Forget Resolutions, Here Are Some Realistic Ways To Make A Difference On Climate This Year

2022 was one heck of a year for our global climate. This summer, floodwaters devastated Pakistan while raging wildfires scorched their way across the American West, taking livelihoods and even lives with them.

A heck of a year, for sure. But no reason to get down in the dumps this holiday season. Because we’re fighting back.

In 2023, Climate Reality is going to train even more grassroots activists in key regions all around the world to take action in their own backyards. Read on to find out how you can join them, as well as a few other ways you can create real change for our climate – this year, and for years to come.

Shop Local

Lower your own carbon footprint by shopping local. From the weekly farmer’s market to the holiday lane many towns set up this time of year, there are ways you can make sure some of your food and gifts this holiday season don’t travel in from halfway around the world in an emissions-spewing ship and then truck. That they were made or grown right in your very own community.

Transportation is the biggest emitting sector in the US, accounting for about 26 percent of total US greenhouse gas emissions. It takes a lot to get goods from one place to another.

Remember, what you pay for can be an act of advocacy too. Using your wallet to push for a booming community economy is one way to make this a particularly merry holiday season for storeowners, workers, and shoppers alike.

Train to Become a Climate Reality Leader

In 2023, Climate Reality will be busy making sure our training model continues to meet the moment. Our Climate Reality Leadership Corps trainings are your chance to learn about the climate and justice crises shaping our world – and how you can make a difference.

In recent years, we have offered trainings both virtually and in person. Regardless of where the event happens, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between the climate crisis and environmental justice issues, and hear from regional experts on the climate crisis and how we can solve it. You’ll connect with other changemakers just like you and build a powerful network of friends, colleagues, and allies to make a difference when it matters.

You’ll become a Climate Reality Leader. One of over 40,000. All around the world.

Sign up here to be among the first to hear about our 2023 training options.

Choose Clean Energy (If You Can)

Even if you can’t put solar panels on the roof, you might still be able to go renewable. Several utilities across the country have programs that allow you to choose to get your power from clean sources like wind and solar. It’s a big way to step up and demand more and more clean energies.

In this model, the utility either generates the power with clean sources or buys renewable energy certificates from other clean energy providers.

There’s sometimes a fee associated with choosing clean energy. It’s not nothing, to be sure, but it’s also an affordable option for a lot of families and a practical one for renters. Plus, in many cases, making the switch is just a matter of a few clicks or a few minutes on the phone.

Join a Climate Reality Chapter

Even if you’re not quite ready to become a Climate Reality Leader, you can still be involved in Climate Reality’s campaigns by joining a local chapter in your region or community. Chapters connect our network of supporters on the ground with Climate Reality staff, so that we are working in alignment on the greatest threat facing the world today. Click here to get started.

Give to Climate Reality

We still have a short –  but real – window of opportunity to combat this crisis by ending the era of fossil fuels and transitioning to a clean energy future that leaves no community behind. But the only way to get there is to band together and build the strongest climate movement possible.

With Climate Reality’s tools and trainings, grassroots activists are organizing their communities to fight back against the greedy companies and anti-environment policies that have driven our planet to this tipping point. But we urgently need you with us to beat the odds and secure a livable future for all of us. So please, with our shared future on the line…

Will you donate to Climate Reality now? We’re building a winning movement to stop the climate crisis and achieve a safe and sustainable future for all. And we need you with us every step of the way.

Thank you for all that you do to keep the momentum of our movement alive – in the new year and for years to come.

If you don’t already, sign up now to receive the latest climate news and word from the front lines of the climate movement, directly from Climate Reality: