- Tell your friends. All of them. If you have friends, talk to them about all the ways the environment matters! Offer solutions. Be nice to their views too, but question false points about the task at hand, say, “Not being worth it” or “Doesn’t make a difference” or “The climate’s always changing” or “It’s already ruined so what’s the difference now.”
- Strike Up conversations with strangers. It goes without saying, but not the really creepy ones. Nevertheless, we are constantly meeting people in our daily lives, many of whom would be receptive to sustainability ideas, but never heard of, say, the Zero Waste Movement or Ocean Acidification. They might love oysters, but never heard of Ocean Acidification! Can we connect the dots for them?
- Meet your local Environmental Non-profits. Non-profits undertake a huge task within the environmental movement. Not only do they focus on specific direct actions, they act as organizational pillars that help direct member’s disparate voices into something louder and more powerful.
- Host an Event. No matter what it is for, when we bring members of our community together to focus on something important related to the environment, it’s a win. This one can actually get really fun because it doesn’t have to be complicated. The only goal is to inspire people and share our ideas, if only for a moment. Think outside the box. Ask your favorite bar if you can show a surf movie one night and get a dollar off drinks for an hour. Somewhere in there, give a little speech. Thank the bar for hosting, and engage with the community.
- Think Courageous. Be Courageous. Ultimately everything in this list involves courage. Flat out, it is not always comfortable to engage in some of these conversations. It takes courage. Aspire to be courageous. Try engaging your community once and before you know it, it might feel natural!
