Take Sustainable Action
A menu of things you can do to help reverse climate change. They are brief, simple, thoroughly explained, and often quantified.
The following content is from the “Take Sustainable Action” section of the What on EARTH?! sustainability newsletter:

Climate chess ♛♘♝♔♜♙
Climate chess: big picture strategy on climate solutions. Long-time readers will know that I'm a huge fan of Project Drawdown and their rigorous research on climate solutions. Their Executive Director, Dr. Jonathan Foley, just published "We Need to See the Whole Board...

$25,000 prizes for climate projects & help debunking deniers
I don't know about you, but I got another wave of deep relief this week. Possibly the most powerful person in the world has just changed from someone who was actively making the climate crisis worse, to someone who is working to rapidly accelerate climate solutions....

What on EARTH?! 🌍
We're mixing it up and going back to the original "What on EARTH?!" structure for the Crowdsourcing Sustainability newsletter this week! For those who don't know, this was my way of using an acronym to balance the newsletter when I first started writing it in 2018 -...

My TEDx Interview on all things climate
Two things for you this week. First, an enormous thank you to everyone who has donated to Crowdsourcing Sustainability so far! I am so grateful for your help to keep this work going and our impact growing. Y'all rock 🙂 Also, to those of you who tried to donate but...

Will you consider supporting Crowdsourcing Sustainability?
Next week I'll be sharing an interview I did with TEDx Archivorum! But today...well, I feel like I'm about to do a trust-fall via email. And quite frankly, it's terrifying haha. Will you support my work with a donation?Some of you may know this, others may...

Pollution, power, propaganda…and some promising actions to take
Pollution is killing us at an insane rate. We're talking 7 million people are dying prematurely from air pollution every year. That's 19,178 people dying prematurely every day. One person every five seconds. A whopping 91% of people "breathe air containing high...

Why Green Stimulus is a No-Brainer
Governments are spending trillions of dollars on rescue packages right now. Many trillions more will be spent on recovery packages in the coming year to stimulate the economy. Because these are "once in a generation" investments, where they get invested will largely...

Best Climate and Sustainability Newsletters
“Everyone needs to be educated on climate change because climate change and our response to it is going to change the world over the next 25 years as much as the internet did in the last 25 years.” — Joe Romm "The climate emergency is not just another issue — it’s an...

Local climate events and orgs for my MA folks!
The Crowdsourcing Sustainability newsletter goes out to 875+ people now from 50+ countries, but every now and then I'll send a bonus one just for my friends in Mass 🙂 (170 of us now!) I wanted to share some local climate groups you may like - specifically...

Climate change wreaking havoc and climate action wisdom
I hope you've had a great week so far! Just a couple of things today. Climate change wreaking havoc As I'm writing this, my thoughts and wishes go out to the millions of people who are suffering in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe after...

The importance of elections
Just a quick follow up on last week's What on EARTH?! with a new action today. Importance of Election on Tuesday When it comes to helping reverse global warming, every little bit helps, but not all actions are equal. Voting for climate leaders and, even...

Why So Many Americans Are Silent About the Climate Crisis
Last weekend I had the pleasure of presenting to a class of confirmation students and their parents. As always, I did my best to toe the line of telling the hard truth about the climate crisis while also inspiring action and hope - showing how we're each far more...

2 Ways to Help Companies Level Up Climate Impact
The fact of the matter is that society won't be able to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C without strong action from businesses. Thankfully, we all work in these businesses or know someone who does. Therefore, these businesses are in our sphere of influence. We can, and...

The Climate Crisis: Where we stand and what to do about it
The climate crisis is not just another issue. It is an era. This is the main thing people are still totally failing to grasp so let me repeat it: The climate crisis is not just another issue. It is an era. "Climate change and our response to it is going to change the...

Get who’s ready to act now. And go.
Humanity needs to limit warming as much as possible to prevent unimaginable amounts of suffering, death, and potentially even societal collapse. (Haaappy Thursday! ...stick with it - gets better in a bit.) The Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to 2°C, with...

“Calling for disruptive changes is not radical, but deeply sane.”
Two reports came out recently that are worth knowing about. It's heavy stuff. 1. The US Military fears "mission failure" in the next 20 years due to climate chaos if urgent reforms aren't made. The Pentagon commissioned report was put together by the US Army, the...

Climate Truth or Dare?
Check out this short, fun, and inspirational video Megan Herbert is a talented illustrator. Back in September, she couldn't make it to the global climate strike. Instead she made a 90-second video and wrote this: "I wasn't able to strike today, which initially bummed...

Why Sustainable Investing is a No-Brainer. And How to do it.
I've written about the fossil fuel divestment trend, how you can personally divest, the story of a brilliant sustainable investor, and how the future of the economy is sustainable. Along the way, I've also been asked by some of you to share what I personally have...

What You Can Do About Climate Change and Imagining the Sustainable Future
Someone in the Crowdsourcing Sustainability community recently went to see the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, speak at MIT on climate justice. She was so moved by Mary's presentation that she sent me the video. And I liked Mary's final message so much...

The Week of Global Climate Action is Almost Here!
Huh? What's going on? The week of global climate action is from Friday, September 20th through Friday, the 27th. This is a chance for people around the world to rise up together and show our leaders and fellow humans that we need climate action NOW. The three...

Make Your Company Sustainable
In last week's newsletter, I wrote to encourage job seekers (college students and existing employees alike) to choose a job in sustainability. Because the future economy will revolve around making everything sustainable. So, if you want to, you can do meaningful work...

