Commenting on how individuals and corporations can mobilise society to engage in collective action to mitigate the catastrophic effects of climate change, SMU Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, and Society Fiona Clare Williamson said “reusable bags and straws will only be effective if they are hitched to a broader phasing out of plastic”. “Individuals need to put pressure on the same companies, make more conscious choices to lead the market and persuade their friends,” she added. SMU Associate Professor of Humanities Winston Chow, who studies urban vulnerability to climate change, opined that “individual actions are rather limited, unless you count having one less child.”