SEAD (Scottish Education and Action for Development)

Sometimes it seems like everyone is talking about climate change and no-one is doing anything about it. Alarming stories about ice caps melting are printed next to advice to change our lightbulbs or adverts for budget air travel, and it’s hard to believe that the problem is being taken seriously enough – either within communities or at the highest level of political decision-making.

Of course, reducing our individual impact on the environment is very important, but perhaps even more important is taking action collectively. People can use their power as voters, consumers and campaigners to influence politicians and companies to make climate-friendly decisions. There is already a huge groundswell of community-based activity around the world – that needs to grow to reach a critical mass where the necessary changes can be made. Some would say that there are already signs that the tide is turning. But we have a long way to go before our society really shows its commitment to tackling the problem.

This image is made using photos by LittleDan77, under a Creative Commons Attribution License