How to Organize an Effective Demonstration
The following is an excerpt from George Monbiot's 'Out of the Wreckage'. Published with George's permission, I intend to help spread the wisdom to climate organizations around the world. Here is a small example of something we could do better, as a result of...

Why You Should Get a Job in Sustainability. And How to Begin the Search.
Today's newsletter is to give you a lens through which to imagine the future. And to talk about the work that we will choose to do. I was initially writing this to help college students who are trying to figure out what career path to choose. But the message is...

The Surprising Power of Peacefully Protesting
As we both know, we are living through a critical point in human history - perhaps the most consequential time ever. We all play a role in deciding what the future will look like. As I've mentioned a couple of times now, the experts I talked to said these are the four...

Take a Look at Your Carbon Footprint
Take a Look at Your Carbon Footprint Yawn, I know. But if you're serious or even just curious about minimizing your personal footprint, you need to know what your footprint is in the first place right? That way you can figure out which actions to take that are the...

Sea Level Rise: It’s Probably Worse Than You Think
As you know, this newsletter is usually fairly inspiring. But this one is not (overall). And that's because we really need to talk about sea level rise again. Sorry, but the stakes are insanely high and everyone needs to know about this stuff! That being said, I do...

9 Key Takeaways from Climate Leaders
Last Fall I went to the Drawdown Learn conference in NY which was fantastic. I got to hear from many brilliant leaders. I also met a bunch of folks while presenting at the EXPO - lots of fun! As I've said before, the science terrifies me. But meeting and being...

A Rising Star, Nalleli Cobo Stands Up Against Big Oil for What is Right
Nalleli Cobo Stands Up Against Big Oil for What is Right Nalleli is a rising star. At 17 years old, she's already been working on a single issue for nearly a decade. What could possibly be important enough to inspire a 9-year-old to become an activist and stick with...

US School Strikes for Climate Set to Take Off with Help from Youth Leader
With youth leaders like this, it's only a matter of time until school strikes for climate take off in the US It's 10 AM on Friday and -2℉ in New York City. Thirteen-year-old Alexandria Villasenor is worried about frostbite and making her existing cold worse, but it's...

Use That Bike! Enormous Health and Sustainability Benefits
Use That Bike! The Enormous Health and Sustainability Benefits of Regular Cycling Did you know that biking is actually safer than driving? Yes, I was surprised too. Even though bikers are more likely to get in an accident on any given trip, they end up living longer...

Hypermiling: Quick Tips to Drive More Sustainably
Hypermiling: How to Drive More Sustainably The strategy of getting the most distance out of your fuel This is not an endorsement for driving. As I say in “How to Effectively Fight Climate Change”, being carless is the best. However, the reality is most of us...

The Climate Silence…and What You Can Do About it
The Climate Silence and What You Can Do About it People aren’t talking about climate change enough. 65% of people in the US “rarely” or “never” talk about climate change. Only 20% say they hear people they know talk about climate change at least once a month. Nearly 2...

Invest in Sustainable Companies, Not Fossil Fuels
Invest in Sustainable Companies, Not Fossil Fuels This tool from Fossil Free Funds allows you to see how much of your money in mutual funds and ETFs is invested in fossil fuels. I was surprised to see just how many fossil fuel investments there were in a couple of the...

3 Ways to Help Climate Leaders Win on Election Day
3 Ways to Help Climate Leaders Win on Election Day When it comes to helping reverse global warming, every little bit helps, but not all actions are equal. Voting for climate leaders and, even more so, encouraging others you know to do the same are some of those things...

Reasons to Get a Home Energy Audit and What it’s Like
Get a Home Energy Audit! ...even if you got one several years ago Schedule a home energy assessment if you haven't recently (or ever) to improve your home's energy efficiency. We did one this winter and reaped immediate benefits including: Over $350 worth of LED...

How to Stay Cool and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Tips for Staying Cool and Minimizing Your Carbon Footprint The summers are getting hotter and hotter. And you absolutely should stay cool for your health (brain included), but here are some ways you could simultaneously reduce your energy bill and GHG emissions: The...

Conscious Consumerism: Buy Less (New) Stuff!
Conscious Consumerism: Buy Less (New) Stuff! Get smart about shopping The products we buy often consist of materials sourced from various parts of the world which are transported to a manufacturing facility, processed, and then transported to get to you. A lot of...

Conscious Consumerism: Sustainable Online Shopping
Conscious Consumerism: Sustainable Online Shopping When you do shop, be smart about it! People shop online all the time. The amount of packages delivered in the US has nearly doubled in the last decade. As a consumer, there are a couple of easy things you can do to be...

Ecosia: Plant Trees by Surfing the Web
Ecosia: Plant Trees by Surfing the Web You're going to love this one. So easy and good. Make Ecosia your default search engine! If you start using Ecosia, trees are planted thanks to your web searches. Sounds too good to be true right? That's what I thought,...

Call Your Rep!
Call your representative! You are more powerful than you think you are. Use that influence. It will take you 5 minutes, it makes a difference, and you'll be glad you did it. I am encouraging you to do this today, especially if you live in MA because we have an...

Wash Clothes in Cold Water for Your Wallet, Your Clothes, and Your Planet!
Wash Your Clothes in Cold Water! It's better for your clothes, your wallet, and your planet Like most people, I thought it needed to be warm water until a couple of years ago, but it turns out that’s not the case anymore. Why? Because they don’t make washing machines...

16 Sustainability Leaders Weigh In: How YOU Can Help To Reverse Global Warming
Ever wonder how you can help solve the climate crisis? Top sustainability leaders in the world share their wisdom on the most effective things each one of us can do to help.
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