Doing My Little Part by Spreading the Word

Per TG's strong reccommendation, today I went to see the film An Inconvenient Truth. I knew to expect to be flabbergasted by the enormity in which we, HUMANS, are negatively and permanently damaging the earth and our environment. I felt I should do a post to do my part in spreading the need for ALL of us to begin making changes in everyday actions in order to do our part to heal the environment, or at least keep the travesties from spreading.

Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.

WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.

There is no doubt we can solve this problem. In fact, we have a moral obligation to do so. Small changes to your daily routine can add up to big differences in helping to stop global warming. The time to come together to solve this problem is now – TAKE ACTION

Here is a partial list of easy daily things you and I can do to make a difference. For a longer list and explanations on how these simple things will make an impact, please visit here.

--Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
--Install a programmable thermostat
--Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
--Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner (I need to do this)
--Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
-- Use less hot water
--Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
-- Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
--Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
-- Only run your dishwasher when there’s a full load and use the energy-saving setting
--Be sure you’re recycling at home
-- Buy recycled paper products
--Switch to green power
-- Buy locally grown and produced foods
--Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
-- Buy organic foods as much as possible
-- Avoid heavily packaged products
--Eat less meat
--Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
--Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
--Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated (this improves gas mileage)
--Keep your car tuned up (improves fuel efficiency and reduces emissions)