Just went to a marvellous talk by Jane Goodall here on the USC campus, in Bovard auditorium. She’s signing her new book as we speak! Among the many things she said, she emphasized one of my favourite themes with regards the environment (and so many other things, like community, education, etc): Act locally.
Have a look at her roots and shoots organization for example. It is very youth driven too, so might be a really interesting activity for someone you know looking for a new organization to be part of that can make a huge difference.
There might be a branch (sorry) near you.
-cvj
I took my sons a few years ago to see a Roots and Shoots presentation in Boulder, Colorado. It was great fun for the boys and inspirational for my daughter and I. Jane talked about the inconvenience of being forced to stay another night in Nebraska because of a late spring many-feet-deep snowfall in Colorado; but because of the delay, when she awakened the next morning, the sandhill cranes danced. When I’m depressed, a few places or images make me feel peaceful–for example, even though I pretty much detest Aspen, I always feel peaceful if I envision myself at a concert in the music tent; and since Jane talked that day, I feel peaceful when I envision the sandhill cranes dancing even though I’ve never seen it myself–that’s how powerful her image was for me.