Day 31: Celebrate and envision
Today's action: Celebrating how much we've done together, and envisioning how you'll keep the party going!
Today's action is, first and foremost, to celebrate how much we've done together! You’re here, reading this, after a whole month of actions. You may not have done all of them, but you're here now! Despite the very challenging times, people around the country and world have taken this journey with you. High fives all around! *does happy dance*
The second part of today's action is to take a few minutes to visualize how you'll integrate climate action into your everyday life moving forward. We've tried out lots of actions together this month, and we hope that some of them will turn into habits. (We're working on them right along with you!!) Remember that this is not about personal perfection; that's never the goal.
Whatever path you choose, keep talking! Remember on Day 2 when we asked you to talk about climate change and what you're doing about it? Keep it up. Talking gives our actions power by creating ripples in society, influencing actions beyond ourselves, and bringing others into the journey. So talk up your climate game (while continuing to avoid any shaming or judgment). And invite others to take action with you: 70% of Americans wish they could do more to fight climate change, but 51% say they don't know where to start. Give 'em a hand!
If you're looking for easy ways to continue your action streak, we've got resources for you! Check out:
Climate Action Now (app that lets you take superfast planet-saving action on your phone; our new fave!)
UnF***theFuture (browser extension that gives you "snarky, one-minute climate actions when you’re reading depressing news")
Earth Hero (app that suggests climate actions and helps you set goals)
Inside the Movement ("action toolkit for the climate movement" that will send you weekly emails)
And now ... a personal note from Kaitlin:
It's the last day of our 31-day challenge, but the climate challenge itself is far from over.
I care about climate change for many reasons, but I have to confess that my most selfish reasons are my kids. It breaks my heart to think of the future we may be leaving them and their peers. My oldest is now in first grade. If society keeps punting the problem, then in less than a decade -- before my now-six-year-old starts high school -- we’ll have blown through humanity’s remaining carbon budget and we’ll be well on our way to widespread ecological breakdown. My interest in climate change isn’t about keeping “the environment” clean. It is much more personal: it’s about taking the Great Global Flickering seriously, so that my kids and your kids and everyone’s kids can thrive, and so that humanity has a fighting chance.
There’s no time like the present to bring your A game: the climate decisions we make this decade will determine whether climate stabilization or climate catastrophe wins out. This is not a reason to despair; it is a call to continued action. As climate journalist Emily Atkin has said, “The most harmful lie being spread about climate change today is not that it is fake. It’s that nothing you can do can help save the world.”
The overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change is terrifying, but it is also hopeful, because we have the solutions we need. We just have to move faster. The decisions that our policymakers and our society take in the coming years matter immensely. It is a crazy, extraordinary time to be alive.
YOU are part of the solution!!! Our actions help strengthen the efforts of the millions and millions of people around the world working tirelessly to fight climate change. Keep it up, friends. Together, we are powerful.
With gratitude,
Kaitlin
PS - We need a nap! Maybe you do too. :) We’re taking a break now, but we’ll keep 31 Days of Climate Action online as a resource – feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested in the actions or learning more! And please drop us a line at any point if you have questions, ideas, or want to get involved in possible future projects. We’d love to stay in touch.
We are so glad you joined us for 31 Days of Climate Action. Thank you! Looking for more? Read on for further info and ways to keep up your climate action, including climate training for those of you want to go deeper.
Learn and reflect:
Looking for even more info on climate solutions?! Watch Project Drawdown's Climate Solutions 101 videos, based on rigorous scientific research, and read their article on "The Powerful Role of Household Actions in Solving Climate Change."
Don't forget to check out the "looking for more" sections of each blog post; there's lots of info buried in them!
Act:
Want even more easy ways to take action? Check out:
You Change Earth (online site that, based on a quick quiz, provides "climate actions and communities tailored for you")
The Breaking Boundaries/Count Us In platform, which helps you identify the climate solutions that resonate most in your lives
The Climate App (UK-based, launching soon)
If you prefer checking stuff off lists or diving into books, here are some extra ideas for you!
Things You Can Do: How to fight climate change and reduce waste, by Eduardo Garcia (April 2022)
101 Ways to Fight Climate Change, a 2020 list from Curbed.
Want to go deeper in your climate action journey? You might enjoy a climate leadership training, such as:
The Climate Reality Leadership Corps training
