"I wanted to be a part of this project because my home state and my culture are being drastically affected by climate change."
—Verner Wilson III, AYEA graduate

APRIL 2008

Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act

TAKE ACTION» Write a Student Letter to Senator Murkowski!
+ Instructions

TAKE ACTION» Write a Student Letter to Senator Stevens!

READ UP» Lieberman-Warner Fact Sheet

READ UP» Congress and Global Warming

READ UP»Speak Up for Wildlife

What can I do to help solve the problem?

Perhaps the silver lining of the cloud of global warming is that each of us can make a difference, both by making changes in our own lives and by demanding change from our leaders. Both of these types of actions have additional benefits as well; personal lifestyle changes reduce your environmental impact and save you money, while being civically involved strengthens our democracy

Stay up to Date!

Almost every day scientists are able to tell us something new about global warming or our leaders take some action to take us forward (or backward) in the fight against it. Staying up to date is difficult but fortunately there are lots of resources that can help:

• Alaska Conservation Solutions' monthly newsletter — an excellent monthly synopsis of all the major global warming news at the state, national, and global levels. www.alaskaconservationsolutions.com (just go to the bottom left portion of the page to enter your name and email address)
• Climate Crisis Coalition's daily newsfeed — a very clear yet thorough daily synopsis of global warming news: www.climatecrisiscoalition.org

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

• Take AYEA's 3-2-1 Efficiency! Pledge
  

• Check out Alaska Conservation Solutions' guide to reducing your emissions
  

Demand Action!

Believe it or not our leaders take notice when we make our voices heard, whether it's by meeting directly with Senator Murkowski about automobile fuel efficiency or writing a letter to the editor of your local paper about the importance of renewable energy for your community.

Contact Our State Leaders — All three members of Alaska's congressional delegation are great targets for letter writing or calls, particularly Senator Murkowski, who has shown her concern for the impacts of global warming on Alaska. Governor Sarah Palin and your state legislators are also excellent folks to talk to about your concerns.

• Senator Murkowski's contact info
• Senator Stevens's contact info
• Representative Young's contact info
• Governor Palin's contact info
• Contact info for state legislature

• Signing onto the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement
• Supporting local recycling efforts
• Developing the area's renewable energy potential
• Using public education to promote energy efficiency

For more ideas about who to contact and what to say, visit our Action Tools section or go to www.alaskaconservationsolutions.com/acs/be-heard.html.

Other Groups

If you're interested in getting involved at an even larger level, there are several nationwide youth groups and events to get involved with:

Become a Virtual Marcher — Become one of nearly one million Virtual Marchers that are demanding that our leaders begin taking the necessary steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions: www.stopglobalwarming.org.

Focus the Nation — On January 31 2008, colleges, universities, high schools, and other organizations all across the country will engage in a collaborative, interdisciplinary discussion about global warming solutions. Over 500 groups have registered so far, but there's still plenty of time to get your school or group involved.

Campus Climate Challenge — As part of an ongoing effort, the campus climate challenge is taking place at hundreds of schools across the country where students have pledged to reduce their institution's greenhouse gas emissions by 10% below 1990 levels. Find out if your school is doing its part.