Wednesday’s Press Herald has a column by Faye Flam of Bloomberg Opinion, bemoaning the fact that experts aren’t communicating what we as individuals can do to help address climate change. Too bad she didn’t help out by including a list of actions we can take. Here are a few suggestions:

Taking steps to conserve energy is one way to help mitigate climate change. In the attic of a home in Woolwich, John Mickles of Northern Energy Services applies spray foam to the base of a box used as an air gap around a chimney so that insulation he will put in the attic later doesn’t touch the chimney. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

• Travel less, especially by air.

• Eat more vegetables and less meat.

• Conserve energy – use less of it in all its forms.

• Practice 4R’s – Reduce, reuse, repair, recycle.

• Buy less stuff.

Amazing to me, I have yet to find a list of climate change actions that suggests that people consider having smaller families if they face that choice.

These are just a few broad-brush concepts. There is lots more information out there, although I agree with Flam that “we” and “they” need to do a better job of presenting a consistent, inescapable message about what we can all do to help save ourselves and our planet.

Barbara Smith
Raymond