For the Climate, Even Actions That Seem Small Have Outsize Meaning

Next to governments and giant corporations, it’s easy to feel small when it comes to the climate, but your actions matter more than you might realize.

Being alive to this—recognizing the potential ripples of your climate actions—can add new meaning to the choices you make. This is true in areas from clean energy to climate communications, so let’s touch on a few examples.

Cutting emissions and building awareness

First, there’s the obvious: You can try to drive fewer direct greenhouse gas emissions when choosing how to get from one place to another or what to have for dinner. (In fact, many Terra.do alums apply a similar thought process when deciding where and how to earn a living!) But the impacts of these choices don’t stop with direct emissions. They affect others around you.

Consider solar panels. Their benefits include lower electric bills and reducing your reliance on planet-warming fossil fuels, but they also drive climate action in another way. Chatting with people who have them—or even just seeing solar panels on other buildings in your neighborhood—has been shown to influence others in your community to add solar as well.

This pattern applies in ways big and small. Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist known for her expertise in climate communications, argues the most important thing you can do to fight climate change is simply talk about it. (Note that Hayhoe generally advises against being a climate scold, by the way, instead emphasizing the importance of connecting with people over something you both care about and then tying it back to climate.)

Don’t discount the significance of small actions

Speaking knowledgeably about global heating and ways we can help address it may seem like a drop in the ocean, but consider: Powerful business leaders and public officials rarely make decisions in a vacuum. Rather, they have customers and constituents to answer to, and their options are often shaped by broader conversations.

Moreover, if you’re someone who cares about climate change—and especially if you’re someone who worries about it—taking some form of action on it simply feels good. Whether your chief concern is the natural world, climate justice, or a livable future for the next generation, you don’t want to feel stuck on the sidelines. That’s where Terra.do comes in; we exist to help people like you step up climate action.

No better time to take action

Here’s how Jaclyn Hofman, a former Google employee who recently finished our 12-week Learning for Action program, put it on LinkedIn this week:

“I know a lot of people are seeking ways to get involved right now – I can’t recommend Terra.do enough. If you want to better understand the complexities of climate change, figure out how you can contribute to solutions, and find a supportive community along the way, I encourage you to check them out. We need everyone in on this fight, and there’s no better time to take action than now.”

The deadline to enroll in the next cohort of our Learning for Action program is Friday, November 22.

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