Knowledge is of little consequence unless it is acted upon.

Whether through our volunteer support of an org like Greenpeace or one of our own initiatives, we've seen firsthand the influence each of us can have on hundreds of people daily.

New Yorker staff writer Malcolm Gladwell's book "Tipping Point" explains how, when small numbers of imaginative people alter their behavior, it can ripple outward like a virus into a contagious 'epidemic' until a critical mass is reached that can, without exaggeration, change the world.

Though Gladwell's focus is on trends of thought, similar potential exists in the realm of environmental activism and the power of our individual vote. Take for instance the slim margin of victory in a few key states that determined the winner of the 2000 and 2004 U.S. presidential elections and how those outcomes -- for better or worse -- had a profound effect on the affairs of the entire world. Now, somehow, Barack Obama is President!

The actions of a few can have an exponential influence. And much like the principle of "baring witness" that Greenpeace was founded upon over thirty years ago, once we observe an injustice or learn about a growing threat, we are morally compelled to expose and confront it.

Knowledge is of little consequence unless it is acted upon. The next step of our challenge is for each of us to heed the climate crisis as an urgent call to action, spread the word, empower, organize and mobilize to inspire as much responsible, ecological reform as we can AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

The planet won't wait for us to save it, ourselves or those we love.

MORE

Article -- Acts of Kindness Spread Surprisingly Easily: Just a Few People Can Make a Difference, Science Daily
Book -- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell
Campaigns -- ecoSanity Action Campaigns
Resources -- Essential Activist Tools: Best Collected Sources
Take Action -- Ways 2 Act Now
Volunteer -- Become a Green Defender!
Donate -- One-Time or Monthly