Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change
Climate change is already affecting communities around the world. Rising temperatures are intensifying heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and heavy rainfall. These changes threaten homes, health, food and water supplies, wildlife, and local economies. The choices made today can help limit future harm and build safer, healthier communities.
Why Action Matters Now
Climate change is driven largely by greenhouse gases released when people burn coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, transportation, heating, and industry. Deforestation and some agricultural practices also contribute. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, altering climate patterns and increasing risks to people and ecosystems.
Every fraction of a degree of warming matters. Delaying action can make climate impacts more severe and costly, while making it harder to protect vulnerable communities. Reducing emissions and preparing for impacts go hand in hand: we need to address the causes of climate change while helping people adapt to changes already underway.
Support Climate Solutions in Your Community
Meaningful climate action happens at every level. Individuals can make practical changes, but lasting progress also depends on community investment, business decisions, and strong public policies.
- Use energy more efficiently. Improve insulation, choose efficient appliances when possible, and reduce unnecessary energy use. Ask your utility or local government about energy-efficiency programs and clean-energy options.
- Choose lower-emission transportation. Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transit when practical. When replacing a vehicle, consider options that use less fuel or run on electricity.
- Reduce waste. Buy only what you need, reuse and repair items, and recycle according to local guidelines. Reducing food waste can also lower emissions and save money.
- Protect nature. Support the conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other ecosystems that store carbon and help communities withstand floods, heat, and drought.
- Prepare for local risks. Learn about heat, wildfire, flood, and storm risks in your area. Support community plans that protect public health and help residents prepare for emergencies.
Make Your Voice Heard
Individual choices matter, but they cannot solve climate change alone. Contact elected officials and ask them to support credible efforts to cut emissions, expand clean energy, improve public transportation, protect natural areas, and prepare communities for climate impacts. Attend local meetings, participate in public comment periods, and vote with climate and resilience policies in mind.
Businesses and institutions also have an important role. Encourage employers, schools, and local organizations to measure and reduce their emissions, use energy wisely, and make plans for extreme weather. When people ask for change together, decision-makers are more likely to act.
Build a Fair and Resilient Future
Climate impacts do not affect everyone equally. People with fewer resources, outdoor workers, older adults, children, and communities already facing pollution or economic hardship may be especially vulnerable. Effective climate solutions should reduce emissions while protecting health, creating opportunity, and ensuring that the benefits of cleaner energy and safer infrastructure are shared fairly.
Urgent action does not mean every solution must happen overnight. It means starting now, choosing effective steps, and sustaining progress. By working together—at home, in our communities, and through public policy—we can reduce climate risks and help create a cleaner, healthier future.
6 Urgent Steps to Combat Climate Change Now
- Switch to renewable electricity as soon as possible.
- Replace car trips with walking, biking, or public transit.
- Eat more plant-based meals and waste less food.
- Insulate buildings and upgrade to efficient appliances.
- Support leaders and policies that cut greenhouse gas emissions.
- Protect forests and restore native habitats.
Switch to renewable electricity as soon as possible.
Switching to renewable electricity is one practical way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Check whether your utility offers a renewable energy plan, or explore options such as community solar or rooftop solar if they’re available and affordable where you live. Compare costs, contract terms, and eligibility before enrolling, and ask your utility or local energy office about incentives. Even a small step toward cleaner electricity can support the broader shift away from fossil fuels.
Replace car trips with walking, biking, or public transit.
Replacing car trips with walking, biking, or public transit is a simple way to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. For short journeys, walking or biking can also support better health, while buses and trains can move many people using less energy per passenger than individual cars. Start with one trip a week, explore safe routes and transit options nearby, and choose the alternative that works best for your schedule and mobility needs.
Eat more plant-based meals and waste less food.
Eating more plant-based meals and wasting less food can help reduce your climate impact. Plant-based foods generally require fewer resources and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than many animal-based foods. Try adding beans, lentils, vegetables, and whole grains to your meals, and plan portions and shopping lists to avoid buying more than you can use. Store food properly, enjoy leftovers, and freeze extras before they spoil. Small changes in everyday eating habits can add up when many people make them.
Insulate buildings and upgrade to efficient appliances.
Insulating buildings and upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can reduce the energy needed for heating, cooling, and everyday tasks. Better insulation helps keep indoor temperatures comfortable year-round, while efficient appliances use less electricity and can lower utility bills. Choose improvements that fit your home and budget, and check with local utilities or government programs for rebates and energy-efficiency assistance.
Support leaders and policies that cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Support leaders and policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by expanding clean energy, improving energy efficiency, protecting forests, and making transportation cleaner. Learn where candidates stand, vote in local and national elections, and contact elected officials to voice your support for effective climate action. Public policies can drive change on a much larger scale than individual choices alone, helping communities cut pollution and build a healthier, more resilient future.
Protect forests and restore native habitats.
Protecting forests and restoring native habitats are powerful ways to help combat climate change. Forests and healthy ecosystems absorb and store carbon while supporting wildlife, protecting soil, and helping regulate water. Support conservation efforts, plant native species suited to your region, and volunteer with local habitat-restoration projects. Choose sustainably sourced wood and paper products, and encourage community leaders to protect natural areas from unnecessary development.