Here is a great article about the helplessness of talking about climate change and it's potential devastating effects on the environment, economy, etc, etc. Basically it goes like this: if people don't experience any tangible effects of global warming the warnings go largely unheeded. Can people do things to combat global warming? Sure. Are they? Who knows. I know that I am not nearly as active as I could be. I don't know who said this, but it brings to mind an analogy that I heard: if you put a frog in boiling water, he'll jump out, but if you put a frog in cold water and gradually raise the temperature that sucker will cook. Unless we can feel the effects of global warming, we are not likely to do anything about it.
So what is the solution? Policy change. As the article states, you have to give people more options. If you present them with an affordable fuel efficient car that costs less to maintain than a big gas guzzler, people will jump all over it. If you work with developing countries by providing them with cheap eco-friendly fuel then you will not only be doing a benevolent act and helping combat climate change, but you will also be earning valuable allies; which if the current political landscape persists, will be at a premium for a long time to come.