It is 11-11 today 2016, I awoke this morning with the thought, why wait? Why wait for a president to lead legislation to pave the way for climate change, human rights, equal pay, averting GMO’s, or supporting a fossil fuel-free future?

I might influence certain choices, but what I can change, is Me.

Every day, every hour, every moment I am making choices. Am I choosing to get into my hybrid fossil fueled car, the local biodiesel bus, Seattle’s electric Car2Go fleet or my bike? According to Scientific America, Americans make up 5% of the worlds population, consuming 30% of the worlds resources while creating half of the worlds solid wastes. What this means is that every American has a huge impact on the global climate. This is good news. We are powerful in our own right. Our future transforms, when you and I, make different choices.

Science claims the planet’s climate is at a tipping point. In fifty years, we have gone from healthy coral reefs to 50% of all the planet’s coral reefs – dead! Ocean temperatures are too warm to sustain them. Our planet is heating up and our oceans are demonstrating what that looks like.

A really outstanding resource is the new National Geographic documentary, Beyond The Flood. Leonardo DiCaprio gives us a clear view of where our planet stands. It is spellbinding. The truth is, the past is done. The future remains untold. The present is where we can make new choices.

Here are some “right-now choices” that will make you feel good about leaning into, the ‘why wait’ category?

47% of the US, half of our land mass, is dedicated to growing food. 70% of those crops (grain) goes to feeding cattle.

Did you know, when cows chew they release methane gas? Methane gas is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Along with the two major carbon contributors, fossil fuel cars and burning rain forests for palm oil plantations, cows are the next great greenhouse gas emitters. If we eat less cow meat, this would have a big impact on our greenhouse gas footprint. Or better yet, eat only grass fed cows.

Another powerful choice is to read grocery labels. Palm oil is the cheapest oil to make, and what remains of our rain forests, that which turns carbon to oxygen, is being decimated to grow palm tree plantations. If we stop eating items that have palm oil in them, which is practically everything, we send a loud and clear message to manufacturers we do not support this practice.

My suggestion, is titrate. Eat the things you can not live without, sparingly. It was time to make eating whole foods sexy, anyway. Aside from the fact that it is healthy for us, it is the only choice for our planet.

I ask you, why wait?
If Hillary had won this election, the vast majority of us would have been complacent. I know I would have been. Waiting for her to pass Green legislation in a Republican strong Senate and Congress, is not the kind of time that we have.

Our children, our planet can not afford for us to be apathetic. Every one of our choices, as Americans are  weighing in on the scales of global climate change. Each one of us is making a difference. Let’s make the difference that counts.