Like Gandhi, Robb Hirsch believes people need to be the change they seek in the world.

So when it comes to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that most scientists believe are at the heart of climate change, Hirsch is coaxing Santa Feans to walk their talk by taking a Power Pledge.

He said 1,000 youth and adults already have joined up, promising to reduce their energy use, consume less and push their politicians to support renewable power. Hirsch wants to sign up 10,000 people.

Hirsch, a Harvard graduate and Fulbright Scholar, founded the nonprofit Climate Change Leadership Institute in Santa Fe. Prior to starting the group, he worked for the U.S. State Department's Oceans, Environment and Science Bureau focusing on climate change and biodiversity treaties.

"The time is ever more pressing that citizens here in New Mexico and beyond live by example and press government to take action on energy issues," Hirsch said.

The environment isn't the only thing at risk from climate change, Hirsch said. So are economic stability and national security, risks increasingly confirmed by studies from federal agencies, a group of retired generals and scientists.

In the last few months, Hirsch has offered stewardship workshops to several local civic groups and area high schools. Volunteers from the workshops help him sign up people for the Power Pledge.

"The pledge lays out A-Z ways we can lead on the issue of clean energy stewardship," Hirsch, 38, said in an e-mail.

The pledge gives a long, usual list of actions people can take plus links to other resources and Web sites where they can check facts. It asks pledgers to "lead as consumers by supporting responsible and sustainable businesses" and "hold irresponsible companies" accountable. It urges pledgers to use biodiesel fuel, drive the speed limit and lobby government to pass a carbon tax.

The pledge itself sounds like a greenie constitution. "We are summoned now and duty bound to shake off these harmful habits of our Nation and provide a brave new era of conservation and energy stewardship in their place," says the preamble to the pledge. "Making a full-scale commitment to clean, efficient and renewable power will not only bolster our national security, prosperity and health, and redeem a deep-rooted belief in justice for all, but also help replenish the Earth's life sustaining capacity."

New Mexico has the human ingenuity and natural resources — sun, wind, geothermal and more — to become a "hub for the future," he said. "We can really take the lead in clean energy."

To "promote the cause," Hirsch is raffling off a new Prius donated by Beaver Toyota and a New Belgium bike.

People can sign the Power Pledge, become a project "Ally" and purchase Clean Energy Raffle Tickets online at www.takeresponsibility.us.

Contact Staci Matlock at 470-9843 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.