Posted on 20 July 2019 by John Hartz

Editor's Pick

A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist

No matter your age, gender, race, or political ideology, there are ways to fight climate change that fit your life and values.

YES! Illustrations by Delphine Lee 

Most of us have heard about U.N. researchers warning that we need to make dramatic changes in the next 12 years to limit our risk of extreme heat, drought, floods, and poverty caused by climate change. Report after report about a bleak climate future can leave people in despair.

But another option is good for you and the planet.

Susan Clayton, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster, says getting involved with a group can help lift your climate-related anxiety and depression in three ways. Working with like-minded folks can validate your concerns, give you needed social support, and help you move from feeling helpless to empowered.

And it can make a difference. “Groups are more effective than individuals,” Clayton says. “You can see real impact.”

So join forces with like-minded citizens and push for change.

The U.S. Climate Action Network lists more than 175 member organizations, which are activist groups working through energy policy to fight climate change. And that doesn’t include all of the environmental groups out there. So you have lots of options for getting involved.

Full disclosure: I found my activism comfort zone with Citizens’ Climate Lobby. I love its bipartisan, non-confrontational style, and it suits me. What’s your climate action style?

I’ve done some matchmaking for you. Here are nine activism styles that might fit, along with some groups that align with them. Pick one, and you can start making change. 

A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist by Emily Brown, YES! Magazine, July 16, 2019 

Links posted on Facebook

Sun July 14, 2019

• July 2019 El Niño update: I think I’ll go for a walk by Emily Becker, NOAA's Climate.gov, July 11, 2019
• Climate realpolitik: South Africa’s ‘secret’ and ‘confidential’ slide to the wrong side of history by Kevin Bloom, Daily Maverick, July 12, 2019
• Barry spares New Orleans but Mississippi faces flash flood fears by AP/Guardian, July 14, 2019
• Has Your Doctor Talked To You About Climate Change? by Martha Bebinger, Shots, NPR, July 13, 2019
• 87 Percent of Americans Unaware There's Scientific Consensus on Climate Change by Pam Wright, Environment, The Weather Channel, July 11, 2019
• Central America’s choice: Pray for rain or migrate by Georgina Gustin, InsideClimate News, & Mariana Henninger, NBC News. July 9, 2019
• EPA scientist confronts administrator over climate crisis at award ceremony by Cat Gloria, CNN, July 12, 2019
• By 2050, many U.S. cities will have weather like they’ve never seen by Stephen Leahy, Environment, National Geographic, July 10, 2019

Mon July 15, 2019

• Europe ‘could get 10 times’ its electricity needs from onshore wind, study says by Josh Gabbatiss, Carbon Brief, July 5, 2019
• Climate crisis is upon us, but 'doomism' doesn't help, Commentary by Don Paul, Buffalo News, July 13, 2019
• Louisiana is cleaning up after Tropical Storm Barry brought rain, wind and flooding by Hollie Silverman & Michael Guy, CNN, July 15, 2019
• Changing Climate, Vanishing Old Growth Bring Increase Fire Risk for Coastal Forests by Brandon Wei, The Tye (Vancouver, BC), July 15, 2019
• Hurricane categories and wind speeds aren't enough to determine a storm's true threat, experts say by Daniel Arkin, NBC News, July 12, 2019
• Planting ‘Billions of Trees’ Isn’t Going to Stop Climate Change by Madeleine Gregory & Sarah Emerson, Motherboard, Vice, July 15, 2019
• Coal left Appalachia devastated. Now it’s doing the same to Wyoming. by David Roberts, Energy & Environment, Vox, July 9, 2019
• One of America’s top climate scientists is an evangelical Christian. She’s on a mission to persuade skeptics. by Dan Zak, Style, Washington Post, July 15, 2019

Tue July 16, 2019

• UNEP roots for youth participation to boost global climate response, Africa, Xinhua News, July 15, 2019
• Over 100 killed, millions displaced from floods in India, Nepal and Bangladesh by Zarir Hussain & Gopal Sharma, Reuters, July 15, 2019
• Climate Change Deniers Violate Human Rights by Eco Matser (Hivos), Inter Press Service (IPS), July 8, 2019
• Earth just had its hottest June on record, on track for warmest July by Jason Samenow & Andrew Freedman, Capital Weather Gang, Washington Post, July 15, 2019
• People in Coal Country Worry About the Climate, Too., Opinion by Eliza Griswold, Sunday Review, New York Time, July 13, 2019
• The 'war on coal' myth by Karen Kirk, Yale Climate Connections, July 15, 2019
• Los Angeles is finally ditching coal — and replacing it with another polluting fuel by Sammy Roth, Business, Los Angeles Times, July 16, 2019
• What's the difference between weather and climate? by Brooke Bauman, Yale Climate Connections, July 16, 2019

