WHILE many ecological issues—loss of biodiversity, availability of clean water, endangered wildlife, for example—deserve urgent attention, global warming has emerged as the most pressing problem of the day. As such, what can one person do?

That’s the exciting thing: There aren’t many issues where there’s actually something you can do about it, but since we’re all guilty of contributing to the problem of global warming, we can all be part of the solution. Try changing a lightbulb. Multiply that by millions, and you have a serious force. All the small actions add up.

WWF-Philippines’ “My 1 Thing” campaign provides the simplest, most effective ways you can make a difference. The campaign gives an avenue for Filipinos to help the environment. It is part of WWF’s “60+” project that seeks to inspire people to commit one thing that will lessen their carbon footprint, fight climate change and, ultimately, preserve the environment.

Speaking of An Inconvenient Truth, the first time I watched Al Gore’s documentary film, my jaw dropped. I knew that it was the single best way to explain this information and if people saw it, they’d respond. Two things that celebrities do well are to bring attention to a cause and help set trends. The hybrid car is a perfect example. These weren’t the hippest, coolest cars, but because celebrities started driving them, other people became interested. Movies geared toward kids, like Ice Age and Arctic Tale, are educational; kids go home and put pressure on their parents. And there was The Day After Tomorrow that focused on global warming. The more I learned, the more upset I got.

According to WWF-Philippines Vice Chairman and CEO Lory Tan, everyone can do something for the environment and “My 1 Thing” is a vehicle that enables Filipinos to contribute one thing, no matter how small, for the environment. “We can start fighting back by reducing the amount of carbon we throw back into our atmosphere and slow down climate change enough for us to adapt in time,” he said.

Show me the person who doesn’t enjoy a beautiful day, riding a bike or swimming in the ocean. Who doesn’t want to drink clean water? If you like these things, you’re an environmentalist. There’s nothing political about it, either.  There are solutions that may be political, but the core issue is not. Environmentalism isn’t a special group that you join; it’s in your heart and soul.

To pledge to the cause, those who are interested are encouraged to log on to www.my1thing.com.ph. They may create a profile page on the web site, share the one thing being done to fight climate change, and share it with friends, relatives and colleagues.

WWF ambassadors Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez are hoping that everyone will be able to contribute to the Philippine effort to address the global problem.

“Be it joining a carpool or riding a bike to work, your ‘1 Thing’ does not have to be big. These pledges put together will definitely make a big impact to the country’s environment,” Fernandez said.

The “My 1 Thing” campaign is also made possible by WWF-Philippines’ partnerships with the Yuchengco Group of Companies, Coca-Cola under its Live Positively platform, LG, Honda and Arthaland.

Getting involved on a local level can be an accessible and gratifying way to connect with your community and bring about grass-roots change. Think global, act local. It’s not just a cliché; it’s a manifesto. You might consider volunteering or joining a group. Thousands of independent organizations with similar goals exist across the country. But you don’t have to be officially affiliated with any entity to help out. You can join a beach cleanup, tell a neighbor about the green cleaning products you’re using, or just pick up litter when you’re walking the dog. It’s that simple to spread the word and be the change. No evangelism necessary.

Regardless of how you do it, participate—no matter how small—is what “My 1 Thing” campaign is really all about. Identify what you’re willing to do. There are myriad ways to contribute. None of us is in this alone. The world’s a small, intimate place. Shaping its communities is up to each of us. Will you spread the word? Plant a tree? Switch to organic applesauce? For better or for worse, no action is without an impact. At its most basic, being green means having an awareness that the environment is all round us. It depends on us—and we, on it.

I like to go vacations with my family. So the pleasure is in visiting places, but the guilt is in the carbon burden associated with travel. After all, the easiest way to start making greener choices is to evaluate your unique position. Ultimately, that’s what sustainability is all about: creating scenarios that continue to work over time.

Bubuwit Squeaks

THE CAUTIOUS

If, for some reason, getting the right people in the room isn’t feasible, you’ll have to find a way to get the CEO involved in the process. Without that involvement, your strategy will never be implemented properly. So the trick is to carefully construct a case that your superiors can be comfortable with, as they carry it upward to the CEO. For example, you might include what this ad guru calls “the world has changed” section at the beginning of your presentation. This automatically communicates the idea that when earlier decisions were taken (rightly or wrongly), they appeared correct at that time. The purpose of this kind of language is to soothe egos by making the earlier mistake. Also, the notion of a changing world makes it sound more like a decision the CEO should take a look at. But this may not be enough.