Vote!
Voting is your chance to stand up for the issues you care about. Make a positive impact for yourself, your family, and for future generations by supporting ballot measures and candidates that share your values. You can also write or call your government representatives about climate action. The power of collective action can be a force to behold!
Speak Up
Most Americans are concerned about climate change and are motivated to do something about it. Learn more about this at Yale's Project on Global Warmings Six Americas. Talk to others about what you're doing to take action and encourage them to spread the word.
Join a Group or Club
Change can be hard, but it's often easier when you have others making similar changes around you. There are several climate focused clubs at the global, national, and local levels you can join. And you can take action with your friends and family at home. Chances are there are others who share your similar climate interests and are already working toward solutions – all you need to do is find out how you can contribute!
Go to a Meeting
Adapting to climate change will take all of us. Ask your city council, parent teacher association, or local employer what they are doing to address climate change and then promote positive change.
Drive Less
Try alternative sources of transportation, such as walking, biking, carpooling, or taking public transit. If possible, choose a fuel-efficient or electric car.
Invest in the Future
If you have a retirement or savings account, check to see if they are invested in fossil fuels. Learn how to make your financial investments align with your values at Fossil Free Funds.
Be a Smart Shopper
Choose items with less packaging, particularly plastic wrapping. Bring reusable bags to grocery stores instead of using plastic or paper bags. When you buy things online, try to combine purchases and shipping so there's less trips for the delivery truck to make to your home.
Adjust the Thermostat
Turn the thermostat down slightly in the winter and up slightly in the summer to reduce power use. This will not only eliminate carbon dioxide emissions, it will lower your energy bill.
Plant Something
Plants increase the absorption of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen into the atmosphere. All the better if your plant is native and attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Trees placed in a strategic location can also reduce homeowners' energy bills by providing shade and acting as a wind break.
Reduce Hot Water Use
Use the dishwasher and washing machine only when full. Select showerheads with low-flow settings and wash laundry using cold water.
Shop and Eat Local
Find local food and farms where you can buy local, sustainably grown food. Eating and shopping locally can reduce pollution by cutting down on the number of delivery trucks and cargo ships. It also supports business owners in your own community. EBT/SNAP shoppers can use SNAP Market Match to purchase local foods at farmers markets and farm stands throughout Washington.
Cut Food Waste
Eat leftovers, embrace “ugly” or imperfect produce, and help Washington meet it's Use Food Well Washington goals.
Eat Less Meat/ Eat More Veggies
Healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans tend to have the lowest environmental impacts. To reduce your carbon footprint even more, purchase local, in-season products whenever possible.
Learn More
There are lots of books, movie and TV shows, podcasts, and webinars to learn more about climate change. Check out the How to Save a Planet podcast for stories on climate solutions that are happening all around us. The Department of Interior offers a list of news and science resources.
Get Creative
Climate change isn't just about energy efficiency and carbon sequestration. Explore ideas, feelings, and art.
Be Kind to Your Mind
You don't have to do everything! Focus on what's most important to you. The climate crisis is a huge challenge and it can feel overwhelming. But one of the best ways to support your mental health is to take action on climate - like the steps you see on this webpage. For more resources, see CDC's Mental Health and Stress-Related Disorders.
Take a Hike
Finding your happy place in the natural environment helps you become personally invested in what's at stake. While you are out there, consider participating in some of the citizen science opportunities listed below.
Become a Citizen Scientist
Want to learn something new and participate in a rewarding project (maybe even with your child)?
Submit a tick to us. Tick submissions help us monitor tick activity throughout the state and alert us to any new tick species that have made their way to Washington.
Join the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network to help us understand how precipitation is changing in our area.
Report a freshwater algal bloom or partner with Sound Toxins to monitor algal blooms in saltwater. Harmful algal blooms, or toxic algae, is becoming more common in our waterways. Testing these blooms can help prevent people and pets from getting sick.
Collect pollen samples. Pollen affects human health and pollen levels are changing. Keeping track of pollen levels assists researchers, healthcare workers, and those with respiratory issues.
Join MeadoWatch to identify when wildflowers are blooming around Mt. Rainier. By learning to identify over a dozen wildflowers, you help inform conservation decisions at Mt. Rainier National Park.