by Franke James




How can YOU take action? What’s YOUR plan?
1. DOES YOUR CITY HAVE A PLAN? Use Google to find out if your region has a Mitigation and Adaptation Plan for climate change, like Toronto and New York have. (And if they don’t, then press your local politicians to develop one!)
2. DOES YOUR AGENCY/ORGANIZATION HAVE A PLAN? If they don't then encourage your leaders to create one!
3. MAKE YOUR OWN PLAN. Develop your own personal Mitigation and Adaptation Plan. There are many actions each of us can take to protect ourselves and our property from floods, heat waves, power shortages, water shortages… etc. See the Resources below for ideas such as this one from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction: Handbook for Reducing Basement Flooding.
4. JOIN OUR WHAT'S COOL SERIES. Share what you and your organization/agency are doing with the Bay Area's land conservation community. Share in the comments are email Annie at annie [at] openspacecouncil [dot] org.
What Can One Person Do, When 6.8 Billion Are Frying The Planet? © 2010 Franke James. Franke merges science, art and storytelling to inspire people to take action and “do the hardest thing first” for the planet. She uses her skills as an artist, photographer and writer to create visual essays on environmental and social issues. She is the author of two award-winning books, Bothered By My Green Conscience and Dear Office-Politics, the game everyone plays.
Photographs, illustrations and writing by Franke James, MFA, except as noted below:
“Cruel Irony” illustration features: Tar sands photo by © Greenpeace
Finch Avenue on August 2005: Photos courtesy Jane-Finch.com
Cover: “Ahead of the Storm” City of Toronto climate change brochure
Woolly Mammoth on Road photo-illustration by Franke James, using antique mammoth engraving © istockphotos.
Heat Island graphic by Clean Air Partnership
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What's Cool is our weekly feature about climate change in the Bay Area. Our members and the land conservation community at large are incorporating what we know about climate change into their work to protect and steward open space. We highlight that work and the many partnerships, events and ideas related to climate change here on Fridays. Share your stories with us in the comments or by sending an email to Annie Burke at annie [at] openspacecouncil [dot] org.