It’s already past 6pm here on the West Coast, which means over in Australia, Blog Action Day is already officially over. Why did I take so long to write my post? Good question, and I applaud you for being curious. With the topic of “environmentalism” as my backdrop, I spent most of the day trying to decide just what to write about … and I kept coming up blank.

Concern for the planet is such a diverse topic that trying to zero in on one concept was driving my mind bonkers. Even after a most enjoyable nap with my sweet cat (which usually clears my mind out and helps me get going), just made me feel groggy and confused. So, here I am, telling you why I haven’t written my post instead of picking an idea to post about.

With my usual nap not doing my any good, I decided it was time for a shower. Warm water, Aveda hair products, and a whole lot of steam was exactly what I needed. Now, I have my topic: local activism. A massive online community and commercial market has developed around the concept of living a more greener life. Even as a media person, I feel overwhelmed by this expansive of information and opinions at least once a week - how do I fit in? How can anything I do make a difference?

One of the most common things I hear is something along the lines of “why bother” when it comes to being involved in sustainable action. Well that is quite defeatist, isn’t it!? It’s easy to get lost in the sea of organic products, eco-fabrics, sustainable energy and green building - taking a page of the hippie generation, “You gotta simplify, man!” Start doing small things in your own life and your surrounding community, such as establishing or advancing a recycling program or volunteering to clean up a nearby park. No, you’re not going to win a Nobel Prize like Al Gore, but that’s not what being green is about - you don’t need a metal to know that you have made a difference; you’ll be able to see your success on your neighbor’s faces and the birds that return to perch in the trees on your sidewalk.

OK, that all sounded a bit cheesy, but it’s true. Most non-profits focus on national issues, but they all have an impact on a local level, and by starting there; by getting involved in local elections and decisions; you can start to have an impact long before the World Wildlife Fund raises money for its next project.

What matters to you? The last time you took a walk (or drive, but preferably a walk) through your neighborhood, what did you see that bothered you? I can’t count how many times I’ve spotted a local headline online or in The Examiner that made me think, “what the f**k are they doing!?” There’s no better time to start taking action than right now - click over to Google and search for you city or state’s official website, find out about upcoming elections or meetings and make the decision to participate, shop at “mom and pop” stores instead of big chains and visit a nearby farmer’s market for this week’s grocery trip; these are just a few of the thousand small things you can do in your own area to change things for the better.

This has all started to sound a bit preachy, hasn’t it? Let’s end this first-ever B.A.D. (eep, I just noticed that it spelled that; how funny) on a positive note - here is a collection of Blog Action Day posts from my regular reads; enjoy!:

+ Problogger - How Can Bloggers Be Environmentally Responsible?
+ Zen Habits - 5 Ways Save the World, While Getting Fitter, Saving Money, Simplifying, and Becoming Happier
+ FreelanceSwitch - 29 Simple Ways to Become a More Environmentally Friendly Freelancer
+ Tiny Choices - What Tiny Choices has taught us
+ GroovyGreen - Hu Says China To Go Green and The Pig Farmer
+ Sew Green - Take Action Today!
+ Keetsa -Blog Action Day and Earth
+ Freshly Blended - Blog Action Day
+ GOOD Magazine - I’ll Be A Monkey’s Uncle!
+ Green Options - It’s Blog Action Day for the Environment
+ Treehugger - Blog Action Day Takes the Blogosphere by Storm