Which came first, the 1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott or the 1964 Civil Rights Act?

No trick question. The boycott was closer to grass roots people-led project and it preceded the Civil Rights Act, as big a step as governments make. We may not have reached the Civil Rights Act had they not boycotted.

Government action results from people acting first, which we can do. Corporations react to people too. We all can change our behavior here now even if we only see the results later.

But if you believe what you do doesn’t matter, you miss out on influencing and leading government. As I see it, the best you can do is to live by your values. It may look to naysayers as ineffective, but they probably don’t know what they’re talking about.

Want environmental legislation? Stop polluting.

Want corporate environmental action? Stop paying for things that pollute.