EarthLab > ECP > Green Light Area

My green light moment came when I was younger and heard my mom talk about the environment.

Abby F.
Georgia

I think that changing the way you live to better protect the enviroment from further damage is an awesome thing. Even the fact that some people say that there's no global warming doesn't mean we can't change the way we live to make the earth an even greater, greener place for everyone to live.

Alexander C.
California

My green light came about because of a combination of things. I've been hearing about the environment since I was young, but just recently have heard more and more about it. Maybe it was Al Gore's movie or increased news coverage, but I've felt the need to help. It seems like such a huge problem, and I have no idea how anything small I do will help - but I figure it's time I try.

Lindsy B.
Ohio

The event that switched on my green light occurred perhaps 15 years ago. It was when the oil tanker, Exxon Valdez, struck an iceberg or land (I cannot remember which), and dumped all of its oil into the Arctic Ocean. This one accident made me realize the detrimental impact it had on all the lives of the wildlife. Seeing the helpless birds, the toxic ocean, the dead marine life, and all the black shores made me really understand how helpless the earth is. I could only imagine the rippling effects it had on the entire ecosystem and the long lasting effects that would not easily be erased. If one oil tanker could cause so much distaster to a fragile system, what will the enitre human race do to the earth? I realize that it takes efforts on everyone's part to be responsible, and I realize that we all need to think about our actions and how they can impact our earth. I wish everyone could realize that they can make a difference, and that it's not too late.

Lin C.
Texas

When I had my daughter, I wanted to make sure I made the best decisions for her to start her on a healthy path. So I started to surf the web, and I get sucked into this whole new world that I can't believe and didn't know about before. Sure I recycled, but that's about it. Then I bought Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth," and I was overwhelmed. Now I volunteer for the Peace and Environmental Resource Centre in my city. Every day I learn more and more, and I make sure my friends and family get the information, too.

Angel G.
Ontario, Canada

I think I knew I was green before it was a color - a knowing I was born with. Growing up in the blistering cold winters of Wisconsin was enough to propel me to design an earth-sheltered house when I was 16 (1976). I later moved to the mountains of California and lived in a solar cabin for a number of years, remodeled several properties with energy efficient features, and then built an insulated concrete house. I've incorporated green living into my business life by getting our real estate community to adopt a proposal to include green features in our residential listings. I work with the regional green building association to promote education and awareness. My passion for green has continued to grow over the years, and now I love helping others switch on their green lights!

Tamara P.
California

"The Inconvenient Truth" turned on my green light. I'm glad someone got up to say what has needed to be said for a long time. Just Imagine the difference that one election could have made in the world.

Elicia L.
Alberta, Canada

Well I have always been willing to live a GREEN lifestyle, and only now that I am a young adult do I have some autonomy to make my own positive choices so far as that lifestyle is concerned. Yet, the defining moment for me was watching, "An Inconvenient Truth."

Alexis
South Africa

In August of 2004 (I believe it was 2004), there was a blackout from a problem that began at a coal generated electric plant here in Eastlake, Ohio, 2 miles or less from my home. It tripped many other grids, and power was lost to millions of people - and not just in Ohio. I also realized that my wooden privacy fence was covered with coal dust. There are more ozone action days now, and we have just been told to expect an even greater number of them. Another "Green Light" moment because of my sadness at seeing so many trees chopped down for greedy developers and from seeing the deer and other birds and animals struggle to survive. I am very concerned about the ice melting of the glaciers, the huge land fills, the plastic bags, and the styrofoam products. Shall I go on? I'm scared as hell!

Joannie
Ohio

I have taught eco-friendly science for 30 years, but it was the research of penguins after the film, "March of the Penguins," that made me realize the importance of everything we humans do on our planet - actions that are either helping or harming our beautiful world. It is time to do something about the mess we have made.

Allison
West Virginia

I was in an anthropology class in college, discussing immigration models in relation to the glacial/interglacial cycle of the Ice Age. We talked about signs that could be recovered by things like sediment and sea ice cores, giving clues to the climate of yesteryear. We discussed the unprecedented jump of certain elements in the atmosphere within the last century or so, and we discussed the so-called "greenhouse effect." We went in-depth with things like deep ocean current and jet stream - and how they could be affected by so little (relatively, not ecologically speaking) as a 3 degree climate shift. Once we added it all up and looked at current conditions, the class sat silent, all of us a bit panicked for a few moments. That very afternoon II walked to Wal-Mart and bought a bike for the first time in ten years.

B.
California

My green light moment occurred during the Al Gore documentary; in particular, I was moved by the fact that that the polar bears will have trouble surviving because the northern ice cap is melting.

William
Florida

Nothing really switched on a green light for me. It had more to do with how I was raised. By growing up on a farm, I learned early on how to raise my own food, how to preserve that food by canning, how to recycle the canning jars for reuse, how to use non-electrical methods of clothes washing, and so many other things. All waste had an additional purpose. Food scraps were not thrown away. Corn cobs and other vegetable waste were given to the chickens which in turn produced eggs for the family. Bones and left-over meats were given to the cats which in turn kept the place rodent free. Egg shells were crushed and used as grit for walking on icy paths, the shells eventually decomposing and adding nutrients to the soil. Home items were not throw away things, but items that lasted decades, such as glass mixing bowls and ovenwear and cast iron cookwear that lasts for generations. Paper plates were something you saw at a picnic, not an everyday, throw away item. I am not an old man talking about a life way back when. This is how we lived in the 1970's and 1980's, a life I continue to live today.

Bryan F.
West Virginia

It happened in 1990 on Earth Day. I was made aware of Earth Day that year. I was in 10th grade, and had already stopped eating meat, and had begun washing my clothes in cold water and hanging them to dry. In college I gave a speech on recycling. Currently, I try to do things that will help lessen my impact on earth. Finally we have someone in a highly recognized position who understands the environmental problems, and we have people who are finally hearing that we must do something. Recycle - Reuse - Renew

Kimberly S.
Tennessee

I've always been pretty aware of the damage humans are causing the planet. I have always done little things - pick up trash, recycle, reuse, etc. However, after seeing "An Inconvenient Truth," my little green light turned brighter and started multiplying! Now I have a green light show! I have replaced almost 30 incandescent light bulbs with CFL's, I bought a Nissan Altima Hybrid, I bug my friends about recycling and cfl's, and a few other things. Thanks, Al Gore!

Jimi D.
Arizona

I always thought I was doing the right things, but watching "An Inconvienent Truth" really set a fire inside of me. It's now or never - a future or no future.

Meg D.
New York

My green light wa turned on about seven years ago by watching television programs about how we were polluting the earth.

Brian F.
Wisconsin

In short my green light was turned on by having a daughter and realizing what I do not want her to experience. I want her to enjoy the planet, not live in a toxic wasteland, or have her or her children fear that they might not survive. I had always tried to be aware of my actions, and now it is becoming easier to do little things. The biggest barrier to becoming more green has been the up-front costs, but these costs are slowly going down. About time!

Bryn M.
Kansas

I have always been interested in recycling and conservation. I and my 18 siblings naturally had to conserve and recycle everything to survive. I am very grateful my parents taught us how to grow our food, sew our clothes, and make our own blankets and quilts from scrap materials. I continue to do my best to improve the state of our earth.

