Pamm tagged me for a meme to spread the word about “Bloggers for Positive Global Change“, where the idea was started by Deborah and Francis of Climate for our Future. Check the original post for details of the meme.

The idea is to name (and thereby award) blogs and bloggers who are making a difference for global change. Though I’ve been “awarded”, I wonder if I am making a difference, really, for global change. I tend to believe things are so out of control there’s not much we can do except take care of ourselves. This challenge was a wake up call for me. Thank you Pamm.

The ubiquitous photo of the lost Polar Bears trying to ford a crumbling ice scape breaks my heart every time I see it. I know there are 100’s of species going extinct every day. I know the rain forests are being destroyed at sickening rates. We are killing our planet.

But I also know I am a citizen of the country whose ridiculous standards of living have set the level the rest of the world feels they deserve, as they should. My father likes to play devil’s advocate when I rant about how much energy Americans consume. He looks me in the eye and asks, “Are you going to trade your house for something more Eco friendly?” It stops me in my tracks.

I try to do my part by recycling, using less electricity, gas and water. I garden organically, though not very water efficiently. I still use my Central Air when it gets too hot for me to work or sleep in the heat. But deep down, I know my father is right. Someone has to go first. And as much as I want to be the first, I still wait for someone else to start. I am selfish and want to keep the good life I have.

But this meme has made me more aware of possibilities. I will now keep an eye out for more and more little things I can do. My attitude has awakened. That’s a beginning, at least. I will now award several blogs which I feel are doing something, more than I have, to make a difference. I hope they will spread the recognition further with their own choices.

Brian of Backseat Driving challenges a bunch of global warming denialists with a bet that global temperatures will continue to increase over the next 20-50 years. I have a feeling he’d win them all. He also has another fun idea for bloggers to help charity in his post Global Warming Cut and Paste for Charity.

In Gristmill, a very good group blog about environmental issues and commentary from the website Grist, I found this very inspiring list of the core principles (links to articles) for a bright green future, taken from WorldChanging.

Real Climate, a very comprehensive blog of climate issues and science made accessible, posts a Friday Roundup of recent news. Included among stories and updates of current global warming debates; the Sun is off the hook for causing global warming; further reports on “The Great Global Warming Swindle”, (TGGWS) attempts to debunk the facts; a useful link to their new RC Wiki, where the debunking is debunked with authority!

Tamino does his small but important part to educate a skeptical reader who doubts the validity of the science of averaging temperatures to predicts global warming.

The Oil Drum reports and fosters discussion about energy and our future. Their post about the peak oil debate reminds me that driving is no longer a right, it’s a luxury.

Blue Climate posts a NYTimes article warning of flooding in the NE US if continuing warming raises sea levels. The areas affected include lower Manhattan. Nothing like a reality shock to wake us up!

100 Mile Diet is a blog (comment-less) about eating local. Another reminder of things we all can do.

Global Climate Change blogs about a Car Free DC Day on September 17 in Washington, DC. Alas, Columbus doesn’t really have any decent mass transportation. Slow, smoggy buses are all we get.

Eco Street suggests ways we can give the office a green makeover.

Alt+Energy writes about the Sustainable Bio Diesel Summit.