These days, you can hardly turn around without hearing about global warming. A recent ABC News poll found that more than half of the respondents said that global warming was either extremely important or very important to them.

This is good news for environmentalists, who have been tirelessly advocating the issue long before the rest of us caught on to the idea that what’s bad for the planet is equally bad for the humans inhabiting it.

Despite the extensive coverage, most people still view climate change as an issue that is so big, it’s hard to know where to start when looking for solutions.

Luckily, news corporations are embracing this new challenge with vigor. Not a week goes by without a network news channel airing a program about global warming and the solutions to it. Recently, Chip Giller, president of Grist magazine, an online environmental publication, appeared on MSNBC’s Today Show to talk about simple changes everyone can make to curb climate change.

The argument can be made that by focusing on encouraging individuals to make voluntary changes in their own lifestyles, environmentalists are letting the big guys like government and corporations off the hook. Even environmentalists working at the same publication are butting heads on this issue. “Voluntary actions didn’t get us civil rights, and they won’t fix the climate” wrote Mike Tidwell, a Grist magazine contributor.

He argued that instead of telling people to buy hybrids and use more public transportation, we should be telling corporations and the government to pass laws that require tougher fuel emission standards and cleaner burning fuels.

He writes, “Next time Aunt Betty goes to buy bulbs at the CVS, there should only be climate-friendly fluorescents for sale. When she shops for her next car, there should only be 50-mpg models across the lot, the sort even Detroit admits it can readily build.” Put simply, voluntary actions don’t enact change; laws that demand change enact change!

This argument is valid, but the call to individual action should not be discounted. To effectively bring about change, the public must first be educated about the issue. This is phase one. In phase two, people must warm to the idea of individual changes to combat the problem, and be shown how these changes will improve their lifestyles. Though the Civil Rights Act needed to be passed to effectively enact change across the country, it certainly didn’t happen overnight. Right now we are in the middle of phase two. People are beginning to change their own lifestyles to help lessen their eco footprint.

Tidwell argues that we don’t have enough time for phase two. Climate change is real, and it’s happening now.

Though it’s true that the planet is strapped for time, we can’t afford to skip phase two and go right to passing laws. Ultimately, the people have to vote for those laws, and they won’t be in favor of them if they can’t see how the changes positively affect them.

In light of this need to educate consumers, EJ Magazine is featuring a recurring section titled “Seeds of Change: A guide to treading lightly on the Earth.” It informs consumers about what they can do to limit their own contribution to global warming.

Though the topics will vary, each article will contain information about both environmental problems and potential solutions. Turn to page 27 for the inaugural section that examines cosmetics, wine, home heating and organic food.

Change comes easiest in little pieces. From diets to self-help books, it’s about taking small steps towards a bigger goal.