Linda E.
New Zealand

I am a fashion student, and I was required to take a textiles class. One of my teachers' lectures involved renewable resources to make textiles and other items that wouldn't be as harmful to the earth. I did a project on recycled soda bottles being used to make textiles. Our teacher told us about hemp used for textiles, as well as paper and other materials. That was when I decided to start doing my part to be green. Now I use energy efficient, organic products such as bed linens and clothes, and my dogs have toys made out of hemp. I am trying to get more people to be green and do their part in saving the earth.

L.T.
California

I watched "An Inconvenient Truth." All I can say is, thank God that Al Gore didn't become President, because he probably wouldn't have had time to envoke the massive change he's made in the world.

Jess
Michigan

My green light moment happened when I was shopping in a Roots store in Toronto. I was purchasing a large canvas tote with the label, "stop global warming," and it really made everything come together for me - the things I had learned in a chemistry class, what I had learned from "An Inconvenient Truth," etc. It really showed me that this saving the Earth thing is serious, and that everyone can do their part, and that by doing their part, they are not oddballs. I use that tote to carry groceries in, and, in everytime I do, I feel better about doing my part.

Kristen
Michigan

My grandmother taught us to respect the earth and give back what the earth provides us. We've been recyclers for a long time. I love the commercials that remind us that what we do today affects our children and our childrens' children. We only have one earth, and we are responsible for taking care of it as it takes care of us. I didn't really want to bring religion into this, but it really is religion that has led me down the path of caring for our earth and being a responsible citizen. Oh, and how proud I was when my 4 year old son scolded his dad for depositing a piece of paper in the garbage saying, "Dad! That's paper. It goes in the recycling box!" Gotta love kids. They are our future.

Janet B.
California

I have two green light moments. I started birdwatching as a hobby and started to learn about how climate change is destroying bird habitats. I also enjoy cross country skiing and having normal seasons. The last few years I have noticed that we are rarely at the normal seasonal temperature, and I am noticing how our ski season is shortening. This is disturbing to me.

Andrew
Ontario, Canada

The birth of my daughter turned on my green light.

K.P.
California

My green light moment was watching "An Inconvenient Truth." It shook me to the core, so I now do many energy effecient actions (as many as I can; I'm 13). I also tell my friends and family to be more energy efficient, and I bought the DVD of "An Inconvenient Truth." I watch it whenever I stop feeling worried about our planet, and it always makes me determined to do something good.

Viola M.
France

I watched David Attenborough's documentary about climate change. The first thing I did when it was finnished was to maniacally run around the house, turning of all the lights and all electrical equipment. I even turned off the radiator in my room. The next day the temperature went down to below zero outdoors, and I thought I was going to freeze to death.

Julia G.
Sweden

MY green light was truned on when I watched "An Inconvenient Truth."

Paul F.
California

My green light was turned on as a result of seeing "An Inconvenient Truth."

Catharine S.
Texas

In my Intercultural Communications class we watched Al Gore's movie about global warming. After seeing this movie, it really made me think about the impact I have on the environment around me and convinced me that I could make better choices. Therefore, I am going to make a serious effort to change my weak areas, like turning off the lights and my computer when not in use. It is a serious problem at my house.

Tonya R.
New Jersey

I've been doing my part for around 5 years now, but it wasn't until seeing "An Inconvenient Truth" and reading "The Weather Makers" by Tim Flannery that I realised how incredibly serious the problem is. Most of my efforts were more focused on being less wasteful and saving electricity, etc. I knew this had an effect on the environment and knew a lot of it affected the use of fossil fuels which in turn produced pollution. I didn't realise just how much we do connects to global warming; it's crazy! So I'm doing my utmost best to improve my Low-Carbon lifestyle and encourage my friends and family around me to do the same. My fingers are crossed in hopes that we can help repair the damage we have done before we all have to live high on a mountain in a bunker to avoid the rising sea levels and treacherous weather!

Pete
Hong Kong

When I worked at a survey company, I finally realized how bad the lack of recycling is and how seldom people think about conserving energy. We did one survey about peoples' lifestyle habits, and a few of the questions were about their conservation habits. Just from the surveys I did, it was easy to see that no one was really doing much in helping the envirorment. I can't say that I'm great about conservation efforts, but at least I'm now making the effort.

Erin
Texas

Watching "An Inconvenient Truth" opened my eyes to the truth of what we have done to the world, and to the extent that we have and are continuing to change our planet.

C.J.
New Jersey

Believe it or not, I had it on {the green light] all the time since school when we did an excellent job during one environmental day. Our teacher asked us to do some research on tips to improve the environment, and that's where I learned the basic way of green thinking. I still remember being a boy and closing the tap while soaping my hands. Since then, I have developed over the years a profound love for my planet. Now, as a grown up, I have become involved in writing a monograph about the Kyoto protocol for a University assignment called, "Science, Technology, and Society." I have also made a speech about climate crisis for the assignment, "Professional Comunication".

Neo O.
Uruguay

My mother told me that, during World War II, everything was recycled. In the 1970s, I started recycling paper, glass, steel,and aluminum, and taught my children about the environment and recycling. We also raised our own vegetables and canned them at home. For my family it is now our lifestyle.

Larry
Ohio

My green light was turned on by watching "An Inconvenient Truth" in one of my classes.

Jillian
New Jersey

My Green Light moment came when I understood that all plastics ever made are still present. They do not appreciably degrade over time.

Charles S.
Missouri

I have always been semi-aware of the limited nature of natural resources, but the real change came when I visited the Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys. Before participating in an amazing and moving encounter with these magnificent mamals, we all sat through a learning session on man's impact on the oceans and on the beings that call it home. Swimming with a dolphin and staring into those intelligent eyes made the global nature of our planet real for me. A cigarette butt dropped on the street in Ohio can wind up in an ocean off of Hawaii. We are all connected. Man considers himself the reigning king, the dominate species. With that comes the ultimate responsibility for taking care of our world. When I left the DRC in Florida, I was committed to making change and encouraging change in those around me. I have returned to my dolphins several times since then, and each visit only strengthens my resolve. We can make a difference.

Roxy
California

When emailing a friend who supports scientists in Antarctica, I asked what they were saying around the coffee machine regarding climate. Her email stunned me with its sense of urgency and challenge. That's what got me. Also, an environmental scientist I see almost every day who is now retired has educated me about the Pandora boxes waiting to be opened if we let global warming continue unabated.

Don K.
Minnesota

Surprisingly, it was a Phillips commercial for CFLs that flipped the switch on my "green light". I immediately went online to research how I could do my part.

Kaleigh
Nevada

Definitely Al Gore and his documentary switched on my green light. Also, I recently watched "Who Killed the Electric Car," and was moved. I've been a vegetarian for 19 years, and it was nice to learn that being a vegetarian helps, too! I bought a GMC Yukon Denali just before "An Inconvenient Truth" came out, and have been troubled ever since. This upcoming year we plan to trade it in for the Hybrid Toyota Sienna Minivan (40mpg). My husband and I agreed that, if we had the money, we would take it to a junkyard and videotape the smashing of the truck (as in "Who Killed the Electric Car") and send it to GM. Then no one else could drive it and pollute! Unfortunately, we don't have the money to back up our fantasy! Thanks for keeping this website around! It's such a great resource!

Jenny H.
Virginia

I moved to Hawaii to go to school, and while there I suddenly realized the importance of invasive species and habitat destruction in a way that I had previously never been exposed to. The more I looked at what the environment needed, the more I realized how much we really are destroying it. Now I am trying to do my part. I have even decided to become a vegetarian, and, when I moved back home to California, I didn't buy a car, but decided to rely on public transportation.

