This is the second of a continuing series of monthly “Climate Actions of the Month”, brought to you by the USNF Climate Action Group (CAG). It is a way to provide encouragement and build a spirit of collective effectiveness as we each do what we can to tackle climate change. Each monthly bundle of actions touches on 4 levels: personal, community, state/national/global, and educational. Our website will be coming soon and will offer resources to support the monthly actions. To learn more about the CAG contact Molly Hale at hellomolly@comcast.net or 585-0791.
1. Personal:Make a personal pledge tohang your laundry to dry whenever possible. On average 5.8% of U.S. residential energy use is from using clothes dryers. Laundry lines, umbrella-style outdoor drying racks, or wooden racks for indoors or outdoors are some of the many options, all available at your favorite local hardware store. A great source of info and support including FAQs about wrinkles, stiff clothes and drying in winter is http://www.laundrylist.org
2. Community: Attend a meeting of a local climate action group. The USNF Climate Action Group meets after the 2nd service on 1st and 3rd Sundays: this month May 5 in the Sam Hill Room and May 19 in the Parlor. The local group Climate Action Now is meeting Sunday, May 19 at ARISE, 4pm-6pm, 467 State St, Springfield. Their website is http://dev.climateactionnowma.org/
3. State/National/Global: Donate money to a group actively campaigning against climate change. Some choices:
350.org http://350.org/about
National Resources Defense Council http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/
Friends of the Earth http://www.foe.org/
The Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org/
Greenpeace http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/
4. Inform yourself: The July 2, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone magazine contains a pivotal article by Bill McKibben titled, “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math”. In it he clearly lays out the argument of why much of the fossil fuel resources now considered available by fossil fuel companies must stay in the ground if we are to avoid a severely compromised future climate. The article is also online at http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719
