What are you going to do to Step It Up in your corner of the planet?

On April 14, thousands of people are planning to attend rallies, march, hike, ski, or join other actions across the country for Step It Up 2007. The grassroots actions are intended to ask Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

All the actions will be locally-run and locally-initiated, and so far there are 1277 of them taking place in all 50 states. The events are diverse and creative and the common thread is they're all part of the Step It Up campaign. You can find a nearby action on their website. Or, if you're inspired to do so, you can start one of your own.

If I lived in New York City, I'd don a blue T-shirt and join the Sea of People. Together, hundreds of people will link arms and form a human chain marking what could be the southern shore of Manhattan if global warming continues. This one of hundreds of actions taking place near the Big Apple.

If I were a dare-devil skier (the real thing, not just in my dreams), I might head to Wyoming's Wind River Mountains and join the elite team of skiers who plan to descend a shrinking glacier.

As it is, I'll probably check out the Rally and Light Bulb Exchange that's being held at a park not too far from my house. Among other things, this gives me the chance to knock on doors of unsuspecting Albuquerque residents, ask them to hand over their energy-sucking incandescent light bulbs and present them with their much greener compact florescent cousins.

Not only does this help the environment, but it satisfies my urge to sneak a peek at people's houses.

If the actions near you fail to appeal or catch your interest, the Step It Up organizers invite you to plan your own event. Seems possible to gather a few friends together, and create an action in which you ride your bikes in some scenic locale or take a walk around the block.

Or if your allergies force you to stay indoors, host a mini-film festival that involves screening your favorite environmentally-correct DVD. (Like An Inconvenient Truth or Supersize Me or possibly Soylent Green)

The point is that it seems pretty easy to get involved with this effort. All that is required is your participation.

So what are you waiting for?