The theme for this Earth Day, on April 22, is “Our Power, Our Planet,” with the goal of tripling the use of clean energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, biomass and even some nascent technologies like ocean wave power) by 2030.

This theme appropriately emphasizes the collective responsibility of individuals, organizations and governments to make the transition to renewable energy sources.

However, climate change is a global problem that, collectively, the nations of the world, through their annual U.N. meetings (Conference of the Parties) to address climate change, have failed to stop, much less slow global warming because of their dependence on fossil fuels, the primary cause of climate change.

This, of course, is exacerbated by President Donald Trump saying climate change is a hoax, and canceling U.S. climate change policies, replacing them with promoting coal, oil and gas, i.e., fossil fuels.

And then there is the oil and gas industry promoting “Doomism” (it’s too late to stop climate change) to allow them to develop more oil, gas and profits.

Climate scientists do not believe it is too late to stop climate change if we act expeditiously to stop greenhouse gas emissions. Neither should “we.”

This Earth Day the collective action that can stop climate change is threefold: stopping fossil fuel development in communities across the country; people voting the environment in 2026; and individuals, environmental organizations and local governments accepting the burden of leading the fight against global warming by taking to the internet and galvanizing a coalition of climate activists beyond their local jurisdictions.

Stopping Oil Development

Stopping oil development cannot be equivocal. Santa Barbara County is the perfect example of this kind of equivocation.

Santa Barbara County is oil country. The Santa Barbara Channel has been producing oil for more than 100 years, and the county has 679 onshore wells producing 207,700 barrels of oil annually.

In this context, Santa Barbara County citizens, environmental organizations and some municipalities have joined in a coalition to ensure that three offshore oil wells remain offline by stopping the repair of the pipeline that would bring that oil onshore.

However, while both the City of Santa Barbara (carbon neutrality by 2030) and the Santa Barbara County (50% greenhouse gas emissions by 2030) have climate action plans, neither included the cessation of oil development in them.

Assume the city and county reach their goals, and the wells keep pumping and processing oil in the county. The oil production would negate the greenhouse gas reductions.

Vote the Environment

There will be 139 “climate deniers” up for re-election next year. Democrats only need to win five seats to take back the House of Representatives. With a 53-seat Republican majority in the 100-seat Senate, it’s mathematically possible for Democrats to flip the Senate, but it seems unlikely.

For voters in blue districts, like Santa Barbara, where Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, a climate champion, will be re-elected, this means they will have to take on the responsibility of not only voting, but selecting one of the vulnerable targets and actively working to ensure they are defeated.

This can be done by donations to their opponents, phone banking and postcard writing without leaving home.

Democrats gaining control of the House would create a necessary check against Trump and anti-green energy initiatives.

Social Media

What individuals, local environmental groups and municipalities can also do is expand their outreach by using social media.

As of February, 322 million people in the United States accessed the internet daily, for 147 minutes.

Polls consistently show that 64% of Americans say efforts to reduce climate change need to be prioritized.

In other words, there is an army of potential climate advocates to be organized on the internet.

Adding climate change and electing pro-environment representatives to one’s Facebook, Instagram and other platforms would be a game changer, especially if local environmental organizations and municipalities begin to reach out to people outside their respective local jurisdictions.

Making these things part of this Earth Day message will ensure that the theme of “Our Power, Our Planet” can become a reality.