Talk About It

. . . the most important thing you can do right now to fight climate change is to talk about it. Americans rarely talk about climate change with family and friends. Research shows that this climate silence reinforces the dangerously wrong belief that climate change isn’t an existential threat requiring urgent action. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists  — 97% — understand that humans are the primary cause of global warming since 1950. We are as certain that humans are responsible for recent climate change as we are that cigarettes are dangerous to your health.ThinkProgress

Your next bar conversation is about climate change. Here’s how to do it.

It is “massively important” we all start talking about climate change, a Yale researcher explains.

Conservatives should change how they think about global warming. I did.


Stay informed

A few suggestions:

Climate Fwd: WEEKLY: What on Earth is going on? Sign up to get our latest stories and insights about climate change — along with answers to your questions and tips on how to help.

Inside Climate News: A Pulitzer Prize-winning, non-profit, non-partisan news organization dedicated to covering climate change, energy and the environment.

Green Tech Media:   Free intelligence and insights from industry experts and leading companies on the global energy transformation.



Do One Thing

The average American generates about 16 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent a year, more than triple the global average.1

  • Drive less. Walk. Take public transit. Ride a bike. Encourage your kids to walk, bus or bike instead of driving them. Combine errands. Carpool. On average, a single American driver pours 6 tons (12000 lbs) of CO2 into our atmosphere every year.
  • Eat less beef. Red meat uses 28 times more land and 11 times more water​ ​than pork or chicken.
  • Turn​ ​off your engine instead of idling. Eliminating unnecessary idling​ ​of personal vehicles in the U.S. would be the same as taking 5 million​ ​cars off the roads.  
  • Fly less. Talk online more.  One round-trip flight from Seattle to New York creates a warming effect equivalent to 2 or 3 tons of CO2 per person. The value of buying carbon offsets ​is controversial. Vet your options carefully. Does Carbon Offsetting Really Allow You To Fly Guilt Free?
  • Plan a low-carbon vacation. Tips To Reduce Your Vacation Holiday Footprint
  • Drive a smaller, more fuel-efficient​ ​car. ​Use chains in the snow, rent a bigger vehicle when you need it. Thinking about getting an electric car?  Here are a few tips to get started.
  • Move​ ​closer to work.

After transportation, heating and cooling homes is how individuals contribute the most to climate change.  

  • Lower your thermostat and put on a​ ​sweater. Turn down the heat at night and when you’re not home. Buy a programmable thermostat. 
  • Insulate your​ ​walls and attic. Seal spaces where air (heat) leaks out of your home. ​
  • Replace your light bulbs with LEDs. 
  • Turn off your lights. 
  • Use a laptop, not a desktop computer. 
  • Plug your electronics​ ​into power​ ​strips and turn them off when not in use. 
  • Buy energy efficient home appliances. 
  • Purchase​ ​an energy efficient furnace and get a tax credit. 
  • Install an electricity-powered heat pump to heat and cool your home.
  • Install solar panels on your​ ​home. 
  • Purchase green​ ​power from a utility company. 
  • Divest from companies and banks that invest in fossil fuels.
  • Invest in clean energy technologies.
  • Donate to environmental nonprofits.

Let your representatives know what you think.

Climate at the LegislatureWe do our best to provide a continually updated account of the status of bills about climate issues in the Washington State Legislative session.

Poster: Personal choices to reduce your contribution to climate change
PDF: High Impact Actions

Join a Group

“. . . getting involved with a group can help lift your climate-related anxiety and depression in three ways: Working with like-minded folks can validate your concerns, give you needed social support, and help you move from feeling helpless to empowered. And it can make a difference. “Groups are more effective than individuals” . . . “You can see real impact.” So join forces with like-minded citizens and push for change.”

9 Climate Action Styles
Which One Are You?

A few suggestions

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL)       
CCL empowers everyday people to work together on climate change solutions. Our supporters are organized in more than 400 local chapters across the United States. Together we’re building support in Congress for a national bipartisan solution to climate change. Find your local chapter.

Earth Ministry
Earth Ministry transforms faith into action for the well-being of communities and the environment. We organize people of faith to advocate for strong environmental policies and provide strategic guidance to religious communities working toward environmental justice.

Environmental Priorities Coalition
The Environmental Priorities Coalition is made up of more than 20 Washington State organizations working to safeguard our environment and the health of our communities in the legislature.

People for Climate Action (PCA) 
PCA’s mission is to help local governments develop and implement comprehensive climate action plans to reach the greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, which include a 50% reduction by 2030. Find your local chapter.

Sunrise Movement
We’re building an army of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Right now, the leaders supposed to tackle the climate crisis are either asleep at the wheel or purposely driving us toward catastrophe so their oil and gas billionaire friends can keep raking in profits. We must wake them up to reality. Find a local hub.

350 Seattle
People are the heart of 350 Seattle. We’ve come into this fight because of our passion for climate justice, and we work around the clock to influence the political, business, and social realities of our era in the hope of preserving a livable world. We believe our most important task is building and inspiring the movement, because only a movement can bring about the profound change we need, as quickly as we need it to. We’re running out of time: we need you, too. Get involved.

Please contact Nelda Swiggett with additional suggestions.


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