There are many ways to get involved in local climate solutions....
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Understanding your role in tackling the climate crisis and environmental sustainability can be daunting – yet there are many ways you can get involved that make a real difference. Check out these steps and challenge yourself to see climate efforts as something that intersects lots of other parts of your life. 

Step 1: Talk about it.

Talking about the climate crisis is actually one of the most powerful things we can do, truly. There is a pervasive misunderstanding in the U.S. that most people don’t care about climate change, when in reality, study after study shows that the majority of Americans care and want solutions.  
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We also know that the most powerful agent for social change is peer influence. So use your voice! Here are a few ideas how: 
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• Host (or join) a climate solutions book club. Some of our favorite recent reads include “Not Too Late,” “All We Can Save,” “Saving Us”, and “What if We Get it Right?”. 
• Take part in community climate conversations (or create your own) like those hosted by Families for a Livable Climate. 
• Talk to a mental health professional. The mental health impacts of climate change are real and significant. Check out our resources here and make sure you’re practicing healthy habits and self care.  

Join our email list to stay informed!

We promise not to inundate your inbox and to only send you useful updates on local climate happenings and opportunities.

Be sure to bookmark our calendar of local climate events - hosted by us and other community partners - and check back frequently!

Step 2: Stay educated.

There is actually a lot of good news coming out about climate solutions – and there are smart people having real conversations about the bad news and how to handle it. You’re not alone and there are many ways to stay engaged at whatever level works for you. 

We love these podcasts:  ​

• A Matter of Degrees – check out especially the three-episode series “What Can I Do?” that covers the personal, professional and political 
• How to Save a Planet – sadly, this podcast was discontinued last year, but many of the older episodes remain relevant and helpful.  
• Volts – veteran energy journalist David Roberts dives deep into facets of the clean energy transition, from the technological to the socio-political 
• Threshold – the 4th season of this award-winning series, entitled “Time to 1.5”, is a fantastic exploration of current climate issues and solutions. 
• Our podcasts! We’re biased, but we think both our podcast series are well worth a listen – Clear the Air, our first series, covers a wide range of local climate issues, and Breaking the Carbon Bond is an in-depth primer on getting off fossil fuels, told through the process of electrifying a single home.   

​We follow these newsletters and sites: 

• Grist’s The Beacon weekly newsletter covers climate progress 
• Inspiring climate scientist and communicator Katharine Hayhoe’s newsletter is a hopeful look at climate science and solutions ​

Step 3: Act, Advocate & Invest.

Some of our actions may feel like small steps. But if we all take small steps together, we will move forward. Momentum will build. A conversation with a neighbor about your solar project is a small drop, but it has the potential to ripple. Your neighbor might invest in their own solar array, then share their efforts with those around them. We can't predict what kinds of impact our actions will have – the important thing is that we do what we can! 

• Volunteer with us and attend our events! 
• Get involved in a political campaign for a candidate who will champion climate.  
• Contact your representatives about climate legislation and advocate for what is right. Sign up for MEIC’s action alerts to have actions you can take sent to you each month.
• Move your finances into fossil-fuel free investments and conscious banks. Check out this “Decarbonize Your Money” webinar for more. 
• Invest in fossil-fuel free appliances in your home. Electrify everything! Check out why, what and how at ElectrifyMissoula.org. 
• Plant trees to help create a more livable urban environment. 
• Talk to Missoula's Mayor and Council about the need for multi-solving and climate action.  We shared this letter with Mayor Davis!
• Check out our Act, Advocate & Invest page to dive deeper.​

These are just a few ideas, but there are so many other options to get involved. If you have ideas to contribute, let us know!

Step 4: Use the Climate Venn Diagram Tool to find your niche.

We all have passions and talents that can lend themselves to climate work. If you are wondering where your niche is with climate solutions, we love this Climate Action Venn Diagram (below). This first came to us via our climate heroes, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (here's the podcast where she introduced the idea). 

​Print the diagram, or make your own circles and fill them in.  What lands in the sweet spot for you?

Email your diagram to [email protected] or send to us at PO Box 8945, Missoula MT 59807

Scroll down for a combined Climate Action Venn from Climate Smart staff.

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Climate Smart's staff Climate Action Venn Diagram: