Political Action

Knowing what the problem is a doing something about it are two different things. Action and change in our behavior and everyday life is what will make a difference. The best way to do that is to get involved in movements and the political process. Here are some basic guides to action and links to just some of the many organizations you could join to start making a difference.

As Bill Gates wrote in his book How to Avoid A Climate Disaster there are many ways each of us can help move the needle on climate change. The collective “we” is more powerful than the individual “I”. We are taking his calls to action and adding some of our own.

 

      1. Contact your city, state, and national representatives and learn about their stances on issues and policies affecting the climate. Let them know what you like and do not like. Congress.gov has a free tool for finding your local representatives at the federal level and how to contact them, and even gives you the option sign up for updates, making it easy to keep up with what’s happening in Congress. Tools also exist to find your local elected officials at the state and local level, such as this one from usa.gov.

      2. Contribute time and/or money to organizations fighting climate change… and there are hundreds of such organizations. Just a few are:

            • 350.org
                  • 350.org is an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-centered renewable energy for all. We are calling for a deeper transition, one which places energy justice at the beating heart of its values. We are moving forward into the world we want to see, leaving no one behind. And we are doing this with the urgency the climate crisis demands of us.

              • Climate Reality Project
                    • Former US Vice President Al Gore founded The Climate Reality Project to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society. We recruit, train, and mobilize people of all walks of life to work for just climate solutions that speed energy transition worldwide and open the door to a better tomorrow for us all.

                • Wine to Water
                      • Wine To Water has saved thousands of lives by providing humanity’s most basic need, clean water. The organization installs comprehensive community water systems in areas where clean water is inaccessible, sparking positive social, environmental, and economic change.

                  • Mom’s Clean Air Force
                        • Their mission is to protect children from air pollution and climate change. We envision a safe, stable, and equitable future where all children breathe clean air. We are a community of 1.5 million moms and dads united against air pollution—including the urgent crisis of our changing climate—to protect our children’s health.

                    • Next Gen America
                          • NextGen America is the nation’s largest youth voting organization, using innovative digital and field strategies to turn out young voters in key states. We’re empowering the largest and most diverse generation in American history through voter education, registration, and mobilization. At NextGen, we share lessons learned with the broader progressive community to build a stronger and more effective democracy.

                      • Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) 
                            • SELC is a presence that protects our basic right to clean air, clean water, and a liveable climate. The organization set out to preserve the region’s natural treasures and rich biodiversity so everyone can benefit from the healthy environment resulting from its ongoing commitment.

                        • B Lab 
                              • B Lab is a nonprofit network transforming the global economy to be inclusive, equitable, and regenerative. As a nonprofit B Lab is committed to creating positive impact for all people, communities, and the planet.

                          • Amazon Frontlines 
                                • Amazon Frontlines’ mission is to support the struggles of Indigenous peoples to defend their rights to land, life, and cultural survival in the Amazon Rainforest. Comprised of environmental activists, forestry specialists, scientists, international human rights lawyers, filmmakers, journalists, anthropologists, and farmers, they live and work in the western Amazon. One of the organization’s projects strengthens Indigenous-led mapping and monitoring in the rainforest.

                            • Empowered By Light
                                  • Empowered by Light’s solar energy projects have helped vulnerable communities to ditch dirty fossil fuels and grow their economies. Throughout Africa, Asia, and the Americas, the organization empowers locals to access clean energy while protecting fragile ecosystems and threatened species.

                              • Nature For Justice (N4J)
                                    • N4J confronts the climate crisis around the world. The organization secures funding to scale land restoration, improve forestry management, and protect the environment. Working with BIPOC farmers in the US, they support, measure, and monetize regenerative agricultural practices.

                                • Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International 
                                      • WECAN is a solutions-based organization that engages women worldwide in policy advocacy, on-the-ground projects, training, and movement building for global climate justice. Women are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis yet are simultaneously vital leaders in local and international solutions, and WECAN supports these endeavors. 

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