Jenn
California

It didn't take a lot to motivate me. I've sort of been hypersensitive to the environmental problem from an early age. It was just something i observed and saw as a very bad thing that I couldn't really understand. I suppose it just clicked a bit more in recent years for me, because it's starting to hit more people in the face, and their reactions are inspiring to me - even if they don't believe and want to use all of their energy to deny we've impacted the Earth in a negative way. It's simply good to know that it's finally being pushed to the front of a list of a lot of issues that need to be dealt with immediately, and that's enough to keep me passionate about learning, and doing all that I can about the problem and the things we can all do as members of this global community to heal the damage we've caused.

Andrew S.
Missouri

My green light moment occured when I revisted a special place (a beautiful lake in a shaded park area) that I affectionately called "my watching God space." I hadn't been in that place for some time, and I packed up my blanket and basket. When I arrived, things looked very different. The lake was now more like a creek (water levels lowered significantly), and the animal sightings were now far and few in between. As I sat there, trying to figure out why everything was so different, I began to notice that it wasn't as warm as it used to be at that time of year, either; everything was off. Then it hit me: Melissa, you barely recycle, you drive a truck, and all of the lights in your home are usually on. I turned to leave and saw my huge gas guzzler, emission hound Expedition and felt a light of sorts turn on. This light gave way to thoughts of my 6 year old -- the child I had told about my special place. I realized that she wiould never see it as I had once seen it, because of the condition our environment is in -- the condition I was contributing to regularly. I am now an advocating, participating, earth loving, word spreading Greenie. SMILE.

Melissa Q.
District of Columbia

National Geographic, our rivers and streams, and knowing we can make clean power turned on my green light.

Ray D.
Oregon

Watching "An Inconvenient Truth" was really a scary experience. I knew it was all happening, but wow. My daughter asked me one day (she is 11), "Mom, would it be better for the environment if all the kids on the bus rode with their parents, or stayed riding the bus?" At 11, she is concerned; maybe I should be, too. So I was working on my company newsletter and wanting to do an article on global warming, and I came across Energy Star's Change a Light Program. I was hooked! I went to the mayor in my town and got him to proclaim a day in our town as Change a Light Day. Posters are now in the stores, and people are pledging to make a difference. It matters to me that my children and their children enjoy the same life that we had growing up. I can't believe we have done what we have done. We are killing our planet, and it's sick. The amount of waste in our office alone is prompting me to take action. The earth is the only home we have!

Heather
Virginia

All the natural catastophes that are happening around the world due to global warming are what triggered my green light.

Ana
Mexico

My parents made me go along and see "An Inconvenient Truth" with them and my sister. I wasn't too keen, but, after watching it, I became more aware of things that I previously took for granted. Then came 07.07.07, which, for a 14 year old girl, was really exciting as it featured my favourite band (Bon Jovi). That's what led to me driving my parents insane by unplugging everything around the house. If Bon Jovi says it's cool, I'll be right in there.

Melanie B.
New Zealand

My moment of truth hit me in the face as I was watching the concerts on July 7. The messeges between the musical acts made me think of how I could lessen my carbon footprint. I can easily change my lightbulbs into CFLs, and just as easily I can use a reusable bag when I go grocery shopping - but my biggest change to date is the way I think. Since July 7, I always consider what's best for Mother Earth before I act. Whether it be shopping, traveling, or cooking, I try to act as earth conscious as possible, and I'm telling all my friends how they can help the earth as well.

Linda J.
Finland

I don't know the moment my green light was switched on, but I have been watching the effects on the earth's global warming for some time. I watched Al Gore's program this summer and was impressed. I have bought Star efficient lightbulbs, checked my tires more often, and cleaned the filter in my home heating & cooling unit more often. I think everyone can help if they think about it. The melting of the polar caps is a very scary thing. We must do everything we can to reverse global warming.

Hugh R.
Texas

My green light, ironically, was switched on when I was flying to the U.S and watching Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth." This was an eye opening documentary which taught me a lot about the world and what people are doing to the world. Even more so the film taught me what harm we are causing to the creatures in the world that are helpless and are suffering as a result of our actions. It was after watching this film that I realized we all have to work together to make a change and really make a difference. This also happened at a time in my life when I was venturing into business, and this helped me develop my business name, Unity Dance. We all have to work together to make it work. With this name I hope to help spread the message of the importance of protecting the world we live in.

Nina L.
United Kingdom

I got a two-fer: 1. When I realized I didn't have to be paralyzed by what to do or how to affect everything, I then realized that I could start anywhere and that small gestures accrue and matter. It was like wanting to make a ripple on a pond, knowing that it doesn't really matter from which shore I throw the stone to make the ripple - or what green place I start from, as long as I start. 2. I also discovered that starting involved two principles: First, give. Second, nourish trust. This is a lot more freeing, inspiring, and energizing than working from fear, even if what I learn does make me afraid sometimes. My colleagues and I do something we call Global Swarming, and it's beginning to work!

Lesleigh L.
Wisconsin

My story is a story of how my deep, unconfortable feelings came up from just watching the Al Gore movie. When I was little, I used to swim in the clean and transparent water of the little sea town I came from, Pescara, Italy. I used to fish for mussels with my father on the rocks by the beach. I used to catch live "cannolicchi" (a kind of razor creature) hidden in the sand under the water. I used to collect many different types of shells on the beach. I used to play for hours in the water. Then, slowly, in a very subliminal way, everything changed, leaving a very sad, deep feeling growing in me as I was getting older. Today there are no more cannolicchi to catch, and there are no more shells. The water is so opaque that is impossible to go close to the rocks to fish for the mussels - not to mention that during the summer there are many days when bathing is forbidden for heath issues. When you swim in the middle of thousands of algae, you need to push away floating islands of unidentified foam, plastic bottles, plastic bags, and even diapers. There are no fish or live creatures to observe. You cannot see your feet when the water is up to your calf for how polluted it is. When I see my two daughters, 5 and 3 years old, taking a bath in the sea, I think that they do not realize what they are missing, but I do. I do know how things changed in almost 40 years. My deep, sad feeling came up in all its dramatic power when I saw the Al Gore movie. Now I'm concerned for the future of my daughters. I reacted by starting a group, "Think Green - Act Clean," to raise awareness where I now live, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. It's such a green place, still full of nature life if compared to Italy. I hope that, by reading my story, people will understand how much you can lose for your children in just 40 years - and it's not just a deep feeling; it's a reality. You cannot have back what you destroy. It's better to invest time and resources to preserve what you have for your children. Be the actor in this life; stop hiding in denial. Preserve the earth for your children.

Vanessa S.
Ohio

My green light turned on when I saw a documentary about the hole in the ozone layer above Chile and South America. I got really scared about it. In fact, I'm still terrified of it. Because I live in Mexico, and if it keeps growing the way it is - well, I don't want to imagine the consequences. So, since the time I was in elementary school, I have always been doing whatever I can to help stop the environmental crisis.

Emma A.
Mexico

Definitely "An Inconveniat Truth" turned on my green light - that and the denial of companies and organizations that don't believe there's a crisis (they doth protest too much). I have always wanted to be involved in the effort to stop the climate crisis. Al Gore put it into words for me.

Tyrone L.
Florida

My green light was conveniently switched on when I sat down and watched Live Earth end to end. Music is a love of mine, and now saving our planet is another love.

