I was delighted last week to see a standing-room only crowd for the Designing Activism panel discussion on graphic arts, propaganda and the green movement. If the past few years of climate activism have taught us anything, it is that being armed with the facts is not enough.

The environmental movement needs the knowledge and support of visual artists and marketers to reach people with clear messages about the solutions as well as the dangers of inaction. Environmental organizations like the one I work for, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), are busy fighting filthy power plants operating with out-of-date technology, fending off legislative attacks on values that used to be unassailable and pushing for regulations and policies that will safeguard our air, water and health and set the United States on a path to a clean energy economy. It’s complicated stuff, which is why I find the Green Patriot posters so inspiring; the best of them distill these issues perfectly on a single page.

In the age of social media, everyone can speak out — whether about Trump’s toupee or burning national forests for electricity. And an individual with a network, or a small group of committed people with even larger networks, can create the spark that ignites a mass movement. We’re looking for those sparks. When campaigns by environmental organizations working in the halls of government and in the courts intersect with concerned and motivated individuals, we can create a force equal to the coal and oil industries’ influence peddling. Online distribution is free — the idea simply has to be strong and powerful enough to inspire action at a critical moment.

The fight to curb climate change has many facets and fortunately, even more solutions. Solving a problem this big requires innovative and smart choices. Few of these solutions are familiar to the public, and all could use the expertise and support of visual artists and marketers. The members of the panel offered fantastic insights into how to effectively use design for activism, but details about current environmental issues and efforts were scarce. And it seemed that the audience, to its credit, wanted to get to work. So in the spirit of remaining in touch, here are just a few transformative solutions NRDC is working on this year in concert with many other health and environmental organizations. These are opportunities and reasons for hope.

The government is preparing to set new efficiency standards for passenger cars. Setting the standard to 60 mpg for new cars would cut oil consumption by 49 billion gallons per year and more than 535 million metric tons of carbon pollution by 2030. Better carbon pollution and fuel-efficiency standards will ensure the American auto industry creates innovative cars. Will we go 60 mpg by 2025?

Or will Congress open new areas to drilling, answering the oil industry’s demands for more access, more permits and reduced safeguards for offshore drilling — even in the aftermath of the worst oil spill in United States history?

High gas prices mean Americans are suddenly all too aware of our dependence on foreign oil. The United States consumes 19 million barrels of oil a day, 25 percent of the global supply, but we have less than 2 percent of the world’s proved oil reserves. That means no amount of domestic drilling will reduce gas prices much or provide enough to meet America’s daily demand for oil. We need to develop sustainably grown biofuels and run our cars on electricity generated by solar or wind power.

If we invest in public transit; plan more convenient and sustainable communities that don’t leave thousands stuck in traffic for hours; and offer Americans more and better transportation options (including walking and bicycling!), we’ll not only reduce our demand for oil but perhaps be happier and healthier.

It’s time to develop renewable and clean energy sources, stop subsidizing the oil industry and invest in wind, solar, biogas and geothermal.

If we stop wasting electricity we can stop building new coal-fired power plants just to meet peak demand. We must invest in energy-efficiency improvements and retrofit buildings. We need to set energy-efficiency appliance standards to drive innovation and use more-efficient products.

Can we transform food production so that concentrated animal feeding operations don’t pollute our water and threaten our health? Can we foster a healthier, more sustainable means of producing and distributing food locally to feed everyone?

Smart government policies would promote these solutions and finally transform American energy. But the political influence of the coal, oil and gas industry must be overcome.

We need your help to visualize these facts, bring the solutions to life and present images that illuminates with startling clarity the choice before us. Does any of the above inspire you?

Today we’re faced with a Congress that includes a faction that is determined to dismantle basic health and environmental safeguards without regard for the law. Things that may have enjoyed broad support just a few years ago – reducing mercury pollution, for instance – are under attack. These members of Congress are unabashedly supporting the rights of polluters to release unlimited amounts of hazardous pollution into our air without regard for its effects on people, our health or our environment.

And the coal, oil and gas industries are gearing up to spend record amounts of money fighting any regulations. The oil and gas industry spent a record $168 million in 2009 to lobby the Congress and the administration. (Check contributions to members of Congress on www.dirtysecrets.org/)

I’d welcome your thoughts and ideas on any of these issues and would love to hear how NRDC and other organizations can better communicate with and engage both your industry and the public.

The moderator, Susan Szenasy, editor of Metropolis, voiced familiar concerns when she asked if our consumption is the problem, if people should feel guilty working for large corporations, if small actions are enough in the face of global problems.

Consumer demand for better products — whether it is energy-efficient electronics, renewable energy, clothing made from textiles whose production didn’t pollute rivers, or food produced without pesticides — will continue to drive innovation and the adaptation of more sustainable practices. And the public declaration of our values matters. Health and the environment matter, polluters should be held accountable and we should be seeking more sustainable alternatives.

The green movement will gain the most power when the popular imagination is engaged, when networked individuals intersect with organizations, and street art and calls to Congress echo the same message.

Illustrator: Nick Dewar