My Climate Pledge

In many ways, our natural environment is getting better.

Our water is cleaner — both nationally and worldwide. Our air is cleaner. The ozone hole is closing. The number of trees in the United States and across the earth is growing. Our CO2 emissions have decreased by about 14% below 2005 levels, and in the United States, nitrous oxide and methane emissions are down to where they were 30 years ago.

That’s all very good news! But many people are still concerned about the pressures humans place on our environment, and the Peoples Climate Movement arose out of these concerns. On Sept. 20 to 27, it is asking people around the planet to walk out of school and the workplace to demand change.

But this sort of escalation and deliberately disruptive action will likely be counterproductive. While direct action may help strikers to feel better by giving them a venue to express their frustrations and fears, it will also drive a lot of people away from their concerns. Additionally, it places the hope for solutions in politicians instead of directly confronting the problem ourselves.

At MyClimatePledge.com, we propose a different path and are encouraging strikers to take real action on their own, without waiting for politicians to move.

We are doing this because a 2016 Climatic Change research study indicated that people who reduce their own CO2 emissions are viewed as more credible when they ask others to do the same. The global climate strike website claims that millions are expected to join in. So, we would like to see strikers agree to reduce their emissions by 1 million pounds of CO2 — that’s less than one pound of CO2 each. We suggest that the strikers and the groups supporting them lead by taking the Climate Pledge.

I’m Ready ↓

Because Striking is not enough, I Pledge to Do My Part…

To help the environment, we can’t just go on a climate strike and then hope that politicians might act.

Before we ask others to take steps to radically reduce their CO2 emissions, we must show it can be done. We will lead with our actions!

To live up to my concerns about climate change, I pledge to act on the following issues:

(choose one or more)

Get Invested: If we truly believe that we must reduce our carbon dioxide emissions, purchasing carbon credits from a reputable source is a very easy way to offset them.

Plant a Tree: On average, one tree absorbs about 48 pounds of CO2 each year. Planting trees in our own yard or around our cities can help offset or reduce our emissions.

Transportation: While cars have become much more efficient and clean, they are still a source of emissions. Climate strikers can refuse to ride in a personal automobile for a year, choosing walking or bicycling instead. Similarly, we can also refuse air travel and attend distant meetings or classes virtually.

At Home: We can limit our use of air conditioning and heat. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends installing a programmable thermostat and setting it at 78 in the summer, 82 when we’re sleeping, and 85 when we’re away from home. In the winter, it recommends keeping our homes at 68 during the day and 62 at night. Another at-home solution is to remove the lawn and replace it with xeriscaping or native plants and trees that will require less mowing and other maintenance.

Additional Steps

Nuclear Energy: Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or to my elected representatives asking that they reconsider or embrace the safety and reliability of nuclear power. We get about 9% of our total energy use in the U.S. from it. Some countries, like France, get most of their electricity from nuclear. Nuclear is a way to produce massive amounts of reliable, affordable energy that is safe and essentially emissions-free.

Hydroelectric Power: Write a letter supporting water power, which has been used for centuries and is still one of the most effective ways to provide clean, reliable, renewable energy. When paired with nuclear power, the two can meet many of the goals we climate strikers want to achieve.

We can do our part by supporting solutions that use the power of freemarkets, and personal choices.

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