Find New Uses for Old Things
Reduce, reuse, recycle. We hear this credo all the time but often limit its practice to cans, bottles, and newspapers. Rick Fedrizzi, 52, founding chairman of the U.S Green Building Council, wants us to expand its application. "There's this pervasive mentality that everything's disposable. But we should be reusing things or finding ways to let others reuse them." Many retailers, such as Radio Shack and Best Buy, provide in-store drop-off bins for recycling cell phones, while items such as clothing, toys, and computers are "things that small nonprofits, shelters, and rescue missions would love to have." (Visit goodwill.com and sharetechnology.org.) Through donations you not only relieve pressure on landfills, you contribute directly to your community.

Vote for Change
As a former employee of an oil refinery in Louisiana, Jerome Ringo, 51, witnessed firsthand the pollution caused by factory emissions. Having to evacuate his home during Hurricane Rita underscored the very real consequences of global warming and the kind of weather it can create. Now chairman of the board at the National Wildlife Federation (the first African-American to head a major national conservation organization), he believes we each hold responsibility for environmental stewardship, regardless of income, ethnic background, or education. This includes choosing the right leaders. "One of the greatest things we can do to support energy issues is to vote," he explains. Find candidates who share your stance on important issues, and elect them to office.

Get on the List
If there's one thing you can do right now, says actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, 32, it's call your mayor. "Tell your mayor that you care about global warming," he urges. DiCaprio supports the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement initiated by Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle. Signed by more than 375 mayors from 50 states, it's a pledge to meet or exceed the Kyoto Protocol's emissions-reduction goals. "Make sure your city is on that list." (Visit seattle.gov/mayor/climate.) DiCaprio is currently working on "11th Hour," an environmental documentary due out this year. The film, produced by Tree Media and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, will feature eco-insights from more than 60 experts, including Stephen Hawking, Ph.D., Kenny Ausubel, and Mikhail Gorbachev.