Global Warming Resources
The following is a list of resources for individual and or collective actions you can take to address global warming. Decide what role you want to play and begin now to change the course of climate change.
- Cut back on driving and air travel. Transportation is a large contributor to carbon pollution in the United States. Walk, bike, and use public transportation or use car pools to reduce auto travel. Limiting air travel also reduces your carbon footprint.
- Reduce your consumption of electricity, natural gas and coal. Since much of our national power grid is powered by natural gas and coal-fired power plants, when you consume less electricity, you help reduce emissions and pollution from these facilities.
- Use Green Power.You can choose to purchase electricity that is generated from renewable and environmentally friendly sources like wind and solar power. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Green Power Network website gives significant resources for state-by-state options for green power. http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/pricing.shtml?page=1
- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Note the order of this common phrase which starts with two important words that can be easily missed - reduce and reuse. Recycling helps to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases, but “pre-cycling,” or choosing wisely before purchasing, can help reduce packaging and energy consumption even further.
- Buy Local. The goods that are manufactured and food that is grown close to home require far fewer resources to get them to you than those things shipped from another continent or region. Support local business and the local food economy to reduce transportation associated with the transport of goods.
**For recent data regarding how food choices affect climate change, please refer to the following 2008 article: Food Miles
- Offset your remaining global warming pollution. After you take steps to reduce your global warming emissions, take steps to calculate your carbon footprint and consider offsetting the balance. You can go “Zero Carbon” to effectively support renewable technologies and minimize your impact on the climate.
- Become an agent of change. You can have a tremendous impact on those who surround you. Take note of the people, organizations and communities that you find your self living amongst, and work to bring about change in those areas where you have influence.
- Contact your government representatives. Speak with your representatives at all levels of government to let them know that global warming is a priority and needs to be addressed immediately. Support local, state and federal initiatives that seek to reduce global warming.
Also, see this article for further facts and information on global warming.
Additional Lists of “Simple Things To Do”
www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1590 - 12 Step program to stop climate change. A broad look at the issue, and what we can do as a society to address it.
www.climatecrisis.net/pdf/10things.pdf - A well-formatted single page flyer - Also promotes the film An Inconvenient Truth.
Personal Research and Action
- The Pew Center on Global Climate Change - “Brings together business leaders, policy makers, scientists, and other experts to bring a new approach to a complex and often controversial issue. Our approach is based on sound science, straight talk, and a belief that we can work together to protect the climate while sustaining economic growth.” www.pewclimate.org
- World Resources Institute - By conducting independent research and developing innovative policy and business options, WRI is promoting an effective international and US response to climate change. www.wri.org/climate
- Union of Concerned Scientists - “Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our emissions of heat-trapping gases by using the technology, know-how, and practical solutions already at our disposal.” www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science
- Climate Solutions - A Northwest non-profit organization, “Climate Solutions has emerged as the region’s leading source of ideas and inspiration on ways to act decisively and creatively towards addressing the global warming crisis.” www.climatesolutions.org
- World View of Global Warming - Photos of climate change from around the world. www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org
- RealClimate - “A commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists. We aim to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. The discussion here is restricted to scientific topics and will not get involved in any political or economic implications of the science.” www.realclimate.org
- Low Carbon Diet - a 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds by David Gershon - This book offers practical and accessible ways for individuals and groups of people to reduce their carbon output. Published by the Empowerment Institute.
Business / Organizations / Faith Communities
- Safe Climate for Business - A joint project of the World Resources Institute and the Center for Environmental Leadership in Business, dedicated to helping business of all sizes understand and take action on climate change.
www.safeclimate.net/business/index.php
- Working 9 to 5 on Climate Change - An Office Guide
www.safeclimate.net/business/measuring/WRI_CO2Guide.pdf
- Stern Report - A newly released economic study, widely quoted, “Climate change presents a unique challenge for economics: it is the greatest and widest-ranging market failure ever seen…the benefits of strong, early action on climate change outweigh the costs.”
Carbon Offsets - Information, Certification and Carbon Offset Providers
- Carbonfund.org - www.carbonfund.org
- Native Energy - www.nativeenergy.com
- The Climate Trust - www.climatetrust.org
- Bonneville Environmental Fund - www.b-e-f.org
- Chicago Climate Exchange - www.chicagoclimatex.com
- Green E - www.green-e.org
- Environmental Resources Trust - www.ert.net
- www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_carbon_reduction.htm - A website with a list of offset providers
- Ceres - Investors and Environmentalists for a Sustainable Future
www.ceres.org/pub/docs/Ceres_corp_gov_and_climate_change_sr_0306.pdf
www.ceres.org/pub/docs/Framework.pdf
- Investor Network on Climate Risk - Managing climate risk and capturing opportunities www.incr.com
Faith Community Resources
- Web of Creation - Ecology resources to transform faith and society www.webofcreation.org
- National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs - Provide an opportunity for the national bodies of member Protestant and Orthodox denominations to work together to protect and restore God’s Creation.
