Fed Up with Climate Change? Do Something!

Demonstrate your concern about climate change on October 24. Photo: © Paul Morley - Fotolia.com

Are you tired of hearing dire warnings about climate change while politicians wag their tongues and do nothing of substance to stop it?

Everybody talks about climate change, but they don’t do anything. It seems that all we can do is stand by and wait for the oceans to rise and the fertile farmlands turn into dust bowls.

None of us can solve climate change by ourselves. We can’t even get our leaders to step forward and commit to policies that might actually help. But we have to try.

One thing we each can do is to take a stand in our own neighborhoods. We can band together on October 24th to demonstrate the urgency of our demand to stop playing politics with the environment and our future.

Greenpeace and 350.org are working together to mobilize thousands of groups around the world to demonstrate their concern through a variety of local events. The goal? To tell politicians in no uncertain terms that it’s time to “get down to the business of developing energy policies that will mitigate the effects of global warming.”

The U.S. Senate bill on climate change is facing some tough challenges. We cannot wait to declare that we need — and expect — our leaders to take decisive action now.

So how about you? You have like-minded friends. You may even be part of a like-minded group. Get them together and plan an event of your own choosing: Plant a tree. Create a work of art using nature as your canvas. Hold a candlelight vigil for the planet. Conduct a peaceful protest march. Clear an empty lot for next spring’s garden. It doesn’t so much matter what you choose to do as that you choose to do it.

When you have your team assembled, when you know what action you will take, let everyone know. Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn and MySpace — everywhere you have a presence. Send emails to your Senator and Representative at both the state and national level. Tell your friends. And, above all, tell the press. The more attention that gets paid to this issue, the more our legislators will believe that we are serious.

Greenpeace USA and 350.org are making it easy to organize with a pdf toolkit full of resources to help you plan your activity. You can find it at 350.org/9steps.

But don’t just do something — talk about it!

Julia Wasson

Blue Planet Green Living (Home Page)