• Awareness raising:

Learn as much as possible about global warming. Talk about it to family, friends, colleagues, schoolmates. Learn to counter the arguments of climate change deniers. Consider forming a climate discussion group.

Use all kinds of media to do so. Start on this site, watch movies, follow links to other important sites. Get involved!

• Make «Reduce – Repair – Recycle» a lifestyle

Avoid the temptation of buying “stuff” that won’t really make you happier. (Learn the difference between ”need to have” and ”nice to have”

Gifts can be just as much fun to give and receive if they are simple, perhaps hand-made by you. Or, make sure they are truly useful.

Wear you clothes a little longer. Be climate conscious rather than fashion conscious.

Avoid plastic bags. Re-use the ones you have.

Recycle your glass and trash.

• Make your house as energy efficient as possible

Insulate your home as much as possible (windows, roof, walls).

Move your thermostat 2 or 3 degrees down in winter, up in summer if you use air-conditioning. You probably don’t need to heat your house at night.

Consider installing solar panel and/or heat pumps for electricity, heat or hot water.

Use low-energy light bulbs and energy-efficient appliances.

Don’t use a clothes dryer – let your clothes dry on a line or a rack.

Turn off all your electronic equipment when not in use – the ”stand by” function is much more expensive than you think.

• Make your transportation footprint as climate friendly as possible

Cut down on air travel as much as possible. Also: cut down on driving, particularly alone in a car. Use public transportation instead. Bike or walk whenever possible – it’s healthier anyway.

If you need to drive, consider a hybrid or an electric car. Car-pool when possible. Reducing your speed reduces pollution.

• Make your eating habits as climate friendly as possible

Cattle emit methane, a strong greenhouse gas. Avoid or cut down on meat, particularly red meat. Try to avoid dairy products.

Buy local food to reduce transportation. Use fresh food rather than frozen, to reduce energy.

Drink tap water rather than bottled water or drinks (to reduce transportation and use of plastic bottles).

• And finally:

Divest your savings and retirement accounts from fossil fuel stocks & mutual funds.

Have no more than two children – even better: one.

Share everything you know about Climate Change in your local community.

Apply the new sharing philosophy: Invent local meeting places for sharing things you don´t need to own, but sometimes need to use. Drive together.

Grow food locally. Learn about local gardening. Start practicing in your own garden. Support local farmers markets

Consider starting a local transition initiative (For more inspiration: Go to: http://transitionnetwork.org/. or our page on transition). The purpose being to prepare for a future without access to an abundance of cheap energy

In addition, this will have the effect of developing a stronger feeling of community and belonging, developing neighborhood activities aimed at more local self-sufficiency and resilience.

The most effective steps against climate change can only be taken by our elected leaders, the governments.

Putting pressure on our elected officials therefore becomes our most important tool in the climate battle. Doing everything possible to influence the decisionmakers – locally, nationally and globally – is therefore your best contribution to the battle.

Become Politically active. Demand from the politician or the party you are voting for, that they put the battle against Climate Change on top of the agenda. Look at www.theclimatemobilization.org. and join their efforts to mobilize.

Global warming is the result of excessive emissions of greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. CO2 enters the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned – coal, petroleum and natural gas. If we’re to check global warming, it’s imperative to cut down on fossil fuels. Government policy can do this with measures such as taxing CO2-emitting fuels, banning the construction of coal-fired power plants, limiting the size of car engines, reducing speed limits, subsidizing clean (non carbon-emitting) energy production, subsidizing energy-saving home improvements like insulation, making public transportation widely available (and powered by clean electricity). Measures to reduce methane would include immediately stopping any subsidies for cattle raising.

The world’s population grew from 2 billion to 7 billion people in less than a century, and despite a slight slowing in the growth rate it still continues to grow. More people means less of everything per person – less energy, less drinking water, less land to grow food, less fish, less minerals like copper… And, more land for people – cities, farmland, factories – is less land for other creatures, which is why so many species are going extinct.

The good news is that the number of unplanned pregnancies each year is roughly equal to the net increase in population – about 80 million. If every pregnancy was a desired one, we could solve the problem of out of control population growth. Governments can see to it that modern contraception methods are freely available – in both rich and poor countries. Policies that give incentives or encouragement to large families need to be abandoned.

These public policies are the most urgent, but you will probably think of others.

Manufacturing uses energy, most of it produced from CO2-emitting fuels. Maybe “Programmed obsolescence” – producing things that cannot be repaired but must be replaced – should be banned, and a bureau set up for customer complaints.

Huge sums are spent to persuade people to buy stuff. Perhaps the Advertising industry should be taxed or regulated?

In addition to all of this: Join groups and organizations who are already active in the fighting battle. In real life as well as via internet and social media. Being part of the fight against climate change is much easier, much more fun, and much more inspiring, if you get together with others who share the same values. Find out what is already happening in the world and join the people and organizations you feel you can identify with. Form your own group with friends, colleagues and neighbors. Join large organizations who are already active in this battle. You are about to enter a very exciting and inspiring part of worldwide ongoing activities, and you will get a lot of new friends.

So, take action: promote good public policies through petitions, letters to newspapers, talks, blogs, public discussions, marches, supporting right-minded candidates and voting. Oppose and denounce bad policies. Connect to and join groups and organizations and do what you can to educate everyone around you on the challenges we are facing.

Remember the quote from Robert Swann:
“The Greatest Threat to Our Planet Is the Belief That Someone Else Will Save It”

For more ideas: Let yourself be inspired by looking at the climate websites introduced in the menu tab «Outside» and at our «Climate Websites» page. They are all filled with good ideas and «Calls to Action».