Individuals

INDIVIDUALS

INDIVIDUALS

Sometimes, like voting, you might wonder think about the value of individual actions. How can one person’s vote make a difference. But, if, like voting, everyone voted for the right thing, the sheer weight of those individual votes could change the world. And, curiously, with climate change, it doesn’t even have to be difficult. Turning out lights, eating less meat, conserving water , walking or biking instead of driving-- all simple and take neither time nor money. Not even inconvenient.

This section is packed with valuable things to do whatever your resources, whether you have five minutes or 5 hours a week, whether you have the ability to reduce plastics in your world, add solar to your home, or organize a climate change advisory board in your town.

Just a few other places on the website for some deeper dives, after you have made your NYT New Year Resolutions!

  • If it is time to think about purchasing an EV there is a major CARS section
  • If it is time to shift to heat pumps and away from fossil fuels, you might find what you are looking for in the HEATING AND COOLING section.
  • If it is time to replace your gas stove with an induction stove, you might find what you need in the KITCHENSsection.
  • And, If you need to learn about the rebates, incentives  and tax credits available to support a shift away from fossil fuels, run, do not walk, to CCR’s THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT page. The Biden administration has made a staggering amount of money available to support this shift,

And, if you could do with a bit of hope, try this

And, if you have patience for a quiz, researchers at Columbia University have created a survey to find out which actions you think are most effective: How well do YOU know what is better for the environment? Only 3 minutes! And, no-one will ask you to donate at the end!  Take the quiz here !

20 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

  • 1 TELL YOUR LAWMAKERS

    The worst impacts can still be avoided if we compel local and national leaders to step up and lead the fight against climate change. Call on your officials today.

    NRDC
  • 2 REDUCE FOOD WASTE

    40 percent of edible food is thrown away by retailers and households in the US. Buy less, reheat and reuse, store properly, compost, donate.

    52 Climate Actions
  • 3 TIME TO BUY AN ELECTRIC CAR

    In addition to lowering your carbon footprint, electric vehicles are more affordable to run, have lower maintenance costs, and tax incentives can reduce the purchase price.

    My EV
  • 4 STOP EATING RED MEAT

    Keeping everything else (chicken, dairy, pork) we could achieve between 46 and 74 percent of the reductions needed to meet the 2020 greenhouse gas emission goals. Yikes. We can do that!

    Climate Crocks
  • 5 TURN YOUR YARD INTO A CARBON SPONGE

    Give your yard a climate makeover and convert it into a carbon sponge. Get Rid of the Gas Guzzlers, and focus Instead on Native Plants and creating a Bird Friendly Habitat.

    Audobon
  • 6 100+ WATER-SAVING TIPS

    Saving water is easy. Really easy. Here are more than 100 useful water-saving tips for your home and office. Learn how to save water indoors and outdoors. Incorporate these tips into your everyday habits. Before long, you’ll be a natural at water conservation.

    Water Use It Wisely
  • 7 COMPOST

    Enhance the soil, protect the climate, and reduce waste.

    The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
  • 8 NO MORE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES!

    Every day 66 million bottles end up in landfills, or, more likely, as land or ocean litter.

    Rainforest Alliance
  • 9 TURN OFF YOUR ELECTRONICS!

    Many appliances use just as much power when off. Washing machines with digital displays, smart TVs, toasters and computers are all drawing power. A coffee maker can use as much in a day as someone in Niger uses in a year.

    New York Times
  • 10 RIDE A BIKE

    A bicycle doesn’t burn gasoline, creates less fossil fuel pollution, and is more cost efficient.

    Mother Nature Network
  • 11 TURN DOWN THE HEAT

    Every degree reduces your energy use by 3-5%. Add a
    sweater, a blanket or a nice cup of hot chocolate.

    ECOSYSTEMS
  • 12 SAVE BY USING LEDS

    Switch out your light bulbs, and reduce your electricity by more than 80%.

    The New York Times
  • 13 REDUCE THE CLIMATE IMPACT OF YOUR HOME

    From getting an energy audit to setting your water heater at 120 degrees to installing a programmable thermostat, here are simple cost saving solutions.

    Huffington Post
  • 14 WASH IN COLD

    Washing your clothes in cold water uses 15X less energy than
    hot and gets clothes just as clean.

    Climate Change Connection The New York Times
  • 15 INSTALL SOLAR

    A typical two-person household reduces their carbon emissions by three to four tons annually with a solar power system.

