Most average people feel overwhelmed by global warming and environmental problems because they don't think they as an individual will really make any difference. Leave it to the scientists to figure it out and fix it, some feel. But there are many grassroots efforts to protect the environment by ordinary average people out there. Take this project for example: http://touchthejungle.org The Choco Rainforest Protection Project. This is a rainforest conservation project run by two young American women, from compeltely different backgrounds, who have joined their efforts together to preserve the rainforest habitat, the wildlife, and the native culture in the NW region of Ecuador. This is coastal rainforest, that is one of the fastest disappearing rainforests on earth, and it IS the fastest disappearing natural habitat in the entire country of Ecuador. They are facing overwhelming odds working in this region against poverty, a corrupt government, timber companies, mining companies, etc, but they keep working hard to make a difference and their passion and hard work is inspiring. They give the native people in this region hope for survival. They should give the rest of us hope that we can do our part to make a difference on this earth too. Maybe we can't all run a proejct to save a rainforest, but we can do small things at home by changing our lifestyles, being less wasteful, consuming less energy, living greener, being educated about where products come from and refusing to buy products that harm the enviroment. It should really be a no brainer to do these things. Conservation is not just for scientists.