Blog Action Day - In Praise of the Good

This is Blog Action Day, when all of us with blogs, important or minor, have commited to write about global warming.  I say to myself, what can someone like me add to the discourse, when millions of words have been written by those so much more knowledgeable than I?  Reading about the coming disaster that awaits our planet if we do not take action is surely a depressing, intimidating, agonizing exercise. 

Rather than focus on the futility of trying to change the course of the world as a whole, it's more fruitful to realize that each one of us is an agent for change in our small way, and many small changes add up to big ones.  Writing a blog to raise awareness, commiting to make one small change in consumer habits, contacting our elected representatives to let them know how important we feel this issue is, planting a native species to attract more native pollinators, making a small monetary contribution to organizations that work to reduce carbon emissions, voting for representatives who are commited to working to prevent large scale climate change, volunteering with groups working to preseve native habitats, reducing the amount of waste we put in the trash can, finding more ways to recycle, driving a little bit less, buying fewer products from China, purchasing food produced closer to home, turning down the thermostat in winter.  The ways are endless and really very painless. 

Big change on a global scale is necessary too, by governments and scientists.  To finally have an administration that is not waging war on science is a huge step in the right direction.  But closer to home, I am encouraged by friends, acquaintances, neighbors, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, the Nature Conservancy, the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Tohono Chul Desert Park, Tucson Clean and Beautiful and so many others who understand the seriousness of the global warming issue and are willing to work in ways large and small to effect change.  Thank you for caring and for making me hopeful about the future of the planet!