    Solar energy world
  • 16 REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE

    What you can do at school, at home, at work, and in the community.

    EPA
  • 17 TURN ON THE FANS

    The average air conditioning unit in American homes releases
    about two tons of carbon dioxide each year.

    The Takeaway New York Public Radio
  • 18 PICK A CAUSE

    Understanding and adapting to climate change is a massive, interdisciplinary undertaking and the sites listed here have lots of information from every possible angle.

    environmentalsciencedegree
  • 19 CANCEL JUNK MAIL

    What you can do at school, at home, at work, and in the community.

    EPA
  • 20 ELECTRIFYEVERYTHING

    Starting with a heat pump
    To replace your HVAC and your hot water heater

    REWIRING AMERICA

CURRENT NEWS

MSN

These ‘energy vampires’ could be sucking your wallet dry: ‘As much as 20% of your monthly electricity bill’

By Brett Aresco 04/23/23
They are so-called “energy vampires,” appliances in your home that use energy when they’re plugged in, even when they’re not turned on. The garlic, stake to the heart, or silver bullet for these energy vampires…

If You Could Take On One Problem Facing Our World, What Would It Be?

By Shannon Doyne 04/04/23
Think about the societal problems that bother you most, whether you encounter them locally — say, in your school, your neighborhood or your city — or see them play out nationally or globally. Which feel…

Stop insuring carbon projects ‘immediately’, activists tell bosses

By Tom Sims and Simon Jessop 03/28/23
A group of climate activists has called on 30 insurance company bosses to "immediately" stop underwriting new fossil fuel projects in the wake of a stark climate warning from U.N. scientists, a letter seen by…
NPR

Climate activists target nation’s big banks, urging divestment from fossil fuels

By Michael Copley 03/22/23
Across the U.S., people protested outside major banks on Tuesday, calling on financial institutions to shift investments away from fossil fuel companies. In Boston, more than 200 people marched from a Chase Bank to a…

Why seniors are blocking entrances to the four largest U.S. banks

By Maxine Joselow and Vanessa Montalbano 03/21/23
Climate activists on Tuesday will protest four banks — Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and Wells Fargo — that help finance the fossil fuel industry....

The truth about Big Toilet Paper

By Arielle Samuelson 03/17/23
Are the fat cats at Charmin waging a secret campaign to prevent the widespread adoption of bidets?

Join the Reuse Revolution

02/13/23
10 simple steps you can take to move closer to zero waste and reduce single-use plastic pollution

Can individuals solve climate change? New federal cash makes it more possible than ever.

By Shannon Osaka 02/09/23
Almost 10 years ago, a solo researcher published a jaw-dropping statistic that changed how many people thought about climate change. Just 90 large companies, he determined, released almost two-thirds of all greenhouse gas emissions between…

California Man Builds Solar-Powered Trike with Stuff in His Garage—And it’s Catching On

By Andy Corbley 02/06/23
No gas is no problem for one Stockton CA inventor who created a solar-powered tricycle that’s really catching on.

This Guide Can Help You Save Money and Fight Climate Change

By Nadja Popovich and Elena Shao 02/01/23
Many American consumers are now eligible to save thousands of dollars when they buy an electric car, heat pump, solar panels or energy-efficient appliances.

Biden’s next climate hurdle: Enticing Americans to buy green

By Chris Megerian, Hannah Fingerhut, and Matthew Daly 01/23/23
President Joe Biden persuaded Democrats in Congress to provide hundreds of billions of dollars to fight climate change. Now comes another formidable task: enticing Americans to buy millions of electric cars, heat pumps, solar panels…

Why the world’s most prominent climate radicals are rebooting

By David Wallace-Wells 01/18/23
It wasn’t so long ago that the world was truly on fire with climate alarm. In September 2019, millions of people around the world participated in a global climate strike, the largest ever, calling for…

KEY RESOURCES

Carbon Calculating: Understanding Your Airline Travel Impact

02/27/23
Reducing travel for business and family visits is one of the most impactful choices we can make to reduce our climate impact. When we travel, we should make it count, but we can’t do that…

Carbon Calculating: Understanding Your Airline Travel Impact

02/27/23
Reducing travel for business and family visits is one of the most impactful choices we can make to reduce our climate impact. When we travel, we should make it count, but we can’t do that…

NASA, FEMA Release Comprehensive Climate Action Guide

07/09/22
NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have released a guide that provides resources for adapting to and mitigating impacts of climate change. The guide, Building Alliances for Climate Action, includes various perspectives, stories,…

Federal Solar Tax Credit Guide (2022)

05/03/22
Since 2005, the federal government has incentivized homeowners to switch to solar through the solar investment tax credit (ITC), also known as the federal solar tax credit. Currently, this tax credit lets you claim 26%…

TAKE A STEP

01/13/22
Count Us In is building the world’s largest community of people and organizations taking practical action on climate change.

