James Carville's  'Ten Things You Can Do'

Civic duty is far from dull these days. There's a lot going on out there when it comes to politics and policy. You've got to make your voice heard. The best way, of course, is to vote and I mean in every election, from the race for dogcatcher all the way up. But voting is not enough. Good Democrats need to roll up their sleeves and jump into the mix in many other ways, too. Here is a simple list of ways you can make a difference : James Carville

	Run for office. It may seem old-fashioned, but I still believe that good people can do great things from elected office. And I'm not just trying to drum up business; you don't need some overpriced consultant to run your race. Put together a platform you believe in and go for it.
	Volunteer on a campaign. If you don't want to run for office, volunteer for someone who does. It can be in a local campaign or in the local branch of a national campaign. Campaigns are always short on money and volunteers are the heart and soul of most efforts.
	Talk to your children about public affairs and politics. Make sure your dinner-table talk goes beyond Power Rangers and the prom. There's an old saying : "War is too important to be left to the generals." Civic discussions are too important to be left to television talking heads.
	Write letters to the editor. Give newspaper readers a chance to read something more intelligent and insightful than the normal editorial goop.
	Go to town hall meetings. Scandalously few people actually show up at these. Call up your county commissioner, your state representative, your city councilperson. Find out where and when you can go to speak your mind, or just listen.
	Attend school board meetings. Even if you don't have kids in your local school system, you better believe that what goes on in those schools affects you.
	Write members of Congress. In these days of phony-baloney Astroturf lobbying, real letters from real people count.
	Write a check. Sit down with your family, decide how much you can afford to give and get it out there to a candidate or cause you admire. Don't be afraid to send a note with the money.
	Get involved in discussions on the Internet. I'm serious. Although I personally have a better chance of flying a 747 than I do finding the on-off switch on my office computer, I hear the Internet is a great way to get involved and stay informed. Here's a quick list of ways you can find good Dems in cyberspace : Check out these Web sites : Democratic National Committee Democratic Leadership Council. Subscribe to The Internet Democrat, a free E-mail newsletter; send the message "subscribe" (no quotes) to internet-democrats-request@webcom.com Subscribe to the Demtalk list server; send the message "subscribe" (no quotes) to Demtalk-list@aquilapub.clever.net.
	Be just as willing to compliment as you are to criticize. The last thing we need is more cynicism. Be constructive.

   Drive smart! Forget jack rabbit starts and long idles. Make sure your vehicles are tuned up and the tires are properly inflated. If you have two cars, drive the more efficient one whenever possible. Better yet, skip the drive and take public transit, walk or bicycle when you can. The more gasoline we burn, the more carbon dioxide (CO2) we put into the air. And CO2 is the primary global warming pollutant.

   Write your leaders now. Urge them to raise mile per gallon standards for cars to 45 mpg and sport utility vehicles and other light trucks to 34 mpg. It's the biggest single step we can take to slow global warming. And by saving gas, you save money at the pump.

   Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs - especially those that burn the longest each day. These produce the same amount of light as normal bulbs, use about a quarter of the electricity, and last ten times as long. Each compact fluorescent bulb saves 500 pounds of coal, helping to clean the air today, curb global warming, and save you money on your electricity bill.

   Button up your house. Start with caulking and weather-stripping on doorways and windows. Then wrap your water heater in an insulation jacket (available at most hardware stores). You can also install energy-efficient windows and improve the insulation of your home. Ask your utility company to do an energy audit of your home to show you how to save even more money.

   Install low-flow shower heads and faucets. You'll use less than half the water without decreasing performance. Turn your hot water heater down to 120°F and see hot water costs go down by as much as 50%.

   Keep your furnace and air conditioner working right. Then clean your refrigerator's coils and door seal. To save even more energy and money - use a fan at home when you can, instead of air conditioning.

   Buy energy-efficient electronics and appliances. Then, turn them off when they're not in use. When buying, look for the Energy Star label or yellow-and-black sticker that tell you the energy efficiency ratings. To find out which appliances are worth looking at, send for the booklet "The Most Energy Efficient Appliances" from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, 1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. It costs four bucks now - it can save you hundreds or more.

   Plant a tree, protect a forest. Trees "breathe in" carbon dioxide, but only as long as they're living. Lower your air-conditioning bills in the summer, and absorb CO2, by planting shade trees around your house. Slash-and-burn farming practices and logging are adding to the problem. Protecting forests is a big step on the road to curbing global warming.

   Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70-90% of the energy and pollution including CO2, that would result if the product came from virgin materials. Recycling a stack of newspapers only 4' high will save a good sized tree. Please ... buy recycled products!

   Mount a local campaign against global warming. Educate your community about how it can cut greenhouse gas pollution and help curb global warming. Support measures at the national, state, and local level that : increase energy efficiency and conservation; make automobiles go further on a gallon of gas; accelerate the use of clean, renewable solar and wind technology, and other renewable energy technology; and preserve forests around the world.