By Madelyn Ilarraza
It is easy to get overwhelmed by our current climate, but difficult to find a way to help out. Everyone is told to “do their part” by participating in smaller scale activities like recycling, going vegan, and buying clothes second hand. Many people want to do more, but don’t know where to start. People want to see a bigger change, and that will come with reducing the carbon footprint, and by the release of fossil fuels. Those things, however, are not achievable for the average person alone.Â
There are plenty of national and international organizations and activist groups whose purpose is to combat climate change. Groups like Extinction Rebellion, EarthJustice, and Greenpeace are groups with locations around the world. Here are a few ways you can enact a real change by supporting a climate movement near you:
Donating
While this isn’t always a realistic way to contribute, donating is a great way to help if you are unable to attend in-person events. With donating, you can also find fundraisers specific to certain issues. Many grassroots organizations rely on donations, and need help funding climate projects.
Social Media
Social Media is a great tool to use in order to spread awareness to as many people as possible. Running an activist account, or even boosting them, makes a difference in the outreach. Sharing information provides a call to action and gathers worldwide support. Activists from all around the world can share their campaigns and amplify each other’s voices.Â
Volunteering
Finding events to volunteer for shows commitment for the cause. Whether it’s organizing a peaceful protest, teaching others about climate change, or conducting research, volunteering helps you build a community and engage with other like-minded people. Volunteering has more of a physical impact that creates action as well as awareness.
Contacting Your Local Government
Many activist groups have relationships with their local government and frequently attend official meetings regarding the environment. Encouraging legislators to enact policies to help the environment is perhaps the most effective way to create change. Building green infrastructure, collecting important data, and minimizing carbon emissions are difficult to achieve without the government’s compliance. You can make a call or send an email to government officials near you, or you can attend hearings open to public testimony to share your ideas directly.
Doing your part against climate change doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to cost you money, it only requires a commitment to preserving our planet for ourselves, and for future generations.