Wed July 17, 2019

• Lower house inquiry to set 'responsible road map' out of coal for NSW by Peter Hannam, Environment, Sydney Morning News, July 17, 2019
• Can planting trees save our climate? by Stefan Rahmstorf, Real Climate, July 16, 2019
• July on course to be hottest month ever, say climate scientists by Jonathan Watts, Environment, Guardian, July 16, 2019
• Hate Columbia’s heat now? It will be ‘dangerously hot’ in a few years, study says by Sammy Fretwell, The State (Columbia, SC), July 16, 2019
• Midwest and East Coast Braces For 'Extremely Dangerous' Weekend Heat Wave by Katie Reilly, Time Magazine, July 17, 2019
• World Hunger Rises with Climate Shocks, Conflict and Economic Slumps by Georgina Gusten, InsideClimate News, July 15, 2019
• As flood risks increase across the US, it’s time to recognize the limits of levees by Amahia Mallea, The Conversation US, July 16, 2019
• Christians Care About Climate Change If It's About Saving 'God's Creation' by Mary Retta, Vice, July 16, 2019

Thu July 18, 2019

• Humans May Be Accidentally Geoengineering the Oceans by Chelsea Harvey, E&E News/Scientific American, July 15, 2019
• Europe could experience another heatwave next week by Sukhada Tatke, euronews, July 16, 2019
• 97% consensus study hits one million downloads! by John Cook, Skeptical Science, July 17, 2019 
• The Energy 202: Broad group of green organizations releases climate platform ahead of 2020 election by Dino Grandoni, Energy 202, Power Post, Washington Post, July 18, 2019
• Lake discovered 11,000 ft high in the Alps, in 'truly alarming' sign of climate change by Adam Forrest, The Independent (UK), July 17, 2019
• How artificial intelligence can tackle climate change by Jackie Snow, National Geographic, July 18, 2019
• Individuals Can Have a Bigger Impact on Slowing Climate Change Than We Thought by Ashley Hamer, Curiosity, July 3, 2019
• Older People Are Contributing to Climate Change, and Suffering From It by Paula Span, Health, New York Times, May 24, 2019

Fri July 19, 2019

• Why Barry dropped much less rain on the Gulf coast than forecasters expected by Umair Irfan, Science & Health, Vox, July 16, 2019
• 'No limits': Victoria's biggest solar farm paves way for more by Peter Hannam, Environment, Sydney Morning Herald, July 18, 2019
• Canadian Judge Halts Youth Climate Lawsuit by Dana Drugmand, Climate Liability News, July 15, 2019
• June 2019: Earth's Hottest June on Record by Jeff Masters, Category 6, Weather Underground, June 18, 2019
• 'Potentially deadly’ heat wave grips two-thirds of U.S., with dozens of records likely to fall by Andrew Freedman, Capital Weather Gang, Washington Post, July 19, 2019
• US should lead on climate change, Commentary by Dana Beach, Post & Courier (Charleston, SC), July 15, 2019
• New York Awards Offshore Wind Contracts in Bid to Reduce Emissions by Ivan Penn, Energy & Environment, New York Times, July 18, 2019
• A Climate Action for Every Type of Activist by Emily Brown, YES! Magazine, July 16, 2019

Sat July 20, 2019

• Trump’s oil leases to release more greenhouse gases than EU does in entire year by Emily Holden, Environment, Guardian, July 17, 2019
• Manmade Antarctic snowstorm 'could save coastal cities from rising seas' by Damian Carrington, Environment, Guardian, July 17, 2019
• A new approach for understanding the remaining carbon budget, Guest Post by Joeri Rogelj &amp Piers Forster, Carbon Brief, July 17, 2019
• Germany's forests on the verge of collapse, experts report by Ian P. Johnson, Deutsche Welle (DW), July 20. 2019
• This Weekend’s Heatwave Is the Future of Extreme Heat: 3 Things You Should Know and Do by Erika Spanger-Siegfried & Christina Dahl, Union of Concerned Scientists, July 19, 2019
• Southerners Are Scared of the Climate Crisis, and Their Politicians Are Ignoring Them by Shayla Love, Environment, Wired, July 16, 2019
• 3 million marooned, 26 killed as Bangladesh flood worsens, New Age, July 21, 2019
• The Sea Is Consuming Jakarta, and Its People Aren't Insured by Matt Simon, Science, Wired, July 19, 2019