Be Inspired Every Day

Happy Blog Action Day 2009. This year, the topic of Blog Action Day is Climate Change.

Climate Change and Inspiration

Our creative power is an awesome gift. There is no other animal on this planet that has the creative power to manipulate their environment the way that we can.

Along with that creative power, we have free will which enables us to exercise tremendous power over our environment. On one extreme, we can choose to use our power to be of service to one another and make the world a better place. On the other extreme, we can choose to use that power to pursue our selfish desires and make the world a worse place to live for everyone, including ourselves.

Most of us live somewhere in between those extremes, but the fact remains that most scientific evidence regarding climate change suggests that we will all need to shift our habits in the direction of environmental stewardship in order to avoid potentially catastrophic changes.

The problem for many of us is that it appears overwhelming to look at this global issue and imagine what we can do to make a difference. The fact is, we already are making a difference. Each one of us has an impact on the health of this planet, and each one of us is capable of changing the direction of that impact.

The good news is, most of the actions that we, as individuals, can take to have a positive impact on this issue are actions that are good for our own health, budget and/or level of inspiration. Here is a list of a few of those actions:

• Drive Less – Bike, Walk or Jog More. Emissions from our cars is the second largest contributor to climate change. By biking, walking or jogging to places we would have otherwise driven, we are improving our own physical health, saving ourselves the cost of gas and vehicle wear and tear, and reducing carbon emissions in our atmosphere.
• Make Your Home More Energy Efficient. By using compact florescent bulbs, sealing leaky windows and keeping appliances in good repair, we can save ourselves energy costs, make our homes less drafty and more comfortable, and reduce the amount of coal being burned.
• Eat Healthier Foods. Reducing meats and packaged foods and adding locally grown foods, fresh fruits and vegetables will boost our bodies energy levels, help us feel and look healthier, save money and significantly reduce the environmental impact of our diets. Processing, packaging and shipping foods is a resource intensive process. Domesticating and raising animals for consumption is many times more resource intensive than raising crops for human consumption.
• Take Care of Your Stuff. The more products we buy, the more manufacturing, packaging and transportation activities have to occur. The more products we throw away, the more resources have to be spent to manage our trash. When we maintain and take good care of our belongings, especially larger, more expensive items, such as cars and appliances, the more we can rely on them, the more money we can save and the less products will have to be manufactured, packaged and transported on our behalf.

Whether we recognize our responsibility for our impact on this planet or not, the fact remains: we do have an impact. We can change that impact into a more positive one while improving our own lives and the lives of others by being conscious of that impact and making positive changes.

To read more about climate change and what you can do to help resolve this global issue, check out the Blog Action Day site. This is one of 7700+ blogs articles to be written on this topic today, and that number is expected to grow throughout the day [12,000]. If you’re a blogger and you want to participate, it’s not too late to sign up.