Cooling Global Warming

While politicians dither and debate, the planet is warming. Scientists say we have a 10-year window to make 60-80 percent reductions in our greenhouse gas emissions. The bad news: we in the richer nations have gotten us where we are and continue to be the biggest offenders. The good news: nearly every action we take during the day--from the foods we eat to the games we play to the vehicles we drive or don't--are opportunities to turn down the heat.

Here are some daily ways to make a difference:

• Change the light bulbs. Replace one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb and make a 60-80 percent electricity saving. This one small change will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year--over 1000 pounds in a bulb's 10-year lifespan. (For those concerned about mercury in CFB's, it's a lot less than will be emitted by a power plant generating the extra energy for a regular bulb.)
• Unplug or turn off the power strip of all the electronics when not in use overnight or for extended periods. This can save a couple million tons of greenhouse gases every year in the US.
• Be conscious of all your actions that require energy and/or create greenhouse gases. See where you stand by using a "carbon calculator" such as this one.
• Eat local. Agriculture is responsible for about a fifth of the world's greenhouse gas emissions--95% of which is from packaging and shipping. Maybe we shouldn't eat strawberries out of season--will they ever taste good in June!
• Eat less red meat. Beef production has passed vehicle travel as the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions, due to methane, nitrous oxide and CO2. Two pounds of beef releases greenhouse gases equivalent to 75 pounds or so of carbon dioxide, thanks mostly to methane emissions, a very potent greenhouse gas.
• Turn down the heat. About half of all the energy used at home is for heating and cooling. Turning the thermostat down two degrees can save nearly a ton of CO2 a year. Close off unused rooms. Wear a sweater. Double the blankets. Turn down the water heater, which typically uses 15-20% of household energy. Install low-flow shower heads.
• Don't use the dryer. Hang ‘em out, hang ‘em in. Can save 500 pounds of CO2 per year--and clothes last longer, reducing the energy needed to make new ones.
• By the same token, turn up the AC. Simply cleaning filters saves you money, and can save 400 pounds of CO2 annually. Of course, it's best if you don't have to use it at all. Well-positioned shade trees can significantly reduce the temperature inside the house.
• Drive less, fly less. Every mile you drive adds a pound of CO2 to the atmosphere. Emissions from aircraft are predicted to account for five percent of global emissions by 2050. Carpool, walk, bike and take public transport when you can. If you lead a car-centric life, try not to drive at all one day a week.
• Plant a tree. One mature tree absorbs hundreds of pounds of CO2 a year, and then stores it indefinitely in its wood fiber. A mature rainforest tree sequesters 1.3 tons of CO2. Support If a Tree Falls…, NCP's reforestation initiative.
• Reduce, re-use, recycle. Making glass bottles or aluminum cans (one can=five pounds of bauxite and six ounces of gas-equivalent energy) from recycled materials uses less energy and produces less pollution than making them from scratch each time. Purchase products made of recycled materials. Every pound of recycled paper saves 1/3 the CO2 and 3.5 pounds of wood fiber.
• Reach out to your global neighbors. The poor are feeling the impact of warming first and worst, and don't have the resources to adapt or move to higher ground.
• Reach out to the eco-system. The flora and fauna are finding the rules rapidly changing and the existence of millions of species is at stake. Promote expanding nature sanctuaries to give creatures room to adapt. Remind the humans around you how lonely the world will be after we lose millions of the birds, flowers and mammals that we know and love.
• Talk to your friends. Pressure the politicians. Exercise the power of your consumer dollars by buying eco-smart products--and just less of everything.
• Read The Future of Life (E.O. Wilson), Red Sky at Morning (James Speth) or see resources produced by Nobel laureate Al Gore.