Make the 22nd of each month your own personal "Climate Day" and Learn! Teach! Act!
Learn
- Read a book, there are many excellent books on climate change at your local bookstore or library,
- Search the Internet, where you will find a wealth of information. You will generally find excellent information on education and government agency sites.
- Learn to be skeptical of “quick-fix”, “green” claims. Will that light bulb really save energy when you include the energy required for the mining of its materials, manufacture, shipping, packaging and ultimate disposal/recycling? Will the tree that you pay to have planted be harvested in order to be made into the package of your light bulb?
Teach
- Teach others by your example,
- Participate in local climate change activities, stand up and be counted,
- Take a child to your local library for books on climate change and the environment,
- Talk to a child about our dependence on the environment for the well-being of mankind and the importance of clean air, clean water, open spaces and a stable climate.
- Look around your town and observe energy and resource waste, pollution, and littering. Look for opportunities to reduce energy usage and environmental impact that can be accomplished with little effort or sacrifice – you will be surprised.
Act
Without doubt, the one, most important thing that you can do on your Climate Day is to contact your local and national leaders. Let them know that climate change, and environmental protection, is important to you. Ask them where they stand on climate change, and what they are doing about it. Encourage their support of climate change and environmental protection legislation. Write them, call them, or send an email. This is the single most important action that you can take; far more effective than some “green” gesture such as screwing in a light bulb. And then contact them again on next month and the 22nd. Make it a habit to write at least one email, or make one phone call on your Climate Day and encourage others to join you. You owe it to your children, grandchildren and the planet that is our home. And, you will feel better for doing it!