Ashleigh T.
Australia

My green moment came from seeing a bumper sticker on a car that asked the question, "Throw it away where?"

Wayne
Colorado

My green moment didn't come from a shattering realization, but just from the experience of diving, seeing the beauty and thinking how we might ruin the seas with polution and particularly oil spills.

Neil
United Kingdom

During my junior and senior years, I lived with an environmental geology major, and from her studies found out incredible information on why this climate change is so different than previous climate shifts. From then on, I tried to cut down on certain things, using my air conditioner too much, driving when I could easily walk somewhere, etc. Additionally, I have tried to make my parents and siblings more eco-friendly, though that's an uphill battle. However, by leading and by example I'm hoping to influence them a little bit.

Katy
Ohio

My mom was born in Poland in 1910,. and came to the U.S. in 1913 She was in the habit of conserving everything. I grew up in the fiifties with my mom; she grew vegetables and canned everything, composted the garbage, and saved bags, bows, and giftwrap, as well as creating our own giftwrap. When she opened the fridge, she would work fast and not leave the door open. We hung our clothes outside to dry, and always turned off lights not in use. As an adult, I have been recycling and reusing for the last 30 years, and have been encouraging others to do the same. I take home plastic, aluminium, and anything else to recycle from work. When I brush my teeth, I turn off the water, and, before rinsing my mouth, pray for the Dominican families and all of the other people in the world without water. I say grace prayer before meals, pray for those who are hungry and for those who are inadequately paid for their labors. I keep trying to live intentionally and green wherever I can. I know I still have a long way to go. Thanks and Peace!

Val K.
Washington

My green light moment happened years ago as a child. My mother vigilantly recycled and reused everything she could to be eco-conscious: She washed and dried plastic sandwich bags, filled glass bottles with tap water for the fridge, used hand towels in the kitchen instead of paper, and reused tin foil several times. She was my role model, and her green efforts have stayed close to my heart ever since.

Laura
California

At first, even though I knew there was a big problem, I didn't help. When I started getting worried and changing my way of living was when I saw the dramatic changes in our environment - floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, fires, endangered species. Ever since, I have been changing my habits in a good way. Every day I try to tell people to change because I want a future, I want to get old, and I want to accomplish all my goals. I want the world to be a good place to live. Al Gore inspired my life and way of living, and I admire him. His efforts inspire my efforts. I hope that everyone can act against global warming and change their way of living.

Gaby K.
Mexico

"An Inconvenient Truth" turned on my green light.

Chuck
Colorado

People turned on my green light - people who were aware of the environmental probems educated me.

George
New Zealand

I was always aware of the crisis the earth was going through, but the intensity of the problem dawned on me only after watching the Live Earth concert and after visting your website. Immediately after that I decided to change all the bulbs I was using in my house and bought CFL's instead (12 in all). This way I have not only managed to reduce my carbon footprint, but have also reduced my energy bills. In the office I always switch off my monitor and any other idle computers when I go for lunch or when I go home at the end of the day. I do the same thing with lights. At home we have stopped keeping appliances on stand-by mode. I sincerely hope that all of these changes will help to make the earth a better place to stay.

Pradeep P.
India

In 1996, when I was a junior in college, the green lightbulb went on inside my head. I wondered where everything I threw out went, and after some investigation, was appalled and started recycling and reusing everything I could. Now I'm educating my husband and kids to do their part.

Stefanie
Ohio

It was Al Gore's passion and drive that turned on my green light.

Carl
California

For telling you the truth I don't know lots of words because I am Latin, and I'm only recently learning English, but I want all the world to change to the green light. I have read a bit about this in Spanish, and think that this is fantastic for our wallet and our world. Actually, nowadays we don't seem to think about the people in the future, and this is selfish. I realize the bad consequences of what we are doing now. Let us take more care. PEACE.LOVE.GREEN

Andrea C.
Ecuador

Seeing "An Inconvenient Truth" was what really started me on the path of being environmentally conscious and considering the impact of my choices on the planet. I became tuned into the movement toward social and environmental responsibility, and have brought the things that I have discovered to the awareness of others around me.

Shaun M.
California

My green light was switched on when I was a child. I remember watching the commercial with the Native American looking at the garbage in the river and on the land. At the end of the commercial, he was seen crying. I was strongly affected by that commercial. I remember telling my father that he shouldn't throw garbage out of the window of our car. I remember picking up trash on the streets near our house. I think there should be more commercials like that to affect the next generation of adults.

Donna S.
Oregon

My green light moment was when I was around 3. We moved to California in the early 70s, and then had to quickly move again, because I almost died due to the toxicity surrounding us. I remember when I was a little older asking my parents about the beautiful cotton candy clouds I had in my memories; they explained to me that each of the colors represented a certain chemical spewing into the air and the almost devastating effect it had on me and our family. Each day has its green light moment, but don't let the state of the world get you down. We just have to do what we can with where we are and within our ability, because every little bit counts towards the whole. We can do this together, for we are not alone. Blessings & peace!

Rebecca
Texas

Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth" turned on my green light.

Fran
New Hampshire

I first learned of recycling in the early seventies, and have tried to be green since then. Getting my family to be green along with me has been hard, but I keep after them. When I saw "An Inconvenient Truth," I really got revved up to do more!

Mary
Tennessee

My husband and I have been recycling for years. Just the two of us save at least 2 bags of cans and plastic a week from going to a landfill. I was a truck driver with my husband for 15 years, and was very lucky to be able to see what a beautiful country we have. We are trying to get the grandchildren involved with recycling and growing trees and plants.

Rose
Pennsylvania

My green light moment was in 1962 when I moved to Texas and saw people drowning beer cans in the lakes. I was mortified as I had grown up in northwestern Kansas, and often we did not even have water and had to bring it to our house in barrels. All of the people now call me wacko for being so concerned. I have conscientiously been recycling for 20+ years.

Cathy
Arkansas

I save money going to greener pastures.

Jim
Ohio

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson turned on my green light. In junior high school I did a report on Rachel Carson's book. Living green is not a new thing. It's just become a more crucial lifestyle for the saving of human beings.

Janice
Minnesota

Out of curiosity I picked up a copy of "An Inconvenient Truth" one day. Watching the film left me inspired, scared, and in awe of Al Gore. It changed the way I look at my life, as well as the way I live it. Only a day after watching the movie, I switched all of our lights to cfls, turned up the thermostat on the air conditioner, and bought canvas shopping bags. I continue to make small changes every day. For my birthday my husband bought me a car that gets 34mpg, so we could stop driving our SUV unless absolutely necessary. Al Gore gave me my green light moment.

Jo Q.
Wisconsin

I was turned on to EarthLab by Mario Batalli's visit on Martha Stewart's show. I am glad to hear that all his restaurants are going green. I have decided to look into solar panels for my roof. After all, I live in the sunshine state!

Dominic
Florida

One word, Heroes - to be a hero - to truly save a planet, and not just the people on the planet, as modern religion would have us think. To truly be a Hero - that is what I want - and that is what switched on my green light.

George
Texas

The following sources switched on my green light: (1)"Limits to Growth" by Meadows. (2) Population Reference Bureau statistics. ( 3) World Watch publications since the seventies.

