There are some problems which appear for us to be very far and have no any influence on our private lives. Those problems usually at the same time are global problem. It is difficult to say without five minutes for reflection, what is the influence of decreasing in north fur-seal population on your personal being. Of course if you are not a member of Green Peace or WWF. But an extinction of some species is a global problem and it has a direct effect on everyone. That effect could be not so explicit like effect of such issues as economical crisis or world war. But it does have a great meaning. One could realize it if he would think about world as a sophisticated open system. You cannot add or remove something without any consequences (negative or even positive) for working regime of that mechanism with the exception of case when you clearly understand all principles of system's behavior. This is not the case for us. Although our scientific achievements are far from those which we had many years ago, we are still weak while trying to predict the behavior of complex non-linear systems. For the same reason we frequently fail in weather forecasts. That's a conclusion - if you are human being you are at the same time a part of the world, and you will not be able to be an exterior when the disaster comes. Of course if you are not a member of International Space Station or some mission to Mars. So, it's time to realize that you are responsible for dying of the unhappy fur-seals. Also you are responsible for other many global problems. In my opinion the importance of such kind of realization is fact that if we couldn't realize our implication to global challenges we wouldn't do anything. Of course it doesn't mean that you should go directly to the North Pole for treating of endangered species. You should do such things those you can do according to your education or your passion. And similarly there are actions you strongly shouldn't do. It's not only "do not kill a fur-seal". In general it could be unified in one manifest "Don't be a destroyer of your environment".
One problem of exceptional vital importance is a problem of climate change. At the same time it is a striking example of challenge which requires the actions from all of us not only if you are scientist, manufacturer or politician. That's a simple example. The solution of climate problem will require the transforming of energy industry. It means that everything that habitual for you now, will have been changed considerably before we get a progress. And that process will occur faster if the people are prepared for it. They should be prepared in conscious level. The last thing depends on you. It's necessary to realize your responsibility for climate change.
The last issue of PhysicsWorld journal named "Energy puzzle" is mainly devoted to climate change. You can download it for free after filling in a form here:
http://physicsworld.com/cws/download/oct2009 In that issue a broad review of climate change and related aspects is presented. One of the main statement is "The climate problem is not only scientific one but also political". It's quite obvious but article "Challenges in tackling climate change" gives more than review of the conjuncture... Another topic is an energy producing and consumption. If we don't find sustainable alternative for our nowaday energy industry that harmful due to its carbon dioxide producing we will have got a lot of problems in future. There's an excellent article "The road to sustainability" about that. Also you can read there "Does nanotechnology have the energy?”
That's very exciting; climate change problem needs to be solved with the combined efforts of the experts from the various fields. They are chemists, engineers, physicists, policymakers, economists and others. It's time to unit all forces against the crucial challenge. Each of us should make some contribution. It could be some kind of propaganda, study of nanotechnology or just a willingness to accept a new way of life, life that exists harmonically with the Nature.