On July 10, 1985, the French secret service used underwater mines to sink the "Rainbow Warrior," killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. The ship was supposed to put out from New Zealand to protest nuclear testing at Mururoa atoll. The event spurred on anti-nuclear activism. Today, the wreck rests in the Matauri bay and is a popular diving destination.

The book "Silent Spring," written by biologist Rachel Carson, was published in 1962. She described the effects of pesticides on plants, animals and humans - with success: The bestseller ultimately led to banning of the insecticide DDT, which had worked its way up the food chain to harm the ecosystem. The book is often considered to have inspired the global environmental movement.

A United Nations Conference 1972 in Stockholm was the first international summit ever on the environment, and is considered the starting point for international environmental policy. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was signed at the 3rd UN Conference on Climate Change. It was the first binding climate agreement by industrialized nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

In elections on March 6, 1983, the Green Party (today: Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in Germany successfully entered in the German Parliament. Then ridiculed, now it has become a standard element of politics in many countries across Europe. The Green Party has been behind several environmental pushes: on June 30, 2011, Germany set a major milestone by deciding to phase out nuclear power.

In 1984, a cloud of gas escaped from a chemical plant in Bhopal, India. The chemicals killed from 3,800 to 25,000, and injured as many as half a million people. The disaster is a terrible case study for the burgeoning environmental justice movement, where marginalized communities are standing up against dangerous pollution.

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the former Soviet Union was site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history. On April 26, 1986, it came to the worst-case scenario: a core meltdown. Massive amounts of radiation were released into the environment. This led to a reactivation of the global anti-nuclear movement.

In 1989, the "Exxon Valdez" oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska. More than 252,000 barrels of oil flowed out, dirtying the coast and killing innumerable marine animals. Aside from raising environmental awareness, it's served as a warning lesson on the dangers of drilling in the Arctic.

Edward Abbey inspired so-called direct action for environmental causes with his 1975 book "The Monkey Wrench Gang." In it, activists employ sabotage to hinder environmental destruction. By 1980, the real-life movement Earth First! was formed, which focuses on nonviolent direct action. The movement continues, with active groups around the world today.

In 1998, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) carried out an arson attack on a ski resort in Vail, Colorado, in direct action against destruction of endangered lynx habitat. This heralded the arrival of "eco-terrorism" in the United States - a term some describe as loaded. The FBI has classified the ELF as "domestic terror threat number one."

In 2007, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former US Vice President Al Gore and the IPCC. They were honored for their efforts to increase and spread knowledge about the manmade climate change. "They placed the basis for global climate action," the Nobel Prize Committee said. Countries the world over are aiming for a new climate treaty at a conference in Paris this December.

You just bought a fancy lamp? Make it cooler with efficient lightbulbs. This is one of the small actions that make a difference in the long-term - and let's be honest, it's not a big effort. Some LED bulbs consume up to 90 percent less than traditional ones.

In cold or rainy countries, the task might be challenging - but these challenges are nothing compared to the worst consequences of climate change.

Recycling has become normal behavior for thousands of people around the world. It definitely contributes to making a better world - but unfortunately, it is not enough.

Worried about your clothes shrinking in hot water? Here another reason to keep washing with cold water: Since it avoids turning on the water heater, cold-water washing also produces less greenhouse gas emissions.

Until you are ready to get rid of your car completely, you could move to a hybrid electric car. But beware: The electricity that powers it is probably still coming from dirty fossil fuels.

Beef production is the largest driver of tropical deforestation worldwide, with soy production closely following - mainly to feed animals. The carbon footprint of a meat-based diet is almost double that of a vegetarian one. Even reducing the amount of meat you eat makes a difference.

Renewable energies are the new trend - but we are still largely dependent on fossil fuels such as coal. In countries like Germany, you can choose your energy provider - among some that draw from renewable sources.

Air travel is a major challenge when it comes to tackling climate change. Policy-makers are exploring ways to reduce the climate impact of flights - but in the meantime, you can start thinking twice before taking a plane. Particularly to cross the pond.

Getting rid of your car is the second-most effective action you can take to tackle climate change. And riding your bike also helps keep you fit!

Giving birth to a new person consuming and polluting at the current rate of people in industrialized countries is the worst thing you can do for the planet, according to the study. But if you start now with the other nine actions, your kids might be able to live in a better world.