Art N.
Washington

I learned during the Live Earth concert that recycling can help curb global warming. As a wildlife activist, I have always given donations and taken actions to help save wildlife, especially the Polar Bears. After the concert, I turned into an avid recycler. I placed recycle bins on all the floors in my office building (10), and collected cans (aluminum and metal), as well as #1 & #2 plastic, glass, and Styrofoam. I founded what I think is the only company in Georgia that will accept Styrofoam. It is Dart Container, Inc., in Lithonia. I have a cubicle across from mine that is used specifically for recycling. I collect anything that I find that can be recycled. Also, I have co-workers who bring in their recyclables to me (magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and phone books). I've told people to spread the word that I will accept all recyclable items. I have found that, if you make it easy for people, they tend to participate more, because they don't have to hassle with keeping the different types of materials separated, and they don't have to drive to a recycling center. I also set up recycle bins at the stable where I keep my horse, and have a good bit of participation there as well. My next step is to put flyers in my neighbors' mailboxes, telling them they can drop off their recyclables at my house (it's a very small neighborhood). We also use energy efficient light in our home. I'm not telling you this to brag about all the stuff I do; I just want you to know what an impact Live Earth had on me. Believe it or not, I did not recycle at all prior to seeing the concert. However, the real driving force behind all of my efforts is to help save the Polar Bears, as they are already suffering from the affects of global warming. In fact, when I run into people at work as I'm emptying the recycle bins, and they make comments about how glad they are that I am doing this, I always tell them I'm doing it to help save Polar Bears.

Yvonne A.
Georgia

I have always been thoughtful of the environment, and have done what I can - but seeing the film, "The Corporation," made me realize how things can be done completely differently and what a difference each business and individual can make. It was wonderful to see such strong examples of change. I thought "An Inconvenient Truth" was also an amazing summary of what was going on, and thought of how wonderful that it was shared with so many people.The difference Al Gore has made as an individual is outstanding.

Liane
Australia

My green light was turned on when I watched "An Inconvenient Truth."

Marcella C.
California

Our neighbor, Rob Reaves, brought over a DVD of "An Inconvenient Truth.". Growing up in rural Colorado, we remember long cold snowy winters followed by an abundant harvest from the land. In the last few years I have seen this county grow into a slum; the agriculture markets are no longer what they once were, able to keep the Morgan County economy strong. Thousands of irrigation wells have been shut off indefinately, our farms are drying up, and farmers seem to think that, when they clear their irrigation ditches of trees without replanting elsewhere, they are saving more water. Maybe they are, but only for a short while. This part of Colorado is drying up, but anything that I'm capable of doing to change the situation will be done. Another thing is that I remember eating crab legs and other shellfish as a child. i loved the way they had a nice crisp cracking sound, and now they have a rubbery popping noise instead. Amelia and I have turned our ways around from what they once were, and we're now trying our damndest to do our part to help out in this climate crisis. Luke, age 22 Amelia, age 21.

Luke A.
Colorado

I was a participant in Agenda 21's ECO-teams back in the early 1990s. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in living more lightly upon the earth.

Susan K.
Washington

My green light moment occurred sometime in my childhood....I remember watching my dad murder any animal that got in his way. I remember him combining all sorts of chemicals and dumping them in the river to dispose of them, and burning copper and all other trash in the yard. I also remember him buying all sorts of animals, slaughtering them, and then wasting most of their meat. I always thought it was awful, but I was around 12 when I realized that, if everyone lived like my family, the world was not going to be here much longer, so I went vegetarian, started recycling, and really started to try to make a difference.

Rebekah M.
Colorado

I think my green light moment was more of an ongoing learning, beginning maybe around 1985 or so. Then, having read Al Gore's book, "Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit," I began to more fully realize the importance of caring for and about earth first, my own backyard being way down the list.

Susie
California

When I got pregnant, I started to get concerned for the enviornment - and every day I find new ways to decrease my impact on Mother Earth. I am also trying to get a degree in Natural Resources and secure an occupation dealing with non-game wildlife.

Breanna
Minnesota

I've always been somewhat of a naturalist, having participated in the very first Earth Day in the seventies. Recently, I was selected to participate in an environmental expedition sponsored by my company to actively study the impact of climate change on forests and to learn more about the topic in general. This experience absolutely opened my eyes on the criticality of the issue and how little I was really doing on a personal level. Now I'm working on increasing my awareness, lessening my footprint, and educating others.

Connie M.
Washington

When my council switched to green bins a few years ago, I realised that my household produced too much landfill rubbish. When I thought about the impact on the environment our whole country had with this issue alone, it broke my heart. I figure that, if the least I can do is control my own impact, then that is not too much to ask.

Felina
New Zealand

I always considered myself environmentally concerned. I walk whenever possible, I refrain from using the air conditoner in the summer (except when cooking), and I recycle whenever possible. However, I began to have a serious concern in Atlanta when I understood the gravity of the water shortage we have here. In Georgia, we have had minor droughts for several years, but the growth of the metropolitan area has really made a huge impact on the local environment. I was most inspired when I went to visit my mother just outside of Atlanta. She has buckets in every sink, she takes 3 minute showers, she turns off lights religiously, and she has even started to recycle. I know that those are things that we should always do, but I never expected my mother to take to a cause so diligently. She told me, "Jenny, it's my generation that has brought all this damage to the planet, and I fear that the damage is irreparable. I don't want my grandchildren to be punished for my deeds." So, anyhow, I guess I realized that, if my baby-boomer mother can budge, I too can be a lot more proactive.

Jenny
Georgia

My ex-fiancee wrote a letter to a neighbor who was going to have a tree taken out of his front lawn. He wanted to replace the tree with low shrubs because he didn't like to rake leaves in the fall. The letter was written from the tree's point of view and basically made a plea for its life. It was a beautiful and inspiring letter about how the tree had kept the house cool in the summer, how it had provided oxygen for the people to breathe, and how the leaves were just its way of helping to fertilize the lawn. The neighbor read the letter, and the tree still stands in the front yard where it has been for many years! It inspired me to look deeper into all things "green."

Kathryn
New Jersey

When I was a little girl, my father would make my brothers and me return from wherever to turn off a light we had left on in an unoccupied room. Once I had to come home from a friend's house to do this. "What a pain; couldn't he just turn that switch off?" My father had gone through the Depression, and I presume his reasons were financially driven - but I then took his place with the same requirment for my kids and husband, this, too, for financial reasons until I read an article about how toxic our own homes are to the enviroment from the release of CO2. As Oprah says, "it was a light bulb moment." That annoying "turn off the lights" turned out to be an important decision for our environment. Who knew? We need to all start at home and believe we can make a difference, and it will happen.

Sharon
Florida

My green light moment? Very long ago, that moment, but, as for taking action, not so very long ago. Sad, but true. My wife and I changed our design/build firm 2-years ago, along with our retail stores. (See our site - www.alwaysbuildgreen.com) We sat on a yellow light for so long - like little babies waiting for our trusted government to leads us. It never happend. Thus, we are here, networking with others and making sure we blow up green baloons that will not deflate.

Bill
Connecticut

After Live Earth, I just went crazy with the recycling! I have to take it to a recycling place myself, though, but I still go through garbage and rinse stuff off. I am disappointed other people don't do it, too.

Jennica W.
Michigan

My green light switched on when I realized some of the animals I see today may not be around for my kids if we don't change our ways. For instance, polar bears; what will they do if the ice caps melt? Global warming will eventually become a catastrophic disaster if we don't change the way we live and change soon. We need to use more carbon free products that don't deplete the ozone layer that protects earth from the sun's harmful rays. Eventually, not only will the animals suffer from this, but we will also suffer if we deplete the ozone layer.

