Archive:Suggestions for action

Congratulations! Now that you've learned a bit about Free Culture, it's time to share the love. Whether you can spare a few minutes or are ready to make a long-term commitment, we've got an activity that meets your interest. Take a look!

If you have 5 minutes

 * Raise Awareness. Print out a Free Culture flyer from our Propaganda page and post it in a public, visible (legal!) place. Try a train station, college cafeteria, or office bulletin board.
 * Speak Up. Send an e-mail to your congressional representative (U.S. residents can get contact info |here. Let them know that copyright issues matter to you &mdash; in general, and with regard to specific legislation such as the INDUCE Act.
 * Wear It! Want a button to trumpet your support for Creative Commons licensing? How about a Frisbee to bring to next week's Ultimate game? We've got lots of great stuff &mdash; contact your college rep if you're a student, or write to Nicholas.

If you have 15 minutes

 * Join In. Design a Creative Commons license for one of your works. Have you written a story or recorded a great guitar riff? Did you take a stunning shot of Mount Rushmore on your last vacation? Share it! A quick stop at the |CC website will let you choose your own licensing requirements. Then let the world know, by listing it at |commoncontent.org.

If you have 30 minutes

 * Encourage Media Literacy. Every day, the mainstream media runs articles that could include a Free Culture perspective...but don't. Keep an eye out for those articles in your local paper, and send an e-mail when you see one. Your choice whether to write a Letter to the Editor or just e-mail the reporter privately.

If you have an hour

 * Go Public. Benjamin Franklin gave advice on sex. Machiavelli offered tips on power. Luckily for us, their works are in the public domain. Now it's time to take the next step, and make them not just public but freely available online. To help, visit |Project Gutenberg.

If you have a little time every week

 * Be a Watchdog. Open a newspaper and you're likely to see Free Culture issues popping up on the business pages, in tech columns, and arts & culture coverage. Yet few reporters are well prepared to address Free Culture, much less tackle the nuances. Next time you run across an article that reveals such ignorance, don't just fire off a response. Instead, start a dialogue by "adopting" a particular reporter, and responding regularly (with both praise and concerns) about the articles they write.
 * Lend a Hand. Are you in college? There may be a Free Culture club on your campus already. Take a look at our Campus Groups wiki page, and pitch in. Your talents are welcome!

If you want to jump in the deep end

 * Start a Free Culture club at your college. If there isn't a campus group already...be a pioneer.
 * Launch the Next Generation. If you're not in college, consider starting a Free Culture group in your town or city. Try free networking software like |Meetup.com.