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10 Ways to save the environment,
Changes we can individually make, starting now!
Replace your regular lightbulbs with more efficient longer lasting compact flourescent bulbs (CFLs)
When buying an appliance look for and energy star product-these have met EPA and US department of energy guidelines for energy efficiency.
Don't make your room freezing cold with air conditioning in the summer-if you have to use the AC (dry air which isn't that great for you in the first place)turn it down at night when you won't notice the temperature anyway. Fans work great too and use much less energy without drying your throat. Sorry to go on about my distaste for dry conditioned air...it's because I'm a singer.
Carpool places if you find you're taking 2 cars already-even better, walk, ride a bike,scooter, or take mass transit to get where you're going. Granted, it's practical in New York because everything is so close, but there's nowhere I won't rollerblade to. And I even get a little exercise in the process. If you've got no other choice and have to drive, take care of as many errands in one drive as possible. Also, keep your tires properly inflated-having properly inflated tires increases gas mileage. Drive smart-don't over-accelerate just to be breaking a block later. Keep in mind that driving at 60 instead of 70 can save you as much as 4 miles to the gallon.
Buy recycled products-as soft as it may be, you don't want to use paper made from old-growth virgin forest to wipe your butt...remember that your consumer vote is very important-buying Charmin toilet paper is a vote to cut more forest down-buying recycled toilet paper is a more responsible vote to keep things sustainable. The more trees we have around to soak up carbon dioxide, the better.
Our carbon emissions from flying, driving, or simply heating our homes can be offset by a company like Native Energy-the technology for clean energy already exists, but is not moving fast enough because of lack of investment. Companies like native energy will help you calculate your carbon emissions for a certain project, and then give you a corresponding dollar amount to offset these emissions. What happens to this money? It gets invested in new alternative energy schemes so that we can eventually move away from burning fossil fuels.
Plant a tree, check to see if your energy provider has a green-energy option, talk and educate about these issues, and give weird looks to hummer drivers. Every little bit helps.
BIG CHANGES WE CAN BRING ABOUT
Though I believe that these individual efforts certainly have an impact, I also believe we're going to need much more of a central effort to curb our emissions. To make this even more difficult, it needs to be an international effort.
Here in the states, everyone over 18 has the power of their vote to put into office who they'd like to represent them-do some research on your local leaders to see what they think about global warming and if they're proposing to do anything about it on a larger scale. When I watched Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, I found myself fascinated that we'd come so close to having someone in office that was understanding the science, accepting it, and wanting to tackle the problem head on. We can get there, but it means the public needs to understand the problem and want to tackle it too. So talk, and vote!!!
Lastly, remember that your political votes aren't your only ones. It's plain to see that even the US government can have trouble regulating big powerful businesses. For example, today's energy companies have a lot to lose if we switch from fossil fuel power. So who will they listen to?? Us-and our money. Every time we fill up our car, pay a power bill or buy toilet paper from the pharmacy, we're exercising a consumer vote, even if we don't know it. I was pleased to find that I had the option to purchase "green" power from my energy company in New York and was happy to spend a little extra to support the workers and companies that are pioneering the way forward in that area. I'm also taking away my consumer vote from those companies that don't care about relentlessly spewing CO2 and other pollutants into the air. For a guide on which paper products to buy as a business or individual, please visit www.nrdc.org/paper and download their guide to the products on the market. Companies really do listen when they can feel an impact on their wallets.
---Ben Jelen