~~ http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
Greenhouse Gas Overview
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are often called greenhouse gases. This section of the EPA Climate Change Site provides information and data on emissions of greenhouse gases to Earth’s atmosphere, and also the removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. For more information on the science of climate change, please visit EPA's climate change science home page.Some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide occur naturally and are emitted to the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities. Other greenhouse gases (e.g., fluorinated gases) are created and emitted solely through human activities. The principal greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere because of human activities are:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of other chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is also removed from the atmosphere (or “sequesteredâ€) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
Methane (CH4): Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices and by the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
Fluorinated Gases: Hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. Fluorinated gases are often used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances17 (i.e., CFCs, HCFCs, and halons). These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities, but because they are potent greenhouse gases, they are sometimes referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases (“High GWP gasesâ€).
~~ Making a few small changes in your home and yard can lead to big reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, increase the nation's energy independence and save money. Explore our list of nine simple steps you can take around the house and yard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions:Change 5 lights
Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures11 with bulbs12 that have the ENERGY STAR label and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent more than 1 trillion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.Heat and cool smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model15, and make sure it is properly sized and installed17.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle27 your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials28. Reducing, reusing, and recycling29 in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases2 from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.Use water efficiently
Everyone can save water through simple actions. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket for toiletry items - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet35 can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. See EPA's WaterSense site36 for more water saving tips.
Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
The burning of gasoline and diesel fuel releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change, but these emissions can be reduced by improving your car’s fuel efficiency. You can take the following actions to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil, make the air cleaner and save money. For more information, there are also a number of transportation tools1 available to estimate emissions from transportation and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that can be reduced through specific activities.Buy smart
Before buying a new or used vehicle (or even before renting a vehicle), check out EPA's Green Vehicle Guide4 and the jointly-run EPA/DOE Fuel Economy Guide7. These resources provide information about the emissions and fuel economy performance of different vehicles. The Green Vehicle Guide provides detailed information on emissions (including Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas scores for each model) and the Fuel Economy Guide focuses on fuel efficiency (including side-by-side fuel economy comparisons and a customized fuel cost calculator). These Web sites are designed to help you choose the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. There are a wide range of cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles available on the market today that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Drive smart
Many factors8 affect the fuel economy of your car. To improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, go easy on the brakes and gas pedal, avoid hard accelerations, reduce time spent idling and unload unnecessary items in your trunk to reduce weight. If you have a removable roof rack and you are not using it, take it off to improve your fuel economy by as much as 5 percent. Use overdrive and cruise control on your car if you have those features. For more tips to improve your gas mileage, visit the Fuel Economy Guide9.
Tune your ride
A well-maintained car is more fuel-efficient, produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions and is more reliable and safer! Keep your car well tuned, follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and use the recommended grade of motor oil. More details, including potential savings from these actions, are available on the Fuel Economy Guide Web site10.
Give your car a break
Use public transportation, carpool, or walk or bike whenever possible to avoid using your car. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year. The American Public Transportation Association’s Public Transportation Web site11 12 provides links to information about public transportation in your state.Combine your trips
When running errands, combine trips. Several short trips taken while your car’s engine is cold can use twice as much fuel and produce twice the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. More information and ideas are available on the Fuel Economy Guide Web site15.Telecommute
Check out the Best Workplaces for Commuters Web site13 to learn about commuting choices that can benefit the environment, reduce the stress of commuting, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Also consider options to work from home via phone or over the Internet instead of holding face-to-face meetings that involve travel.Use Alternative Fuels
Find out if you own a Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV). FFVs can be fueled with a fuel blend containing 85% ethanol or with traditional gasoline. Ethanol is produced from renewable crops such as corn and therefore using it as a fuel for your car can lower greenhouse gas emissions. There are approximately 5 million FFVs on the road today. To find out if you own one of them, go to the Alternative Fuels Data Center16. The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator17 will help you locate alternative fuel stations in your area.
Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air through a process known as carbon sequestration. Planting trees, practicing sustainable forestry, using conservation tillage on croplands and other agricultural and forestry practices can help slow the growth of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.Many nonprofits and private sector companies and organizations are exploring ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by implementing sequestration and other agriculture/forestry projects. In addition, many state and federal programs support land use practices that help capture carbon dioxide as a by-product of cropland management of soils or forest management for timber. EPA's Carbon Sequestration in Agriculture and Forestry Web Site1 provides an overview of EPA-supported analyses of regional, U.S. and international sequestration mitigation options, their potential greenhouse gas and other benefits and their estimated costs.
