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Through the Government

Changing government policies is going to play a huge role in making a more sustainable world. There are a ton of ways that you can make a difference on a local, state, national, or international level, and we talk about some of those below. BUT! A big part of creating change starts with getting informed. Read your local newspaper to keep up with what your local government is up to. If you don't like something they're doing, let them know. If you DO like something they're doing, it's equally important to let them know about that, too. Getting positive feedback from citizens will encourage them to keep doing the right thing.

 

Local

Get a group of friends together and encourage your mayor to sign the Mayor's Climate Agreement. For a list of mayor's that have already signed, check out http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/list.asp.
Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take following three actions:
  1. Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns;
  2. Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and
  3. Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system
    Your mayor's first excuse to not sign the agreement will probably be a lack of resources-- everyone at City Hall is so busy doing whatever it is they do that they don't have time to stop climate change. That's where you come in. If you are part of any sort of environmental club (at school, church, or just a group of your friends), you can offer to help your city develop a sustainability plan, make recommendations, and lower your city's ecological footprint. This isn't planting trees- volunteering your time at City Hall has the potential to make a really huge impact in your city!
Don't forget to celebrate your successes! If your mayor has been really helpful and responsive, let your local newspaper know so that other mayors might get encouraged to do similar things.

 

State

Join the Ohio Student Environmental Coalition Google Group to keep up with everything going on in Ohio! Also check out environmentohio.org and ohio.sierraclub.org

Email, call, or meet with your elected officials to tell them about what's important to you.

National

Join mailing lists like Energy Action Coalition, Repower America, SustainUS, and 1sky to keep informed about different initiatives and ways to take action.

Read this blog: It's Getting Hot in Here, Dispatches from the Youth Climate Movement

Email, call, or meet with your elected officials to tell them about what's important to you.

International

Check out Avaaz and 350

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