In a previous post, I listed mostly illegal things that individuals are likely to do unless serious action is taken on climate change – very soon. The actions listed here are things we all need to be doing to prevent getting to the stage where people are desperate or angry enough to become destructive or dangerous.
Here are useful, worthwhile things you can do right now to be the difference we need.
1. Set an example
Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” and “My life is my message.” Both are still true, and this is the most important thing you can do. We are social animals, and your example will push us toward a social tipping point.
Before the tipping point, there is much resistance and it seems change is impossible, or at best far away. Afterward, when everyone is doing it and a new social norm has been set, it seems impossible we would ever go back to the old way. Think recycling: Now it is shameful not to recycle in Canada and some parts of the United States. Or single-payer health care: there is enormous and well-funded resistance to it in the United States, yet nobody in their right mind in Canada or Europe would consider moving to a U.S.-style private-only system.
When it comes to setting an example, go as far as you can within your circumstances – then push a bit further. Use some of the ideas below to expand yourself and be a better example.
2. Get to know climate change and Peak Everything
Many people simply are not aware of how dangerous – and real – climate change and other threats are. Once you know, anyone with a grain of a conscience (this excludes those with the predator morality) will feel compelled to take action.
I have listed some sources to educate yourself on these issues under Resources, which describes the stages I went through and the books, movies, websites, and people who helped me. Most newspapers, television, and radio are not trustworthy. There is some reliable information there, but there is also disinformation. The Guardian has an excellent Environment section, and the BBC is also decent.
3. Go meatless on Mondays
It doesn’t have to be Mondays, but one of the best things you can do for the planet right now is eat less meat. The meat industry generates anywhere from 18% (more than the entire transportation sector) to 51% of greenhouse gases. Excess consumption of animal products is also blamed for most heart disease, so do yourself and the planet a favour and learn a few good vegetarian dishes. I recommend How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet
Note: If your meat is venison or free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free, and local, then it may actually be greenhouse gas-neutral. Unfortunately, very little meat meets these criteria.
4. Take an Earth Institute course
The Canadian Earth Institute and the Northwest Earth Institute (U.S.) offer several excellent and simple courses, including: Choices for Sustainable Living, Voluntary Simplicity, Discovering a Sense of Place, Exploring Deep Ecology, Globalization and its Critics, Healthy Children, Healthy Planet and Global Warming: Changing CO2urse. If you’re not sure about global warming, take the last course.
All courses are done in small groups and self-paced. There are no tests, and the only cost is for the workbook. It’s the best way to gain knowledge.
5. Organize an Earth Institute course
Host a course in your house with family or friends. Talk to your minister/preacher/rabbi/religious leader about the church/temple/whatever hosting the courses. Religious leaders are like you: they want to do something constructive but are often not sure what. The Earth Institute courses are a great idea, simple to do, and religious leaders generally love ‘em. You could also start a meetup to get people together for a course. Run a singles course.
6. Host a documentary
Organize a showing of An Inconvenient Truth
7. Arrange a live presentation of An Inconvenient Truth
These presentations are free, and most presenters have updated the original Gore slideshow to include the latest science, local impacts of climate change, and more solutions. The presenters are ordinary people doing an extraordinary thing. Canada, U.S., Australia, India, Spain, or the U.K. All presenters are volunteers, including me. I also have a presentation entitled The Way Home, not free, which describes how to get back to living sanely.
8. Arrange a speaker
There are many other speakers/presenters who are well worth bringing to your town if you have the wherewithal to organize it. Beware, though; the deniers also go around speaking. Some speakers I recommend (the books noted are also well worth reading):
- James Howard Kunstler (author of The Long Emergency
The Geography of Nowhere, and more
) on Peak Oil
- Ray Anderson (CEO of Interface Carpets and author of Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose–Doing Business by Respecting the Earth
) and speaker on Sustainable Development
- Paul Hawken (author of The Ecology of Commerce
, Natural Capitalism
and, Blessed Unrest
) on ecology/economy
- David Korten (author of The Great Turning
, When Corporations Rule the World
, and more
9. Get active
If any of the speakers listed above comes anywhere near you, go see them! If a local group is bringing a speaker to town or organizing a showing of a documentary, GO! I saw David Korten thanks to a local business group, and the premiere of The Age of Stupid thanks to a local eco-group.
Note: I have not recommended joining eco-groups like The Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, or Greenpeace. Although some of these groups do great things, right now they are all working in silos. There is no synergy among them; they all have their own agendas, and often egos keep them isolated. United we stand, divided we fall is as true as it ever was, and I cannot recommend joining these groups until they start acting in concert on climate change. In addition, many people join a group, send off a cheque, and think they’ve done enough. Anyone can do more and better.
10. Go to local vegetarian potlucks
Most cities have a vegetarian group, and most of those groups have monthly or even weekly potlucks. It is worth going at least once or twice; most are populated by very nice people and you’ll get to try some great food. They are generally very gentle with newbies, so you can take a salad to the first one to see what it’s all about. Raw food groups and potlucks are booming, and are often organized by the veggie group.
11. Listen to real scientists
There are a lot of disreputable people claiming to be climate experts. Tim Ball, for example, is often welcomed as a speaker at Chambers of Commerce because he tells the local business people there is nothing to worry about, the world is actually cooling, and business-as-usual can continue. None of these are true, but all are very tempting to believe.
Scientists are speaking out more frequently now as the urgency of the danger becomes more obvious. Go listen to your local university scientists if you can. Many people wake up when they hear from a real person with real experience.
12. Support the sinking countries
The Maldives, Tuvalu, and other Pacific nations will cease to exist due to rising seas and stronger storms, probably this century. China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam and many other countries will have to relocate millions of their citizens inland for the same reasons. The least you can do is sign the petition saying you support strong action on climate change, including charging Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil and long-time funder of climate denial PR groups, with crimes against humanity. That will get his attention.
If you want to participate in rallies, candlelight vigils, and so forth, go ahead. People like Rex Tillerson and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are not paying attention to them, but if it makes you feel good…just make sure you are doing something constructive, too, like the other actions listed here.
I am also not recommending civil disobedience unless it is en masse. Divided we fall, so individuals or small groups make easy targets – and are easily discredited. If there is a march of millions – legal or illegal – get in there. If there is a national strike – strike. But small actions allow you to be picked off by the authorities and discredited on the news as a lone nut.
13. Sharpen the saw
This expression comes from Stephen Covey
14. Torch a Hummer
I’m kidding. One of the reasons for this list of useful things to do is to prevent things like Hummers being torched. If climate change is not addressed – soon – then desperate and angry people are going to do desperate and angry things. Fat-cats and their Hummers will become targets unless we take other actions, soon.
Disclaimer: If you purchase a book or video by clicking one of the links above, Amazon pays me a small commission. I do not make any money from the speakers, courses, or other resources listed.
And one more thing…
And, of course, you can donate to support what I do.
UPDATE – I am pleased to report that this post will be featured in the All Things Eco Blog Carnival.
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