~So go plant a tree!!! ;o)
~Aerosals are bad for the ozone, so avoid using aerosol hair sprays,styling products and cleaners.align=center colspan=2TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Debra Barnard
Birthday: 3/6/83
Birthplace: St. Louis
Current Location: St. Louis
Eye Color: green
Hair Color: whatever I dye it, mostly auburn
Height: 5'7
Right Handed or Left Handed: righty
Your Heritage: English, Irish and German
The Shoes You Wore Today: work shoes
Your Weakness: Men who can sing
Your Fears: rejection
Your Perfect Pizza: chicken alfredo(don't knock it til you try it)
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: play guitar
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: lol
Thoughts First Waking Up: cold floor...
Your Best Physical Feature: eyes? you tell me..
Your Bedtime: when I crash
Your Most Missed Memory: sleepovers at Carlton's...love you Davey
Pepsi or Coke: both, at the same time..eww kidding
MacDonalds or Burger King: neither, Panera's
Single or Group Dates: both are fine
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: no tea for me
Chocolate or Vanilla: mixed
Cappuccino or Coffee: neither
Do you Smoke: negative
Do you Swear: more than I should
Do you Sing: all the time
Do you Shower Daily: ummm, not always..
Have you Been in Love: maybe, maybe not...
Do you want to go to College: been there, done that, finally!
Do you want to get Married: maybe?
Do you belive in yourself: of course
Do you get Motion Sickness: varying circumstances
Do you think you are Attractive: oh yeah
Are you a Health Freak: comes and goes
Do you get along with your Parents: my grandparents, still working on taht one...
Do you like Thunderstorms: yeah
Do you play an Instrument: a few
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: yea
In the past month have you Smoked: no
In the past month have you been on Drugs: nope
In the past month have you gone on a Date: no
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: yeah
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: not a box
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: no
In the past month have you been on Stage: sadly no...
In the past month have you been Dumped: nope
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: nah
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: no
Ever been Drunk: hmm, my birthday
Ever been called a Tease: many times
Ever been Beaten up: siblings don't count
Ever Shoplifted: a loooonnggg time ago
How do you want to Die: with conviction
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: still not sure
What country would you most like to Visit: Japan
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color: any
Favourite Hair Color: any
Short or Long Hair: either or
Height: like em soft around the edges
Weight: yeah, like I am gonna weigh em...
Best Clothing Style: whatever he is confident in
Number of Drugs I have taken: zilch
Number of CDs I own: too frikin many
Number of Piercings: 2 in each ear
Number of Tattoos: none
Number of things in my Past I Regret: let's not dwell on that...;o)
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!
I edited my profile at Crucials.com . check out these Myspace Layouts!
You Are a Newborn Soul
You are tolerant, accepting, and willing to give anyone a chance.
On the flip side, you're easy to read and easily influenced by others.
You have a fresh perspective on life, and you can be very creative.
Noconformist and nontraditional, you've never met anyone who's like you.
Inventive and artistic, you like to be a trendsetter.
You have an upbeat spirit and you like almost everything.
You make friends easily and often have long standing friendships.
Implusive and trusting, you fall in love a little too easily.
Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul
What Kind of Soul Are You?
What Your Soul Really Looks Like
You are a wanderer. You constantly long for a new adventure, challenge, or eve a completely different life.
You are a grounded person, but you also leave room for imagination and dreams. You feet may be on the ground, but you're head is in the clouds.
You believe that people see you as larger than life and important. While this is true, they also think you're a bit full of yourself.
Your near future is likely to be filled with great successes and accomplishments. You just need to figure out how to get there.
For you, falling in love is all about flirting and feeling playful. You couldn't fall in love with someone who took life too seriously.
Inside the Room of Your Soul
You Communicate With Your Ears
You love conversations, both as a listener and a talker.
What people say is important to you, and you're often most affected by words, not actions.
You love to hear complements from others. And when you're upset, you often talk to yourself.
Music is very important to you. It's difficult to find you without your iPod.
How Do You Communicate?
