Like everyone else, I had grown so used to being barraged by articles and documentaries on global warming that it had little or no effect in motivating me to do something about it. It was when I took a year out, travelling around the world and witnessed some of the devastating effects that climate change is having, that I returned home committed to finding a new way to encourage people to actually do something about it. There are hundreds of websites that offer information on global warming but my aim is to get through to people by Indymedia's logic of peer-to-peer networking. Using social media, I wish to generate interest, among my peers, in the urgent issue. Social media allow people to exchange information and their experiences. I think this will be more effective than firing information at people.
I founded my own grassroots NGO; FACC (Fight Against Climate Change) whose main goals are: to create widespread understanding of the causes of climate change by building a platform for people to share information, to open intelligent debate on alternative sources of energy that can provide real and just solutions to the climate crisis and to infiltrate the corporate domination of climate negotiations by establishing enough credibility to have a representative speak at any of these meetings. I believe people will be more interested if they believe they can make a difference.
I founded my own grassroots NGO; FACC (Fight Against Climate Change) whose main goals are: to create widespread understanding of the causes of climate change by building a platform for people to share information, to open intelligent debate on alternative sources of energy that can provide real and just solutions to the climate crisis and to infiltrate the corporate domination of climate negotiations by establishing enough credibility to have a representative speak at any of these meetings. I believe people will be more interested if they believe they can make a difference.
As the director of FACC, I am currently attempting to mobilise support for the cause. As discussed by Jeffery S. Juris in his essay; “The New Digital Media and Activist Networking Within Anti-Corporate Globalization Movements”, the proliferation of activist groups is as a result of the new digital networks available on the internet. Activists everywhere are "increasingly turning to technological paradigms as a way to promote social transformation." (Juris '08, p366) To achieve the goals I have set out for FACC, I will be attempting to mobilise support from my own peer groups through social media. My plan of action is to set up a social website where information can be shared using open editing software to collectively produce documents as well as using social networking sites such as facebook to spread the word and lobby support.
I will be working as part of a network of environment organisations such as CAN (http://www.climatenetwork.org/) and CJA (http://www.climate-justice-action.org/). I am determined to build a global movement for climate change that encourages urgent action alongside these organisations. So I will have links on the website to their web pages including the ECO online newsletter to further broaden the network and flow of information.
I will set up an emailing list and thread to keep people informed as of what they can do to help.
Enhanced speed, flexibility and reach of information flows has changed patterns of social engagement and the nature of social relationships and communication, allowing interactions across vast distances. Digital networks allow activists to coordinate actions and physically manifest their ideas all over the world. In other words, social media provide a technological infrastructure for me to operate at local and global levels. 
In order to create a truly global movement I need to create a striking, graphic image to symbolise the aims of FACC, one that can defy nationalistic boundaries. I found this image of a dried river very striking and believe that a graphic image of a dried river could become an internationally recognised symbol for the fight against climate change as all nations depend on rivers as they bring life and where rivers are drying up; life is drying up. This image would become recognised through social media and other computer-supported networks.
As digital networks have been incorporated into our daily routines, virtual and physical activities are becoming more and more integrated. The more often people see the image the more people are reminded that the world's climate is changing everyday, this will spark daily interest and discussions.
In order to create a truly global movement I need to create a striking, graphic image to symbolise the aims of FACC, one that can defy nationalistic boundaries. I found this image of a dried river very striking and believe that a graphic image of a dried river could become an internationally recognised symbol for the fight against climate change as all nations depend on rivers as they bring life and where rivers are drying up; life is drying up. This image would become recognised through social media and other computer-supported networks.
As digital networks have been incorporated into our daily routines, virtual and physical activities are becoming more and more integrated. The more often people see the image the more people are reminded that the world's climate is changing everyday, this will spark daily interest and discussions.
Thousands of activists in Copenhagen have worked together to show that there is substantial activist opposition fighting climate change at grassroot level. Through these uses of social media I too can mobilise my peers to act and generate widespread visibility surrounding issues related to climate change.
References
Climate Action Network http://www.climatenetwork.org/
Climate Justicec Action http://www.climate-justice-action.org/
"Climate March 12 December '09, Copenhagen" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1OcfHIxm3Y&feature=player_embedded#
Juris, J (2008) "The New Digital Media and Activist Networking within Anti-Corporate Globalisation Movements" in "The Anthropology of Globalisation" p352-370
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