Take Action

Take Action has 7 sub-sections:

  1. What can be done: Big-picture strategies to deal with climate change and environmental degradation.

  2. Personal Actions: A list of ways you can take action right now (communicate, educate yourself, support others, political and social action, engage with corporations, professional efforts).

  3. Lifestyle Changes: Changes that you can make in your life (diet, household energy efficiency, transportation, solar energy, gardening and composting, investing, plastic, water, the circular economy, pollinators, volunteering, resiliency).

  4. Clinician’s Corner: Resources for practicing clinicians and other healthcare professionals.

  5. Communication and Presentations: Tools to help you share what you know, a very important action we can all take.

  6. Write now : Find your representatives and send them an email or call them.

  7. Resiliency and Preparedness: We need to increase resiliency and adapt to climate change both on the large scale and in our lives.

If you are very busy

These can get you started without a large time commitment, but really matter:

  • Talk about climate change and the environment! Experts say it is important to make caring about climate change and other environmental concerns accepted and to support each other.

  • Write your elected officials. They need to know you care.

  • Look at the “News” section on the home page.There are suggestions in some of the blogs to take easy actions. 

  • Vote for candidates who care about the environment. Help others to vote.

  • Look at the page on “Lifestyle Changes.” Some suggestions are easy to incorporate into your life, others can be aspirations for when you have some time.

Other resources for action

Also, the groups and websites listed, as well as many environmental groups not listed, have actions you can take. Donating, even a little time or money, to a group that inspires you, if you can, is a fine way to take action.

The action suggestions are suggestions

These suggestions are relative: relative to what you can afford, what you have time for, what your job and life require of you, what is available, what interests you. This material is not meant to overwhelm or add stress. It is a menu. Like any menu, it isn’t meant to be devoured in one fell swoop.

Choose what fits you and your life.

Taking action doesn’t have to be a sacrifice. Helping to create the world you want to live in can be a source of joy and meaning. You and the world will be healthier and happier!

A suggestion: Have an action plan

It needn’t be in writing, though some experts on behavior say that is useful. An action plan can be flexible. It can be as simple as deciding to read one news story, or check out one resource, each week about environmental issues. Try something, and change your plan if it doesn’t work for you; it’s your plan!