- and. (-conjunction used to connect gramatically coordinate words, phrases, or clauses) along or together with; as well as; in addition to; besides; also; moreover.
- or. (-conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses representing alternatives) "books or magazines", "to be or not to be".
'And' and 'or' are both conjunctions, but they serve nearly opposite functions. Compare these two sentences:
- "Given the threat of climate change, should our company reduce internal emissions as much as possible or use carbon offsets?"
- "Given the threat of climate change, should our company reduce internal emissions as much as possible and use carbon offsets?"
One little word can result in such a huge change in thinking. Using "or" when we talk about climate change means we take a suite of viable solutions off the table. Using "and" enables us to consider a wider range of options.
As I noted in a blog post exactly one year ago, there is no single source of greenhouse gas emissions, and there is no single solution. We have to seek the most ambitious, fastest emissions reductions possible, wherever they may occur. When it comes to carbon, we need internal reductions and offsets.
