Big changes start small. Choose one habit in your daily life that you can shift, and stick with it. One switch, repeated over time, creates real impact.

Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, started with one Instagram post about sustainability and justice - it grew into a global community of changemakers.

How to live this: Call, write, or meet with your elected officials to press for climate-positive legislation. Try Meatless Mondays. Cancel junk mail. Join a Sunrise Movement rally. Volunteer at a community fridge. Support a local mutual aid network. Donate your weekly coffee costs to a climate charity like Client Earth. And discover more via the SHIFT guide.

No one can do everything. But everyone can do something. Imperfect steps still matter, and when we take them together, progress grows.

Immy Kaur, co-founder of Civic Square, builds climate action by welcoming everyone’s messy, real contributions - not just the polished ones.

How to live this: Don’t feel guilty if you sometimes forget your tote bag or reusable coffee cup. Show up to a climate march even if you can’t stay all day. Share imperfect but honest climate conversations on social media and with friends, you never know what stories yours may inspire in response.

Elections are climate action. Voting for leaders who prioritize people and planet is one of the most powerful steps you can take. Bring a friend to the polls, and make your voice count.

Varshini Prakash co-founded the Sunrise Movement, mobilizing young people across the US to push climate change to the top of the political agenda.

How to live this: Vote in every election (local and national). Prioritize candidates with strong climate voting records or pledges to reject fossil fuel money. Help elect more women; research shows they pass stronger climate policies. Get active year-round by joining local or national groups pushing for ambitious climate action.

Start from what we share. Clean air, safe homes, healthy food: these are values everyone cares about. Find common ground, then build from there.

Katharine Hayhoe, climate scientist, works with faith communities across the US, building bridges through shared values of care and stewardship.

How to live this: Talk about shared values with friends and family who disagree politically. Join local interfaith climate networks. Host a potluck or book club where sustainability is discussed in human, not technical, terms. Write op-eds or letters to the editor linking local issues to climate. Get inspired by activism stories from others doing what they can to help the planet.

Once, New York Harbor was home to billions of oysters that filtered the water and protected the city’s shores. Today, Billion Oyster Project is bringing them back - and with them, a cleaner, safer, more resilient city. By 2030, they aim to restore one billion oysters and engage one million students in hands-on learning. So far, 150 million oysters already thrive across 17 reefs, filtering 7.5 billion gallons of water each day. You can volunteer, become a member, get your company or local school involved, donate and even dine at a partner restaurant whose oyster shells will help rebuild the harbor’s reefs.

For more than 50 years, Green Guerillas has turned vacant lots into thriving community gardens, creating spaces for food, joy, and climate action across New York City. They support more than 600 gardens through training, materials, and youth programmes that nurture the next generation of community leaders. You can volunteer at a garden supporting tool and seed distributions, mentor young gardeners, or donate to keep these green sanctuaries growing.

Since 1976, Trees New York has been greening the city, one street at a time. Through education and community planting, they’ve trained more than 13,500 Citizen Pruners and 11,000 young people in tree care — planting over 5,000 trees in underserved neighbourhoods. You can help grow New York’s urban forest by donating, taking the Citizen Pruner course, or signing your school or community garden up for their planting programme.

Founded in Harlem in 1988, WE ACT for Environmental Justice empowers communities of colour and low-income New Yorkers to fight for cleaner air, safer housing, and fairer climate policies. From Harlem to Washington Heights, they’re leading the national conversation on environmental justice. Join their movement by becoming a member, subscribing to their newsletter, or donating to support community-led advocacy across the city.