to ourselves.
My “novel approach” instead prioritizes assessing the risk to others.
So, for example, I don’t drive at night. The primary reason is because a car is the mode of transportation that’s most likely to hurt or kill people. (Of course, by not driving at night, I’m also safer myself.)
But what about that personal danger? Obviously we don’t want to deliberately put ourselves in danger. So how do I justify walking at night? For many people, that’s considered a very risky choice. But there are ways to mitigate that risk, and that’s what I want everyone to think about regarding their own choices.
I walk at night only in areas that I am deeply familiar with. Also, I refrain from using headphones while walking at night. Although the risk is not zero, the many benefits outweigh the risk.
Beautiful moonrises; fresh breezes; ocean and river views; spontaneous little detours to see friends (including certain trees); getting exercise without being under the blistering sun.
(That is, the benefits outweigh the risks for me. Your calculation may vary. This is just an example of a decision procedure for mapping out personal choices.)
There are other examples; I’ll come back and write them as they pop into my mind. In the meantime, you can probably think of some examples from your own life!
OK, here’s another one I just thought of as I was running errands on foot and dealing with a bunch of plastic packaging in the course of grocery shopping.
Many eco-minded people try to avoid single-use plastic because it’s bad for the oceans, harmful to living creatures, has a high eco-footprint. And in addition to doing our best to avoid single-use plastic packaging – an admittedly almost impossible task in the USA — we also communicate with government and corporations in various ways to try to reduce the volume of plastic in the world. In the course of avoiding plastic “for the sake of the overall planet,” we also reduce our own exposure to the harmful effects of micro plastics. Thus we gain a personal benefit in addition to the planetary benefit.
Then again, there are some eco-minded people who avoid plastic simply because of the danger to their own health. Nothing wrong with that, but if all we do is avoid plastic for ourselves without also working to shift the mainstream reality, we’re not helping other species and ecosystems. And as long as the mainstream status quo doesn’t change, it’s getting harder and harder for an individual to avoid single-use plastic.
It just seems to work better for me if I try to base my decisions on the collective good, and then let the personal good come along with that. Let me know how it goes for you!