54 Great Sources for Climate Change News

01/06/21
Individuals can empower themselves with information about what is happening, what is being done by key stakeholders and how they can contribute to climate change mitigation at the individual level.

The Opportunity In Climate Science Education: Jobs And More Jobs

08/27/20
As we continue to move away from fossil fuels toward 100 percent renewable energy, we’ve seen some trends emerge, particularly regarding the jobs that will support the new clean economy.

50 Ways to Help the Planet – Save Our Environment and Planet Earth

07/03/20
Saving the planet sounds huge doesn’t it? And in essence, it is. But there are many simple ways you can do your bit to help. Check out this list of fifty easy ways to go…

Your Personal Action Guide for the Environment

04/22/20
Solving our biggest environmental problems will require huge changes in policy and business practice. But it turns out that our personal actions can help too, if we focus on the right things. Here are some…

50 simple ways to make your life greener

03/10/20
Expert tips on how to be kinder to the planet – from cooking and cleaning to fashion and finance.

Calculate your solar panel savings

02/22/20
Use this solar panel calculator to quickly estimate your solar potential and savings by address. Estimates are based on your roof, electricity bill, and actual offers in your area.

Consumer Resources to Support Sustainable Seafood from the Seafood Watch Program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

02/13/20
What You Can Do: The easiest and most important thing you can do is ask the question: "Do you serve sustainable seafood?" Let your favorite businesses know that ocean-friendly seafood's on your shopping list.

45 Sustainability Resources You Need to Know

08/22/19
There is hardly any aspect of modern life that isn’t affected by the current problems facing the environment. As we learn more about how human behavior is harming the planet, we’re creating new ways to…
UN

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World

05/23/19
Every human on earth—even the most indifferent, laziest person among us—is part of the solution. Fortunately, there are some super easy things we can adopt into our routines that, if we all do it, will…

8 Things You Can Do to Care for the Planet

02/24/19
2/24/19 It's simpler than you think.

MORE WAYS TO TAKE ACTION

Civic Engagement for the Environment

04/19/23
“The vast majority of Americans want a greater government response to climate change, but most folks do not speak up as advocates and thus go unheard,” said Evan Raskin, National Campaign Manager & Global Climate…

United States Supermarket Scorecard 2022

04/06/23
EIA scored the biggest U.S. supermarket chains on their actions to reduce emissions of climate super pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Each company is scored on actions in three categories of technology adoption, refrigerant management, and policy…
Ted

How to turn climate anxiety into action

03/27/23
It's normal to feel anxious or overwhelmed by climate change, says psychologist Renée Lertzman. Can we turn those feelings into something productive? In an affirming talk, Lertzman discusses the emotional effects of climate change and…
npr

Feeling anxious about climate change? Here are 5 tips to manage those feelings

03/20/23
Tens of thousands of Americans are already experiencing the climate crisis. They've lost their homes, their pets and their loved ones.

15 Things You Can Do at Home to Help Solve Climate Change

01/20/23
Although it can feel like an impossibly difficult problem, there are a lot of things you can do in and around your home to help solve the climate crisis. According to a report from the…

Grow Food Eco-logically

12/20/22
Growing food eco-logically, we repair the ecosystems in our veggie gardens, orchards and fields, reducing the costs of growing food for us and our environment.
CNN

Here’s how many times you need to reuse your reusable grocery bags

12/14/22
The battle against the single-use plastic bag may not be won but it’s definitely under way. Restrictions on their use are in place in almost a dozen US states and in many other countries around…

Why you should almost always wash your clothes on cold

11/29/22
In Elena Karpova’s household, the rumbling sound of a clothes dryer has become an unfamiliar noise. “I use the dryer maybe twice, three times a year, just when it’s an emergency,” says Karpova, a professor…

The Future of Climate Activism Is Intergenerational—and on TikTok

09/29/22
When it comes to changing minds, nothing beats an experience. That’s how Sylvia Earle sees it. The scientist has spent years trying to get people to understand the impacts of climate change, and has found…

You — yes, you! — can help the planet. Start in your backyard.

