Feeling fired up? These are the political actions you can take right now, this minute.
Sometimes it feels like being politically active takes careful planning, but there are plenty of things you can do right away.
3, 2, 1… GO!
Click any of the images to see them at a larger size.
GIVE MINDFULLY
Donate money to an organisation whose values you share. They’ll know exactly how your money can best be put to work.
Image by Dave McKean
POP YOUR BUBBLE
Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook foster ‘echo chambers’ — networks where everyone shares broadly similar views.
After shock elections and referendums, citizens of both the USA and the UK understood the need to seek out opposing viewpoints. In the UK, PositionDial.com provides a subtle and thoughtful way of doing this — and then gives you actions you can take.
Image by Adrien Lee
RESEARCH YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS
Read up on how people prefer to be supported. Your assumptions may not be quite right.
Image by Richy K. Chandler
KICK IT OLD-SCHOOL
Got access to a photocopier or printer? Make a zine, then hand it out at a gig or political meeting. Whee, it’s just like the 80s all over again.
Image by Rachael House
START A PETITION
Starting your own petition is really easy. In the UK, use a service like 38 Degrees to exert power on big business or non-governmental institutions.
For governmental issues, use their own petitions facility at https://petition.parliament.uk.
Image by Aneurin (Nye) Wright
FOLLOW THE LEADERS
Whatever you believe in, find the group that’s making change and follow them, by signing up for their newsletter, or following them on social media.
Seeing others working for causes we feel strongly about is encouraging, and may help us to do more ourselves.
On a practical level, you’ll never miss their messages, calls to action or fundraising events. You’ll learn about the more in-depth issues behind the cause. And believe it or not, every little ‘like’ or ‘follow’ adds legitimacy to their voice, helping them exert more power on governments.
Image by Mijal Bloch
PUT THE PRESSURE ON
Tell your MP or other representative what you expect them to do about the issues that matter to you. And keep telling them.
You might get a pat, generic response: that’s not good enough, and you should write back to tell them so. Otherwise, how will they know? It’s our job to hold our representatives to account.
Image by Simon Russell
KNOW WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA
Subscribe to an online service so that you’ll always know when an important vote is coming up.
Contact your MP or representative and tell them how you want them to vote — even if you know they’ll be toeing the party line. Get your right-thinking friends to do the same.
If enough people make their feelings clear, your representative will convey that upwards to Parliament.
What if there’s no website like this for your country? You can set one up!
Image by Sarah Mirk
JOIN THE PARTY
It costs surprisingly little to become a card-carrying party member. It also gives you the right to vote on important party decisions, like leadership and the stance they take on important issues.
Image by Freya Harrison
SAY IT OUT LOUD
When the political narrative directly turns against your beliefs, your race, your sexuality or your lifestyle, it’s frightening.
Do you know someone who may be reading the news and feeling that fear right now? Let them know you’ve got their back. You’d be surprised how much a few words can do.
Image by Josie Pearse
SWAP THEM OUT
Changing your social media avatar or your mobile ringtone sounds pretty frivolous, doesn’t it?
But these small injections of your political beliefs into everyday situations can spread the word far and wide: every time your phone rings, every time you comment on a thread seen by others.
Image by Tessa Astre
KNOW YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
Websites like TheyWorkForYou.com in the UK, and similar sites set up by NGOs in many other countries, allow you to subscribe to your MP so you get an email every time they speak in Parliament.
Keep careful watch and make sure you contact them if you’re displeased with their activity.
Image by Hannah McCann
SWITCH TO GREEN
If we’re going to prevent climate disaster, we need to get fully behind renewable energy.
Switch to a green energy provider and ensure that the water in your cuppa is boiled by the wind, sun and sea rather than fossil fuels. Swapping providers is really easy these days, and you’ll be making a proper difference every time you boil the kettle.
Image by Aki Alaraatikka
All artwork on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
GIVE MINDFULLY
Donate money to an organisation whose values you share. They’ll know exactly how your money can best be put to work.
Image by Dave McKean
JOIN THE PARTY
It costs surprisingly little to become a card-carrying party member. It also gives you the right to vote on important party decisions, like leadership and the stance they take on important issues.
Image by Freya Harrison
PUT THE PRESSURE ON
Tell your MP or other representative what you expect them to do about the issues that matter to you. And keep telling them.
You might get a pat, generic response: that’s not good enough, and you should write back to tell them so. Otherwise, how will they know? It’s our job to hold our representatives to account.
Image by Simon Russell
START A PETITION
Starting your own petition is really easy. In the UK, use a service like 38 Degrees to exert power on big business or non-governmental institutions.
For governmental issues, use their own petitions facility at https://petition.parliament.uk
Image by Aneurin (Nye) Wright
Draw The Line 