www.nccecojustice.org, www.nccecojustice.org/globalwarming.htm
- National Religious Partnership for the Environment - Guided by biblical teaching, the Partnership seeks to encourage people of faith to weave values and programs of care for God’s creation throughout the entire fabric of religious life. www.nrpe.org
- Earth Ministries - Greening Congregations Handbook. www.earthministry.org/Congregations/handbook.htm
Communities and States
- International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) - “More than 177 American cities are currently participating in ICLEI’s Climate Protection Campaign®. This campaign annually reduces more than 23 million tons of greenhouse emissions, 43,000 tons of local air pollutants, and realizes cost savings of more than $535 million in energy and fuel costs.” www.iclei.org/index.php?id=1118
- The Mayors for Climate Protection - This web site is one result of an ongoing collaboration among four organizations - the US Conference of Mayors, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, the City of Seattle, and the Sundance Preserve - to provide leadership to promote climate protection in cities in the United States. www.coolmayors.org
- U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement - Encourages cities to reduce emissions by 7% below 1990 levels by 2012. www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate
- West Coast Governors’ Report on Global Warming www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/GBLWRM/Regional_Intro.shtml
- The Apollo Alliance - The Apollo Alliance provides a message of optimism and hope, framed around rejuvenating our nation’s economy by creating the next generation of American industrial jobs and treating clean energy as an economic and security mandate to rebuild America.
- The Regeneration Project - Interfaith Power and Light State Chapters www.theregenerationproject.org/State.htm
National and International
To find out how to contact your federal Representative go to: www.house.gov
To find out how to contact your federal Senators, go to: www.senate.gov
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - www.unfccc.int/essential_background/items/2877.php
- US Global Change Research Program - This site brings together information about federally funded research on global warming, changing ecosystems, the carbon cycle, the water cycle, and much more. It contains links to hundreds of U.S. and international science organizations. www.usgcrp.gov
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - Established by WMO and UNEP to assess scientific, technical and socio- economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. www.ipcc.ch
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Global Warming website
www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
- American Energy: The Path to Energy Security - A remarkable new report that describes an energy future based on abundant and clean renewable resources that is not only urgently needed, but is also achievable.
Recommended Films
- The Great Warming - A beautiful and empowering documentary that reveals how climate change is affecting the lives of people everywhere. The film is neither political nor negative in tone, rather, it is uplifting and unique in suggesting that climate change is a moral, ethical and spiritual issue. Available for public screenings. www.thegreatwarming.com
- An Inconvenient Truth - This film sold a million copies in its first week, and follows Al Gore as he gives presentations on global warming to audiences around the globe. www.climatecrisis.net
- Too Hot Not to Handle - HBO Documentary on global warming. www.hbo.com/docs/programs/toohot/index.html
- Who Killed the Electric Car? - Martin Sheen hosts a documentary that investigates the birth and death of the electric car, as well as the role of renewable energy and sustainable living in the future.
www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/
- National Geographic’s Strange Days on Planet Earth - “By revealing a cause and effect relationship between what we as humans do to the Earth and what that in turn does to our environment and ecosystems, the series creates a new sense of environmental urgency.”
www.pbs.org/strangedays/episodes/onedegreefactor/#
- Kilowatt Ours - This documentary film “Kilowatt Ours: A Plan To Re-Energize America” illustrates how buildings across America have successfully taken steps to reduce energy use, save money and reduce global warming impacts, all at the same time. www.KilowattOurs.org
- The New Heroes - PBS series looks at innovative social change entrepreneurs. Not directly related to Global Warming, but incredibly inspiring stories about the difference that one person can make. www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes
- MELT - A Teenager’s View of Global Warming (16 minutes)
www. video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5617318652349295608
- Dimming the Sun - A NOVA film that investigates global dimming caused by air pollution and its impact on climate change.
Highlighted Organizations Working on
Global Warming and Related Issues
- Climate Action Network - (CAN) is a worldwide network of over 365 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.
- Environmental Defense Fund - Since 1967, Environmental Defense has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems.
www.fightglobalwarming.com/index.cfm
- Green House Network - a Portland, Oregon-501(c)3 non-profit organization, is committed to creating the grassroots movement needed to stop global warming. www.greenhousenet.org
- Sierra Club’s Cool Cities Campaign - What is a Cool City? These are cities that have made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. www.coolcities.us
- Rocky Mountain Institute - (RMI) is an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining. www.rmi.org
Additional Programs / Campaigns / Related Topics
- The Great Warming Coalition - www.thegreatwarming.com
- 18th Annual Bioneers Conference - Fall 2007 - www.bioneers.org
- The Great Turning Initiative - www.thegreatturning.net
- Change a Light: Change the World Campaign - Take the Energy Star Change a Light pledge with OIPL now!
www.energystr.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=cal.showpledge
- www.StopGlobalWarming.org - a virtual online march against global warming.
- Point Carbon - Providing critical insights into energy and environmental markets. Point Carbon is the leading provider of independent analysis, forecasting, market intelligence and news for the power, gas and carbon emissions markets.
www.pointcarbon.com/category364.html
- “Mother Earth vs. World’s People - Perhaps the most important trial in the history of civilization” - A global warming-related play that is fun, visually memorable, and scientifically accurate. Suitable for all ages. Contact Doug Stewart for a copy of the script and for more information at stewart@rt66.com.
We would love to hear how you are taking action to address global warming and what resources you find helpful in addressing the issue. If you have suggestions of inspiring actions, organizations, campaigns, and events that you would like us to consider for our updated website resources section, please email resources@nwei.org.