09/06/22
This column will give you some tools to help mitigate the damage we’re causing to the planet. But, first, let’s look at why you — yes, you — should pay attention to this.

Why I’m Changing My Consumption—Even Though Climate Policy Is More Important Than Personal Choice

08/01/22
I’ve been making some lifestyle changes this past year. First I went vegan. I’d been vegetarian for a decade and a half, but I’ve always loved cheese so much that taking that next step seemed…

How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

06/15/22
Are you looking to reduce your energy bills? While decreasing the amount of electricity you use each month is an excellent way to save money, it doesn’t address the bigger issue. Believe it or not,…

Protect the Planet: Stop Streaming Songs

04/22/22
Before you hit play on a new song, think about how many times you might listen to it. Believe it or not, this decision can have a small, but real impact on climate change —…

6 Tips To Get Your Kids to Recycle

02/24/22
We’ve recycled in my household for years, so it was only natural that my daughter, Sofie, was exposed to the concept early on. With early exposure, recycling becomes as habitual as putting garbage in the…

10 steps you can take to lower your carbon footprint

02/22/22
Here’s the thing: Small changes alone won’t save our planet. To keep the Earth from warming above the critical 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) limit, climate action needs to happen at an institutional level.…

How to Save the World: Everything You Need to Know About Climate Activism

11/22/21
Climate activism is what happens when people from all over the world come together to put pressure on national and business leaders to take action to safeguard a liveable future. Solving the climate crisis requires…

Lower your energy consumption

10/27/21
A couple of months ago, the International Panel on Climate Change published their last report. It was awful. Carbon and methane emissions are killing everything. Not only us humans, literally, with all those fumes from…

BBC Climate Change Quiz Asks: How Can You Cut Your Carbon Emissions?

10/27/21
BBC News recently ran a post titled, "Climate change quiz: How can you cut your carbon emissions?" In it, the quizmasters ask "how can you play your part at home, and what changes would have…

A climate disaster will likely affect you one day. Here’s how to prepare

10/13/21
People who never considered themselves at risk from climate change are waking up to floods and fires. From June 2021 to August 2021, 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster. Preparing for the next…

The Impact of Eating Habits on Sustainability: Going Green in the Kitchen and Beyond

10/11/21
As our planet faces the challenges of climate change, population growth, and dwindling natural resources, many people are looking for ways to take small steps to make a big difference. This can mean familiar measures…

The 5 roles you may have to affect climate change

09/30/21
We are often encouraged as individuals to reduce our personal impact on the climate, but the truth is some people’s actions have greater effect than others. The super-rich “polluter elite” immediately come to mind. But…

How You Can Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Home

09/16/21
Take advantage of the free home energy audits offered by many utilities. Then put the recommendations into practice. Simple measures, such as installing a programmable thermostat to replace your old dial unit or sealing and…

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE TODAY

09/08/21
We make it easy for you to donate your vehicle. Whether it's running or not, your car, truck, boat, RV, or motorcycle will support the Sierra Club Foundation. Give Today.

Meat Free Monday The easiest way to help save the world

08/16/21
Having at least one plant-based day a week is a fun and easy way to do something good for the planet and our future.

10 Ways to Help the Environment in Everyday Life

08/11/21
In case you missed it – our planet isn’t really doing great. And, finding effective ways to help the environment should top our priorities. That is if we must save ourselves, and generations to come.

Volts podcast: Saul Griffith and Arch Rao on electrifying your house

06/28/21
Those of you who have been reading or listening to Volts for a while know that I am fairly obsessed with clean electrification, which involves shifting all the things we do now with fossil fuels…

We’re helping you go solar with confidence!

06/17/21
Environment America and Energy Sage are partnering to help you shift to renewable energy and lower your electric bill. Environment America advocates for policies that protect the places we love and the environmental values we…

Home appliance manufacturers can help address the climate crisis

06/14/21
How one company is taking responsibility for energy expenditures over the entire life cycle of its products

Getting Started With Carbon Offsets

06/14/21
You do your best to live lightly on the planet, but some greenhouse gas emissions are inevitable. When you have already become as energy-efficient as you can, and the energy you use is as sustainable…

Tips: How to weatherize your home

06/02/21
A few simple yet effective weatherization strategies will boost your home’s comfort and efficiency, as well as help you save on energy bills. Here’s how to safeguard your home and your wallet from the weather,…

How to Decarbonize the American Household

05/06/21
Rewiring America is an organization dedicated to decarbonizing the economy by electrifying everything.  They have recently published a report “No Place Like Home: Fighting Climate Change (and Saving Money) by Electrifying America’s Households” by Saul…

This is a Test: What Matters More, Personal Responsibility or Collective Action?

05/05/21
It is a question we have been debating on Treehugger forever: does personal responsibility matter in the fight against climate change? Or is it all a ruse, a plot by Big Oil, to divert us…

52 Climate Actions That Can Change Behavior

05/05/21
The question of whether personal lifestyle changes make a difference, when 100 companies are emitting 71% of carbon emissions, has long been a subject of debate on Treehugger and elsewhere. My colleague Sami Grover writes…

How to prepare your coastal property for sea-level rise and weather extremes

04/22/21
People who live along the Atlantic seaboard are accustomed to dealing with environmental extremes: salt spray that can kill just about anything green; relentless wind that whips vegetation into Leaning Tower of Pisa shapes; sand,…

30 Ways to Live More Sustainably—and Fight Climate Change in the Process

04/22/21
In 2019, youth-led protests calling attention to the worsening climate crisis spread across much of the United States and several parts of the world from the Philippines to Uganda. That same year, the United Nations…

5 Effortless Ways to Save Energy at Home

04/19/21
In this edition of Small Acts, Big Impact, learn smart tips to reduce your energy usage around the house.

One billion machines

02/26/21
Greetings! We’ve gone dark for a few weeks here at RA because, as with the rest of the world, our attention has been fixated on Washington. Since the New Year, we’ve been busy presenting our…

How to stop your house’s expensive drafts — and save the planet

01/28/21
As a reporter covering climate solutions, I receive one query more than any other: “What’s the best thing for me to do to protect the planet?” The annoyingly squishy answer is: It depends. Politicians can…

Turning $500 into $5000 — ethically

12/15/20
Ethical investing is not boring. Conversely, it’s fast becoming a popular way to achieve market-beating returns as new and innovative companies launch products and services that make the world a better place.

How to reduce waste at home and repair household items

10/28/20
It all started when her toaster broke. And her desk lamp. And her vacuum. Sandra Goldmark, a theatre set designer and university professor in New York, was on maternity leave in 2013 and found the…

Fertilizing a garden entirely for free

02/25/20
At our house we have a goal to produce 80% of our fruit, veggies, meat and dairy within five years of moving onto our land. We only eat a little meat and dairy, but we…

Why Planting a Bee Garden Is Good for Pollinators, Good for the Planet, and Good for You!

01/18/20
As the climate of the Earth changes, bees and pollinators are under increasing threats from urbanization and development, heavy chemical and neonicotinoid pesticide use, and shifting weather patterns that create increased temperatures, droughts, fires, floods…

12 Easy Green Resolutions for Every Month of the Year

01/01/19
Some may argue that given the enormous scope of what needs to be done to combat climate change, individual actions – aside from voting – may not matter all that much.

Register Yourself and Others to Vote

04/24/20
More people participating in democracy makes for a stronger country and builds greater accountability with our elected officials.

Eat Ugly Fruit

10/24/19
Most ugly, misshapen produce doesn’t sell and is thrown away. If food waste were a country, it’d be the world’s third largest carbon polluter!

Build a zero energy home & power a zero energy car

10/22/19
My wife and I built a zero energy home in 2015. The energy model we conducted as part of that process said that we would need to generate about 6200 kWhs per year to provide…

Plant a tree

07/24/19
Restoring forests could help put a brake on global warming. Get recommendations from the Tree Wizards and figure out which tree to plant.

ETSY

05/15/19
Wear your support! Find here a large collection of buttons, tees, and totes supporting earth and sustainability by local designers and artists.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND

05/14/19
Write your politicians here The EDF provides a list of forms on a range of climate issues and will get your message where it needs to go.

Eat less beef or ruminants, don’t overeat and don’t waste food

04/30/19
4/30/19 ...is what Diego Rose, a professor of nutrition at Tulane University, advises. 1/5 of Americans eat too much beef and diary. Americans throw out 1/5 of all the food that they buy.