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How to Take Collective Action to Combat Climate Change

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Woman signs petition at Earth Day festival
Signing petitions for climate-forward causes is one example of individuals taking part in a collective action. (Karin Higgins, 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis)

Working together is humanity鈥檚 superpower. It has enabled us to do remarkable things鈥攆rom building great cities to discovering the secrets of the universe to sending people into outer space. And it remains our best tool for solving the world鈥檚 biggest problems, including climate change.

There鈥檚 certainly merit to adopting a more climate-friendly lifestyle, such as by buying energy-efficient appliances or by swapping biking for driving. But that鈥檚 not enough to save the world.  is a collective problem that needs collective action.

So one of the most powerful things you can do to fight climate change is to help empower groups working to fight climate change at a larger scale. Engaging in climate change at a collective level can also be socially and personally rewarding.

What exactly can you do? Well, you can vote鈥攊n elections, yes, but also with your voice, your time, and your money.

Vote with your vote

Democracies like the United States are built on the idea that people can and will vote in elections. We vote to elect politicians who set policies that serve the public who voted for them: hence the term 鈥減ublic policy.鈥 This goes well beyond flashy races for president and Congress. Much of your community鈥檚 energy and climate policy is set by your state and local representatives and the people they appoint.

Politicians鈥 votes are influenced by many factors, including powerful lobbying interests. But at the end of the day, politicians know that their constituents have the power to keep them in office or  vote them out.

It鈥檚 critical that as many people as possible cast informed votes in federal, state, and local elections. This includes the lower-profile 鈥渄own-ballot鈥 races as well as referendums on state and local bills. If researching individual candidates and policies on your own seems daunting, check out voting resource guides and ratings given by climate-focused organizations.

So get out there and vote. It鈥檚 free and it matters. Everyone should do this one. No excuses!

Woman voting

(Steve Debenport/Getty Images)

Vote with your voice

Surveys consistently show that  and that a  know climate change is real and a growing problem. However, voters rarely cite environmental concerns as a top issue. A  from the highly regarded Pew Research Center showed that only 46 percent of Americans thought dealing with climate change was a top priority for the president and congress, second-lowest of the 19 issues included in the survey. This needs to change if we want political leaders to take climate change more seriously.

You can help raise awareness and show decision-makers you care about climate change by sharing climate-related materials from credible organizations and media outlets. You can also include calls-to- climate-action in outlets like blogs, letters to the editor, or contacts with politicians, as well as casual conversations with friends and family.

If you鈥檙e not sure how to start talking to people about climate change, check out this  from The Nature Conservancy. One key takeaway is that you do know enough to talk to people, even if you鈥檙e not a climate scientist. It鈥檚 also important to remind people that we are not helpless. People are more motivated to get involved in solvable problems. So while we can鈥檛 avoid the fact that climate change is a big, thorny challenge, we can emphasize ways to overcome it.

Vote with your time

Many communities, and most cities and campuses, have people working to address climate change through local education initiatives, fundraising campaigns, and more. In my own work as executive director of the , we鈥檝e been empowered by amazing volunteers who help make our events happen and amplify our outreach. Local organizations are always happy for another brain or pair of hands!

man talks to class

Austin Brown, executive director of the Policy Institute, talks to the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Mandela Washington Fellows. (Victor Yu/新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis)

If you can鈥檛 find a way to engage locally, consider connecting with others on social media. There are also many extremely effective state and national nonprofit groups dedicated to clean energy, better transportation, sustainability, and fighting climate change. Don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out to see if you can launch a local chapter or support outreach in your neighborhood, contribute a guest blog, or help in other ways. And if you have a few bucks to spare鈥ee below!

Vote with your money

There are lots of free ways to take on climate change. But for those who can afford to open their wallets, donations to climate-progressive politicians, social action groups, and environmental nonprofits and philanthropic foundations make a huge difference. Sites like  can help you find reputable organizations to donate to. These sites also include filters to narrow down the many worthy candidates out there to those that most closely match your specific priorities.

Don鈥檛 worry if you can only spare a few dollars. It鈥檚 ok to start very small. If your circumstances allow, you can give more later on to those you think are using their resources鈥攁nd your donations鈥攚isely.

Let鈥檚 do it

Climate change is real, it鈥檚 here, it鈥檚 scary, and it鈥檚 getting worse. But when we do solve it鈥攁nd I personally believe we will鈥攊t will be because we鈥檝e worked together. Let鈥檚 do this.

 

During the week of the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, the Policy Institute is overseeing  on Sept. 11-12 focusing on climate, energy, transportation, and public policy. 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis has been selected as an official affiliate event host for the summit, set for Sept. 12-14.  #新澳门六合彩内幕信息DavisatGCAS

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Austin Brown is executive director of the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment, and the Economy. Find him on Twitter .

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