blog action day: you can make an impact

You may notice that today is Blog Action Day if you're a heavy RSSer. This is a global movement to have bloggers take one day out of the year to focus on a preset topic. This year it's climate change.

It's so funny to me that people dispute climate change. I remember when I was about 9 or 10 years-old getting a fun activity book from Target that explained the issue to kids and taught us what we could do then (1990ish) to make a difference. I hardly think Target, as much as their ads would like us to believe, was being subversive.

I think the doubters are truly just people unable to look at the big picture. Yes, it may be "cold" in Milwaukee, in October, but how does that correlate to the planet itself not warming up? Being a creative, and by no means a "math & science" person, I am still shocked and sickened by the way that math and science have been tossed aside in recent years. It's kinda freaky, and from my literary point of view, kinda dark ages.

At any rate, tonight I will try and get up some "best of" posts or my reflections on a Wisconsin affected by climate change. But, before rushing off to work in the cold and rain, I'll leave a few tips for you to try today to make your own impact in the battle against climate change:

• Take public transportation somewhere this week. In Milwaukee, you can go to RideMCTS.com to figure out how to do that.
• Ride your bike or walk to run errands. Absolutely walk if you are going less than a half mile away.
• Turn off all the lights before you leave the house.
• Unplug your cell phone charger, if you aren't charging your cell phone.
  
• Shut down your computer, or at least put on your "energy saver" functions
• Eat and shop local (start with this great list here in Milwaukee)...and pay attention to those labels I was buying orange juice the other day and noticed that half the juice was now from Brazil. Florida's Natural got my purchasing vote because it was all a product of the U.S.A.

Remember, you can't change your lifestyle habits overnight. Pick one thing on the list and do it just once a week, or even once a month. Slowly, over time, you'll realize you're doing the right thing for yourself and our planet.

Good luck!