Take Climate Action: Political actions

Sometimes when people think of individual action to address climate change, they think about only reducing their own personal emissions. Part of this is due to the pularization of the term "carbon footprint" by the oil giant BP, which according to research from Prof. Doyle of University of Brighton, has the effect of portraying BP as a solution, rather than producer, of climate change. This can lead to the consumer shifting the blame to themselves instead of fossil fuel companies for their lobbying activities and disinformation campaigns to keep the status quo (despite knowing from its own scientists the effects their products would have on global temperatures), or instead of the government for not taking appropriate action.

But there are many indiviudal climate actions that although don't directly impact one's own personal emissions, can ultimately even have an even larger effect. As can be seen on the reducing emissions page, many of those actions are encouraged by systemic level changes (e.g. tax credits, rebates, and curriculum changes for schools to teach climate change). However, when thinking about systemic change, we often think that we have no agency over established institutions — but institutions are made up of and supported by people, including everyday people like us.

Joining a climate action group and taking politically-oriented action together towards a common goal to create change at a policy level, such as through

• protests, 

• providing public comment and testimony, 

• contacting government officials, and

• door-knocking or contacting voters about climate issues or voting for pro-climate candidates

is often more powerful in achieving systemic change than a single person doing the same action.

If you're a young person, join us or the hundreds of other Sunrise hubs across the country. Other climate groups with local chapters include: Extinction Rebellion, 350, Sierra Club. If you're unsure about where to start with climate action, either politically or in terms of your personal emissions, joining or creating a local climate group can be a great place to start!

• Contact your representative: you can contact your representatives in local, state, and federal government.

  • Woolwich Township Committee: https://woolwichtwp.org/government/woolwich-township-committee/

  • NJ government:

    • Legislature: according to the NJ legislative roster, Woolwich is in NJ legislative district 3.

  • Federal government:

    • Contact the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

    • Find Your Member on Congress.gov