Turn the Tide FAQs

BinghamTurn the Tide is a powerful program of nine actions each of us can take that will have a measurable, positive impact on the environment - AND, it lets us see that impact immediately.

 

Q: How were the nine actions chosen?

A: The asked leading scientists and experts in the field of conservation what first steps they would ask Americans to take to reduce global warming, conserve water and energy, and save wildlife and forest habitats.

From their impressive list of suggestions, we chose:

  • Actions that matter most and can be measured accurately, in order to demonstrate our impact with integrity;
  • Actions that are realistically achievable for most people, in order to have broad, meaningful appeal;
  • Just nine actions, for a clear and manageable program.

When these nine basic actions are taken together by thousands of us, it has a significant impact on our environment. When these actions are reported and the cumulative impact publicized, increasing numbers of Americans will be inspired to drop in and make waves!

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Q: Do I have to take all nine actions to get counted?

A: No. If you can't take all nine actions, simply take the actions you can and your impact will be counted in the grand total for each action. All we're asking is that you do as many actions as you can. When maneuvering through the web page, simply skip the pages of those steps you can't take and continue on to the next step.

These nine actions aren't the be-all-and-end-all -- it's more important to think deeply about the environmental costs of our lifestyle choices and work to incorporate positive change wherever possible. Turn the Tide is a set of nine important actions. Whether you take all nine or only one, the online calculators will tally your impact.

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Q: Do you have any tools to help me keep track of my actions while I'm away from the computer?

A: Yes! We encourage participants to return to our site once a month to report new actions and to confirm that their previously reported actions are still accurate. But many Tide Turners find it convenient and accurate to take note of their progress as they complete each action. For everyday tracking when you're away from the internet, we've created a tally sheet for you to post on your fridge, desk or wherever works best for you.

Click here to print out a Turn the Tide tracking chart for your fridge, wall or desk!

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Q: I've been taking some of these actions for years. Why should I log on to Turn the Tide?

A: Here's a question for you: Did you know that two-thirds of Americans* say they would do more to reduce energy use and protect the environment if they knew they would have a measurable positive impact? Sure that's a big 'if,' but you can help us overcome the challenge in two ways.

1) When you report actions you've taken, you help motivate others to participate. As the size of our collective positive impact grow, so grows the encouragement and motivation for others to join Turn the Tide and to take on the nine actions.

2) When you inspire two friends to Turn the Tide, you triple the impact of your actions! Let's face it, if you're just checking out Turn the Tide for the first time, odds are you haven't yet taken the ninth action. And #9 is the most important!

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Q: Why just nine simple actions? Do you really think we'll solve the ecological crisis by eating a couple less burgers and putting in new showerheads? Aren't there more important things I can do to help the environment?

A: We think widespread cultural change is most likely to occur when many people take small steps together. Of course, they have to be steps that really matter-steps that truly conserve resources and protect the environment. They have to be specific and achievable within the constraints of our busy schedules, yet also inspire us to incorporate broader changes throughout all aspects of our lives. Finally, there have to be enough people taking these actions to make a real impact, and we have to be able to quantify the results so as to motivate people to take further steps. Turn the Tide does all these things and aims to give participants the most environmental bang for their buck.

Several of our scientists and experts recommended 'the biggies'-actions that would have the largest environmental impact but require considerable planning and commitment. These include choosing a place to live that reduces land consumption and the need for a car, having a small family, ditching your sports utility vehicle, pushing for major legislative change and selecting an electricity supplier that uses renewable energy. These choices are kind to the environment, but not always immediately feasible. We certainly encourage people to make more dramatic changes if they can, but with this program we want to focus on steps that most people can actually take in the short term.

Turn the Tide is indeed intended for mainstream America - we want hundreds of thousands of people to take positive action. For those who are ready, we also want to suggest possible further steps through the "Okay, I've done this. Now what?" links that appear after each reported action. And, of course, one of the best additional actions is to convince more and more friends to follow your lead and sign on to Turn the Tide.

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Q: Are there healthy alternatives to some of the things we're giving up through Turn the Tide (specifically beef, shrimp, and pesticides)?

A: Yes, free-range beef, and sustainably-harvested shrimp are healthy alternatives to the resource-intensive beef and shrimp that most Americans consume. There are also many natural alternatives to chemical pesticides. The trouble is that most Americans simply don't have access to such alternatives because they make up such a small percentage of what's currently available, and aren't really accessible to most people. To help, we've included links to help you identify sustainable seafood options and figure out natural alternatives to pesticides in the "How do I take action?" section of each action's web page.

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Q: I agree with your reasoning about the environmentally harmful impact of shrimp harvesting, but why put the industry out of business?

A: We're not trying put the industry out of business, we're just trying to shift it in a more sustainable direction. When this movement towards lower shrimp consumption really begins to catch on, it might very well encourage shrimp farmers and fishermen to shift towards more ecologically sensitive shrimp harvesting methods in order to bring back consumers.