Audi
Indiana

I've always been aware of the need for environmental and ecological change. My green light moment came recently. I was on a leave from work, trying to figure out what is truly important to me in life. I'd been using StumbleUpon (a Firefox plugin) and randomly getting environmental sites. I was really interested in them and spent hours reading and learning. Discovering that there's a lot I can do right now to make an impact was encouraging. I want more than that. I decided I want to be a part of creating sustainable societies. I did a bit of research and decided that I must go to a university and take Human Ecology. After I've paid off my school loans, I want to build sustainable, off-grid housing. I discovered my whole purpose in life is to make sure that life is sustainable. I've already started thinking differently. I stopped being consumed by consumerism. I've been making conscious decisions about my purchases and what impact they have.

Kerri W.
Alberta, Canada

My husband read a book by Stephen Leeb which referenced the coming of "peak oil." After much research, it occurred to me that our children and their children will be the first generations which won't have things better than their parents. If we all begin to live a greener lifestyle, perhaps we can conserve our natural resources and save the earth for our children. I have three children under the age of eight, and I want their future to be bright. We live in such a techologically advanced world that we should be able to fix this mess we've all helped to create!

Ann
North Carolina

I had always been interested in environmental issues, even as a young kid - but I knew we had some serious problems when in 2003 I saw an article in Popular Science about the dumping of old (and mostly still usable) electronics (e-waste) in parts of Asia. I was a freshman in high school then, and it was at that point that I was able to understand the scope of these problems.

Corey
Pennsylvania

Learning to compost switched on my green light. At first, it was just something new to try out, but then I realized how I was also eliminating trash going into our landfills. In our disposable society one family can produces tons of garbage each year. I started noticing how much garbage was actually being thrown out by my neighbors. We have probably cut our throw-away garbage down by at least a third, just from composting; I think that this year we can go down to half. I also noted the amount of usable items and furniture that were going to the curb. I rescue whatever I see that can be reused or recycled into something useful.

Penny
New York

About 15 years ago I saw a television show on global warming that really scared me. It showed what is going to happen to the oceans as the world gets hotter. That's when I started thinking and acting on this issue.

Liz
California

Well, lots of things helped to turn on my green light: the Live Earth concerts, Al Gore's movie, and the plight of the Polar Bears. We humans have killed off way too many species of animals; the Polar Bear will not be the next! Together we can stand up and show politicians like Kevin Rudd and George Bush that the world is dying. This brings me to my other point: Who really cares? The leaders say they do, but do they really care? The answer is no! They don't give two hoots, but they need to wake up and see that the world is dying.

Keegan T.
Australia

My green light moments date back to the times when my father used to combine the fields and take me with him. I remember that he would stop the combine to move a duck's nest out of the way, then move the duck's nest back to its place after combining. Father taught me to love wildlife, because, if we are to survive, we need both wildlife and the earth. Since then, I have been an active environmentalist, conserving resources as much as possible, and teaching father's message to others (especially children).

Lyn J.
Canada

Seeing Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth, was a real wakeup call for me. Before that I had thought of myself as a reasonable and responsible environmentalist, but also had thought that the Global Warming crisis was being exaggerated. My family and I fully support all of the environmental initiatives, and fully support and applaud those organizers for the moral impulse that has motivated their obviously splendid effort.

Gordon B.
Ontario, Canada

My green light moments include watching Live Earth concerts from an American Indian museum, and hearing the words of an Indian grandmother and midwife, words that spoke of how tribal elders had taught of the critical time to come in Earth's future. These words touched me in a way that I really can't explain. These words of Mother Earth and Father Sun were so moving, so full of love and caring, that I realized then and there how I must stop being a selfish child.

Sue B.
Ontario, Canada

Three months before writing this, I was trekking in the Himalayas, where I was awestruck by the grandeur of Gangotri Glacier*. Sadly, after returning home, I learned that this magnificent glacier has been, and is, steadily receding because of Global Warming. This experience alerted me to the simple fact that the time has come for all of us to take action to preserve nature for our planet's future.

Sharada Prasada C.S.
India

*Editor's Note: Here is the website for the glacier: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangotri_Glacier

A newborn family member is making me think in terms of future generations. I have always enjoyed saying the following words: "La basura qui tires hoy tus hijos la recojeran mañana." This means that "the garbage you drop today will be picked up by your child tomorrow." I said those words, but never really coupled the thought with action. Now things are different. We are suffering today's climate crisis because of this thoughtless gift from our predecessors. I don't want to continue the chain.

Guillermo R.
Mexico

I live in New Zealand, and, not long ago, massive chunks of ice broke off from Antarctica and floated northward to within sixty kilometers of the coast of Dunedin, far too close for our comfort. Add to that the fact that recent storms hitting our North Island would previously have been "once in a hundred years" events, and have occurred in two successive years.

Cathy M.
New Zealand

My first green light came about six weeks after the Two Towers were struck in 2001. My wife Pam noticed a magazine ad for a motor scooter, and the scooter became my primary commuting vehicle—effectively tripling my miles-per-gallon fuel consumption. My second green light came in September, 2005, when our nation's senseless impotency to deal with the New Orleans disaster stunned the world and made me very angry. On the fifteenth of September, three kilowatts of photovoltaic panels arrived at our house in Arizona. Nine weeks later we became a power source in the neighborhood utility grid, and to date we've generated about seven megawatt-hours. The difficulty we face with global warming is not technological or environmental. Global warming is a problem of human behavior. While education is an important part of the solution, the most urgent changes need to be in public policy and in how we relate to our government. We are the government, and what we do matters. We need to start acting like it.

Stephen R.
Arizona

During baseball games, I used to work at an ice cream stand to make money for my school's Student Council. My many tasks included stocking the stand with plenty of disposable cups, lids, napkins, etc. I remember one particular day when, during a lull in the traffic of hungry consumers, I stepped out to look down over the stadium seats at the crowd of people whose many dollars were fueling this messy, chaotic, and very wasteful system with its indifferent disposal of paper and plastic products. What was even more distressing was that this scene was being duplicated in hundreds of stadiums across the country, that my stadium was only a fraction of the big picture. Everyone was so comfortably forgetting that they were just a dent in the environment. I guess that it took a slap in the face and a look at the big picture to make me realize that I could take personal authority to keep just a few of these materials from going to waste. I got a glimpse of the big picture and learned that action begins and is measured in fractions.

Tara P.
Colorado

We went together, as a family, to see Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth. His film was a rude awakening for all of us, but it seemed to hit my eight year old son the hardest; he was visibly upset. We live in south Florida, and, when my son watched scenes of water levels rising and the State of Florida almost disappearing, he became particularly upset. From that point forward, he has been on a mission to do all he can to combat the effects of global warming, and has even started a Stop Global Warming Club for the third graders in his elementary school. The club's mission is to teach the student body what they can do at home and at school to stop global warming, and they have even started a recycling program in the school cafeteria, which will continue when the new school year begins. I am proud that my son is so very dedicated to the cause of stopping global warming.

