Take Action!

A few weeks ago, I struck up a conversation with a lady at our gym. We talked about this and that and eventually slid into the topic of the environment (imagine that!) and what can be done, etc. She mentioned that she is a member of Sierra Club, but liked the publications of the NRDC better.

"NRDC?" I asked (slightly embarrassed - seems like something I should know).
"Yes, the Natural Resource Defense Council."
"Right..." (Still no idea... Made mental note to google.)

Anyway, today, after reading about this organization several times in Hot, Flat, and Crowded, I went to the website to check it out. It's a cool site. And guess what you can do there?

You can send a letter to our President-elect, Barack Obama.

No joke.

So I did... I asked him to please establish some laws that would provide some incentive to VCs to invest in clean energy. I asked him to make some laws against ridiculously large vehicles. And I told him I'm available to help. Click here to send your letter (there's a form letter if you don't feel like writing your own).

Enthused by this new-found direct access to the President-elect, I went to his site change.gov to check out the latest on the Energy/Environment front. And guess what you can do there?

You can submit your ideas for changing the country (and in effect, the world).

How cool is that?

I haven't actually done that yet, because it requires a bit more thought and I really wanted to share all this with you as soon as possible.

Anyway, the point is that it is time to take some action. It's all well and good to talk to people in the gym about the environment and how you can help by walking to the grocery instead of driving, but it's not enough. Our leaders need to hear from us, the people, that we care. We care that animals are going extinct and that people are dying from lousy air. They need to hear that we are willing to drive less, take more public transportation, and invest in clean air, if given the opportunity. And they will listen, if enough people give them the same message.

Speak up or forever hold your peace.
Time's up.