When we say, To Save the Planet Change Yourself First, usually we mean our personal carbon footprint: Transportation, homes, and even making our food choices clean and green.
However, it’s also fun to see ourselves as a Many Me… This is what I mean:
There’s Personal Life Me… especially the realm of habits.
There’s Family Me… a bit bigger circle, but one we absolutely control.
There’s Neighborhood Me… a slightly bigger circle. Here we start to influence rather than wielding direct control. The example we set for those around us, for instance driving high fuel-economy cars or biking or walking, and being seen to implement rooftop solar Or if in a rural area, an inexpensive micro wind turbine that are sprouting up everywhere in the windy rural American West. Hard to miss from the neighbors’ ranch, and they are going to want to know how much money you are saving on your energy bill.
The next two circles,each a bit bigger, are City Me and County Me… We certainly have lots of local influence by simply doing our civic duty to be engaged and informed. For instance, this month my region switches all residents to 100% clean energy… that happened because local folks pushed to get it done. An inspiring accomplishment, and you know what: If we can do it, you can do it in your county. It’s a movement, and everyone shares insights and organizing tactics.
Finally there’s State Representatives Me and Federal Representatives Me: Now we are really starting to work through others, particularly those we elect but also administrators who have a process for creating standards for good government.
This level Me is highly, highly sensitive to the Indivisible Guide and Tea Party tactics for influencing representatives, which essentially say, “If you do what we say, we will reward you; if you don’t, we will cripple you.” Again, tons of opportunities to influence.
So that’s just the widening circles of Democracy Me. Whew. There are two more series of circles: a) Economy Me and b) Faith Community Me.
In Economy Me, the inner circle is influence created by Personal Spending Habits Me, widening outward to Family Spending Choices Me, then to The Company I Own or Work for Me (sorry, I know that’s a mouthful). Or, Investments Me…
The cool thing is that at every level, To Save the Planet, Change Yourself First works brilliantly. Simply do the right thing, in whatever role you happen to be playing right now.
Same thing with our faiths: Start with your Personal Faith Me, widening outwards to Family Faith Me, outwards to Local Faith Community Me, and finally to your faith’s top leaders. We can influence those of our religion, and remind them To Save the Planet, Change Yourself first. For example, the churches in my area have started putting in electric car chargers… ENCOURAGE THEM, thank them, and drop a few bucks in the voluntary pay envelope to validate their efforts!
Once you get started thinking like a Many Me, a snowball effect takes over and it is really kind of fun… learn to spot climate change solutions whatever the role you happen to be at the moment. Get inspired, and sell, sell, sell!
Ok, my fellow Many Me: What game shall we play today?
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Not sure where to start saving the planet (civilization, really)? Our Thesis is: “Start by deeply knowing your three personal Superpowers: ”
1) To save the planet, CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST;
2) To save the planet, INVEST YOUR WORKING LIFE;
3) To save the planet, USE YOUR VOICE and take advocacy seriously! Never miss a vote and never, ever stop influencing your government and all businesses locally, at the state level, and at the national level.
It falls upon you to lead the way with substantive global warming solutions.
And in all cases and at all times, cast aside the learned-helplessness that infects so much of modern life… the time is now for climate change solutions. No one else is going to do your part for you… never give up.
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Global Warming, You and I 
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