Monica M.
Florida

What do you want to be when you grow up? Personally, I wanted to be an earth saver. Yes, an earth saver—that's what I wanted to be when I grew up. At nine years old, I felt this overwhelming responsibility to take care of Planet Earth, which all stemmed from my elementary school's essay contest for Earth Day, 1990. My topic? A letter to the school principal, pleading with him to rid the school lunchroom of Styrofoam plates, and to replace them with reusable ones. To persuade the school and the principal, I included research on the effects of Styrofoam on the environment. Not only did I win that essay contest, but the principal met with my parents and me to let us know that the school would stop serving meals on Styrofoam plates and would instead convert to reusable lunch plates! This inspired me to continue on my earth saver quest. Later, in the fifth grade, I started the environmental club, Operation Earth, by meeting with as many classmates as I could during the daily recess period. I convinced my classmates of the wisdom of participation by performing playground experiments and demonstrations, such as burying and later uncovering Styrofoam to show that it wasn't biodegradable.

Debbie C.
Florida

My green light was switched on about fifteen years ago. My roommate and I were both frightened as we peered out of our window and watched our neighbors engaged in a violent fist fight on the lawn. My instinct was to hide; her instinct was to do what she could do to stop the fight. She called 911, and I stood there feeling guilty and ashamed—and then I began to understand a lot about how she lived her life. She often referred to the list of environmentally responsible corporations that she kept in her planner. We recycled everything the city would take. Having no car, I was already commuting by bicycle and bus. And so, my environmental actions at first became for me more of a financially responsible move with earth-friendly repercussions. At home, I have always cooked from scratch, and I have noticed how much less garbage I generate than my neighbors; for my half-bin twice a month, I see their three weekly bins. And it all began with my friend rebuking me that guilty night, "If it involves people, Bon, it is my business." I am not merely my brother's keeper; I am my planet's keeper.

Bonnie Jean & K.
Indiana

Seeing An Inconvenient Truth started me down the path, but I didn't start doing much until I saw Kilowatt Ours,* and realized there were a lot of things I could be doing—and we started doing more in the office, such as no longer using Styrofoam. We purchased washable, recycled plates and plastic mugs for everyone, encouraged office recycling, etc. We showed Kilowatt Ours in the office, we will be showing An Inconvenient Truth and, possibly, Who Killed the Electric Car. At the movie showing, we gave out reusable grocery bags. We want everyone to learn that they can do their small parts, and that those small actions will add up to huge differences.

Sharon B.
Michigan

*Editor's Note: Here is a website for "Kilowatt Ours:" http://www.kilowattours.org/news-media-resources.php

I watched a show on the Discovery Channel that documented the impact of Global Warming and the effects it was having on the earth as a whole. Based on this show and the projected forecasts, I decided to change my lifestyle. I've made the change, not just for myself, but for my kids and their kids. Many people have claimed this is just a cycle that the earth goes through. Maybe it is, but the changes are easy and just make sense. Besides, I'm saving a nice little chunk of money. Who wouldn't want to do that?

George K.
Missouri

Due most of all to the great teachings of my hippie parents, I have always been environmentally aware. However, I will say that Live Earth and this website [EarthLab] have opened my eyes to all the things I just haven't been, but could be, doing. Since 07/07/07, I have emailed everyone I know, trying to get them to make their pledges. I have also contacted my church, and asked if the church leaders would be interested in helping me spread the word. They were very excited about the idea and even suggested a column in the church newsletter, as well as a starting a group focused on spreading the word and helping other to make changes in their lives to help the planet. I plan on talking to my children's schools, as well, to help them to establish healthy habits for the environment. I have been trying for a couple of years to encourage the planting of school gardens, and, if needed, I plan on offering my time and knowledge to help with the gardens, because I think this would be a great opportunity for the kids. I think we all should be taking every step we can to help, but I think it's important to realize the opportunities children and schools bring to the table.

Crystal M.
Missouri

As Secretary of WARN (Weather Awareness Resource Network, a non-profit organization founded in 1998), I play a key role in accomplishing our mission: educating people in our community, as well as nationwide and worldwide, about what to do in the event of a weather emergency; e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, etc. As Secretary of this vital organization, it only seemed natural and the right thing to do to become involved with Live Earth. Members of WARN have of course noted the gradual changes in our climate, along with the unpredictable weather conditions in the United States and around the world.

Teri G.
New York

My green light moment came from realizing that, by switching my light bulbs to CFL's, I was using one fourth of the energy that I'd previously used to light my apartment. Saving money and the environment; what's better than that?

Joe F.
New York

As a teenager in the early seventies, I had nuclear war nightmares. Later, as an older teen, I moved to The Farm* in Tennessee, thinking that this was the way to save the world from itself. After concluding that this new experience involved a cult of personality, I left for the east coast in the late seventies. Now, as a middle-aged auto mechanic in New York, I have become aware that peak oil production is behind us, and climate change is upon us. I realize that, if we, as individuals, don't act and act now, it may be too late. I worry about my children and my grandson. I worry that I haven't done enough—but I'm healthy, willing, and able. Let's git 'er done!

Dan T.
New York

*Editor's note: For those of you who don't know what Dan is talking about when he mentions "The Farm," there is a website: http://www.thefarm.org/

My green light moment came at work. I work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and, as part of my job, I have the opportunity to evaluate air pollution. Recently, we have started to focus on greenhouse gases and how they are affecting the atmosphere. As an employee of this organization, I feel that it's especially important to do my part as an individual. I have the necessary knowledge to make an impact, so I should be an example to others.

Karen R.
North Carolina

I am a recently retired teacher. I am a grandmother. For many reasons I have watched with concern the world my "kids" are growing up in, and my answer to most of the problems is the same. Kids need to have good role models if they are to grow up in the right way. I have tried to be a good role model by telling the truth, by being respectful and compassionate to all human beings, and by observing all of the elements of good citizenship. I also need to be a good role model in respecting the earth.

Debra M.
Oklahoma

My child was always sick from pollution. We realized pollution was the culprit when we got away from Atlanta for more than two weeks. She changed, started eating, and had no more mucus problems. Whenever we went back to Atlanta, she would again get sick. So we moved. It had taken a two year realization process for the fact to sink in that we had been living in a very polluted city. The fact that we'd given up our car in favor of riding bikes and using public transportation had actually increased her exposure to pollution because of our outdoor lifestyle.

Kandy G.
Oregon

I have been environmentally conscious for years. I started by picking up garbage along the roadways and water sources, and have voluntarily recycled as much as I possibly could. Unfortunately, I live in an area where people still do not recycle. Everything is buried in the ground or thrown out in rural areas. I have written to my local, County, and State officials to try and get curbside recycling into effect. I live in Pennsylvania, where the County in which I live is the highest particle-polluted County in the State. Further, I have always planted trees and flowers in areas that were barren, and I have for years been using cloth bags for packing my groceries. It's very sad to live in an area where people just don't care about the environment. I was raised in this area, then moved to California for seven years, then moved back into my home area last year. There still had been no changes made to improve our air, water, and earth, and the latter has been drenched in pesticides. Yet people are wondering why there is so much sickness in the area. Ignorance is blind!

J.
Pennsylvania

For years now I have made the best effort I could to be as green as possible. Our community does not support recycling, so I bag all of my recyclables and take them to a recycling center. We also watch our energy and water consumption around the house, and shop for organic foods when possible. I have done my best with the resources I could find. Live Earth brought about a change, even in our little conservative community, and it brought ideas for a greener community into the mainstream. EarthLab has also provided me with a resource for decreasing our carbon output. So, it's not that I really had a green light moment; it's that suddenly there is an easily accessible and supportive network and community to continuously improve our green efforts as individuals and as a community. Bravo!