Today, nearly 70 percent of the world's fisheries are fully fished or overfished, and about 60 billion pounds of fish, sharks, and seabirds die each year as "bycatch," caught accidentally as a result of wasteful fishing techniques. Shrimp fishing ranks the highest: for every pound of shrimp caught, between four and ten pounds of marine life are discarded, dead or dying, back into the ocean. Shrimp farms are no better, spilling pesticides into surrounding waterways and destroying over a quarter of the world's mangrove forests.

Currently, only a few types of shrimp are harvested somewhat more sustainably and they are difficult to locate. For information about these and other sustainable fish choices, please contact the Audubon Society and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. As more ecologically sensitive shrimp become available, we'll be sure to update the program.

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Q: In keeping with the Center's broad mission, why doesn't Turn the Tide address more issues of commercialism, such as turning off the television?

A: Turn the Tide is not designed to broadly tackle all of the social, environmental, and personal costs of our 'more is better' lifestyle. It is true that consumerism exacts a tremendous toll on our communities and on our families' quality of life. The Center addresses this problem through our Kids and Commercialism and Simplify the Holidays campaigns. But it is also true that our hyper-consumptive way of life is destroying the ecological safety net that sustains us and will sustain our grandchildren. This program addresses that environmental issue and dispels the notion that we can't make a difference.

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Q: What about all the environmental harm caused by large corporations? Why doesn't Turn the Tide focus more on legislation and other strategies of pressuring corporations to change their ways?

A: Consumer change won't build a sustainable future on its own. We will also need businesses to 'close the loop' and manufacture goods as cleanly and efficiently as possible. Just as importantly, we will need governments to eliminate policies that promote wasteful consumption, and also to embrace green choices in their own institutional purchasing.* But by committing to Turn the Tide's nine actions, we are telling these decision makers that we expect them to do their part as well. And, at the same time, we're taking a giant collective step toward a safer and more sustainable way of life.

For instance, the story of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) spray cans demonstrates the potential for us as individuals to be catalysts for change. Soon after scientific data on ozone depletion and its link to CFCs came to light in the mid-1970s, millions of Americans rejected aerosol cans and other products that used CFCs. Not wanting to lose business, innovative companies quickly developed alternative propellants to replace CFCs. Then in 1978, fortified by the public's desire for decisive action, the U.S. government mustered the political will to ban CFC spray cans. Soon after, the Montreal Protocol, widely regarded as one of the most successful international environmental accords, spelled out a complete global phase out of the destructive chemical. Individual actions, when taken collectively by millions of Americans, can and did serve as the major catalyst for a global environmental victory. Indeed, to simply sit back and blame all the earth's problems on corporations is to greatly underestimate the power of lifestyle changes by citizens in North America and around the world.

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Q: I've heard some people say that climate change isn't really happening, and that the evidence is very inconclusive as to the impact of humans on current warming trends. Any truth to that? And isn't carbon dioxide (CO2) naturally occurring? What is so bad about it?

A: The world's premiere scientific bodies, including the National Academy of Sciences and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have stated conclusively that 1) global warming/ climate change is occurring and that 2) it is being exacerbated by human activities (CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is comprised of 2,500 climate scientists while the National Academy of Sciences (made up of 1800 scientists, engineers, and medical professionals) have stated that climate change is real and human activity is contributing to the problem.Upon a request from President Bush, the National Academy of Sciences recently prepared a report that confirmed that, while there will never be complete consensus on all the numbers, greenhouse gases are definitely accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities and are causing air and ocean temperatures to rise.

The National Academy report explains that carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas of most concern because the chemical is generated by the continuing burning of fossil fuels, can last in the atmosphere for centuries, and "forces" more climate change than any other greenhouse gas. Yes, carbon dioxide exists in nature, but too much of it is not natural and is clearly a bad thing. Carbon dioxide collects in the atmosphere and traps heat around the earth, creating climate change. Effects of this climate change have the potential to cause increased severe weather, rising sea levels, dramatic shifts in the agricultural capabilities of certain areas and decreased biodiversity due to the local extinction of climate-sensitive organisms. But climate change isn't some far-off potential threat - it's happening now.The earth's warming process has intensified over the past 20 years and has already been accompanied by retreating glaciers, thinning arctic ice and rising sea levels.

Climate change demands immediate action. Turn the Tide helps us ensure that our immediate action will have a powerful impact. You can read more on climate change and what you can do by checking out the Center for a New American Dream's Climate Change page.

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Q: I have limited computer access and some of my friends have none. Why did you make Turn the Tide an on-line program anyway?

A: None of the nine actions require a computer. Simply request a Turn the Tide workbook along with a worksheet (or click here to print out a PDF version of the worksheet), fill it out and mail it in as you complete the nine actions. You can request this paper version of Turn the Tide by calling the Center toll-free at 877-68-DREAM or writing to: Center for a New American Dream, attn: Turn the Tide, 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 900, Takoma Park, MD 20912. We'll add the impact of your actions to our running collective total, which we will regularly announce in our quarterly newsletter, Enough!

Computers offer the fastest way for folks to keep in touch with one another, and to get updates on the impact they are having through Turn the Tide. The real-time interactive capacity of the New Dream Action Network and the ease of web-access for many people combine to make Turn the Tide appealing to a wider audience. We welcome both cyber and non-cyber participants in Turn the Tide. The actions you take, not the method used to report them, are what counts.