The concepts of climate change and dwindling fossil-fuel supplies may be debatable, but it is certain that there are more humans occupying our planet than there were 100 years ago. Projects to reduce the total resources humans consume make good sense if Earth is to sustain future generations.
Begin at Home
Set up a strategy to reduce, re-use, and recycle materials within your own home. Buy energy-efficient appliances --- then take the next step, and limit their use. Cook several meals at once, and store surplus in the freezer for later use; hang a clothesline; turn lights off when they aren't needed; give up television several days a week. Turn your computer off when not in use. Cut down on over-packaged purchases, and adapt old materials for new uses --- trying making crafts with recycled materials, for instance. Choose your food from the lower end of the food chain --- cut down on meats and eat more shellfish, smaller fish, vegetables, and fruits. Skip bottled water and soda to cut down on the carbon footprint made by plastic bottles (this will also cut down sugar in your diet). Invest in a water filter for your tap or refrigerator filter, and brew your own green tea.
Spread the Word
Set an example, and encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to share in your campaign to reduce energy use, reuse objects, and recycle materials. Exchange gently used items with others, or collect them for charity, rather than pitching them into the garbage. Start a community garden in a common area or on your building's rooftop, and share in its maintenance and bounty. Grow native or drought-tolerant plants, and cut down on the use of energy-hogging lawn grass. Grow tomatoes and salad greens on sunny balconies with irrigation systems composed of plastic milk jugs and shoestring wicks. Have your kids ask local grocers where the food they sell comes from, and report back on retailers who patronize local suppliers and manufacturers. Lead your group in organizing a hazardous waste recycling program as a service in your community.
Engage!
Take family and friends with you to lobby school boards and local government. Encourage your local and state governments to participate in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to bring some of the money you pay in taxes back to your city or state. Insist that local groups contemplating construction projects consult the American Institute of Architects' "Guide to Green Life-Cycle Assessment." Insist that local government use LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified professionals for building projects, and check for incentives offered by your state for LEED designs and practices.
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