Christine M.V.
Pennsylvania

In the year 2000, I moved fifty miles away from my place of employment. I was driving a Range Rover at the time, so a couple of weeks of making this commute proved very profitable for the oil companies but a pain for me. My calculations at that time suggested that, if I traded the Range Rover for a mid-eighties Diesel Mercedes, I would save $999.01 in fuel costs. I then found said 1982 Mercedes 300 Turbo-Diesel sedan on eBay, placed a bid of $999.01, and won the auction. It was destiny! Good riddance to the Rover, and enter the Benz. We call it the Green Bean! I get thirty miles per gallon on 100% biodiesel. How great is that? I'm still driving it with three hundred thousand+ miles on the clock—no petroleum, no modifications, no kidding! America—get in gear!

Mark W.
Tennessee

I work in electricity market simulation. Part of this work is to forecast accurate loads, this forecasting to include a risk analysis range. My experience in this position encompasses the time we had been missing our risk assessments for several weeks running, and we couldn't figure out why. Working backwards, we found that the stochastic* variables we were using did not match the mid-1990 conditions. What was the base of our stochastic variables? The base was a measure of typical weather temperatures over an area generally east of the Rocky Mountains. Specifically, we used a thirty year period between 1960 and 1990. We learned then that the summers had been hotter after 1980, and that our risk forecast had not been risky enough. This cost our company millions of dollars just because of missing the forecasts, and this in turn hit me between the eyes. In my lifetime, a dramatic shift had taken place in temperatures—but it doesn't end there; another great shift is taking place right under our feet. That shift is water. Huge power plants are in places that may not be viable in the near future in terms of getting enough water flowing. Hello; is anyone talking about this?

Ed
Tennessee

*Editor's Note: For you readers; "stochastic" involves a process using random variables; that is, variables based on chance or probability.

Even I started watching the series, Planet Earth, and, as a result, felt that I'd come down from wherever I had been, so that now I am really taking a a good look at things and seeing them differently. I was so absorbed in everyday work, kids, bills, and family that I forgot to take the time to "smell the flowers." I now find beauty everywhere when I step out of the house, and I want my children to be able to enjoy the outside, too. So, I just started doing some research, and, voilà, I am now turning off the water while I brush my teeth, and I'm changing the light bulbs—and it is so easy!

Patty A.
Texas

For the past forty-five years my family has been traveling up to Stanley, Idaho to camp at the beautiful Red Fish Lake, a place that I have grown to love and cherish. Since childhood, I have enjoyed camping, hiking, and kayaking around the lake. Sadly, in the past six years, I have noticed a huge change in what was previously an unblemished green and lush mountainside. An infestation of thousands of pine beetles has laid waste to the thousands of log pole pine trees that line the lake shore and grow throughout the surrounding forests. As many as one in every five trees has been destroyed by the pine beetles, leaving the trees rust colored, dry, lifeless, and susceptible to fire that could destroy the entire forest. I did some research and found that the beetles have no natural predator, and that no pesticides exist that can kill or control them. The only known enemies of the beetles are fire, caused by lightning or other catalysts, and extreme cold. Digging further, I learned that the extreme cold that is needed to control the beetle population is thirty degrees below zero.

Juan C.
Utah

I heard Al Gore speaking on TV one night, and decided to Google things like recycling and individual waste percentages—and was amazed by the figures I found. Americans are very wasteful, and so we have to change the way we live in order to guarantee a positive future for our children. We need to teach them to be better consumers, and we need to show them by example how to heal our earth. By doing this, we will prevent the decline of our natural resources and the erosion of the ozone. I have learned a great deal in the past few months, and I am changing the way I do everyday duties; for example, I now use cloth grocery bags. The amount of plastic waste is shocking. Reuse and recycle. It's a start, and every beginning has to have a start. Begin your journey today to a better environment!

Linda M.
Washington

My professor for Human Biology had the entire class go to this site [EarthLab], and we had to read through it, write reviews with our scores, and describe what we had learned. At first, I thought that this was just some lame assignment for a pointless college course—but I was actually surprised to discover the seriousness of climate change. My carbon output is 9.6 tons, but 9.6 tons is a lot of anything, especially pollution—so I plan to do everything I can to change.

Thomas W.
Wisconsin

We have a water shortage in Australia, and we are also noticing changes in the weather each season, as compared to when we were younger. We were starting to save and conserve water, and then we watched a series on SBS about environmental awareness, and we watched Al Gore's, An Inconvenient Truth—and the message really hit home. We had already started swapping our light globes for CFLs in our home. Now we have changed more of these, and we have bought a new energy & water efficient washing machine. Our kids get rewards for taking shorter showers and remembering to turn off power points and lights. If everyone would change some little things in the manner we have done, it would make a huge difference.

Michelle R.
Australia

As an active member of the Australian Conservation Foundation, I am part of an initiative that their Central Coast Branch is running on the Central Coast (Gosford and Wyong) to promote their Climate Change Campaign in the area.

John W.
Australia

It was my first semester in college, and our new student center opened up. It's energy efficient and is a great place to eat, study, or whatever. I was very impressed with the entire thing. There's a theater on the third floor where they play movies, one new movie each week—and one week they were playing An Inconvenient Truth. That's when it all started for me, and that's when I started thinking about the film. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. To top it off, we even started talking about some of the climate change stuff in class, things like the melting glaciers. Since then, I've been researching more and doing what I can to help with the climate crisis.

Anne Z.
Wisconsin

I was watching Al Gore's film, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. I've always known something was wrong, but I guess as human beings we ignore what we don't want to accept. After that, and with all of the messages between the Live Earth concert numbers, my green light switched on. Since then, I've been getting informed about environmental tips and the help I can provide. I've been able to switch on other lights because something very unusual happened in my city, Buenos Aires, Argentina. I woke up one day, and it was snowing. Everyone was excited because it was only the second time in several centuries that this had happened in my city—but I got scared because I could see beyond this supposedly delightful event. I realized that we could become spectators of our own destruction. I call for your help. We need to do something right now! I know that I am personally going to do something.

Lucila F.
Buenos Aires, Argentina

I first switched on my green light when I saw things on TV about all the natural disasters that were happening, all due to Global Warming, all because of us. I also don't think it's fair that the leaders of the world get to decide if they think Global Warming is an issue or not, particularly when they clearly are not thinking about the future of others. So I thought that I need to get myself into gear and do something about it—or at least contribute to helping cut down our emissions. Let's keep the world beautiful so future people can see it!

Samantha
Australia

Three experiences switched on my green light: Watching Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth—seeing the Sci-fi movie, The Day After Tomorrow—and visiting Alaska in 2005. (The calving* activity on the advancing Hubbard Glacier was alarming.) Also, our winters in Australia are getting noticeably colder, the summers unbearably hot. We have a massive water shortage in Sydney, and the government doesn't want to build a desalinization plant; of course, that would require power our city doesn't have. (I believe they are using the desalinization plant as a sly way to introduce Sydney to its first nuclear power plant. That would be the worst thing imaginable!)

Gary W.
Sydney, Australia

*Editor's Note: "Calving" refers to a piece of an ice mass becoming detached.

Well, I don't remember what my reason was for first being interested [in climate change], but I guess it's all of the reasons others have listed. I read some article, or watched some TV show, or maybe I just thought about how warm it is here in Bulgaria—or how severe the weather has become. It was just some kind of strange period during which the words Climate Change was yelled all over the place, on the Internet, etc. When life wants to show or tell me something, it definitely finds its own mysterious way to do it—and it did draw my attention!

jmryts
Bulgaria