Things WE can do to stop global warming.
Time magazine had a great article in the April 9th edition titled, “51 Things You Can Do to Make a Difference.” The article spelled out 51 things that everyday people, scientists and governments could due to offset carbon emissions. Out of the list, 29 were applicable to the everyday person and could implemented now. Some of them, like “Skip the Steak” or “Move to a high rise”, were surprising at first. Each is listed below along with the impact (out of 10).
- Change your lightbulbs - implement compact fluorescent lightbulbs with the Energy Savers label. Impact = 2.
- Get blueprints for a green house - if thinking about building a house, simply planning energy savings into the blueprint can save 40% of energy costs. Impact = 6.
- Light up your city - If you city is still using normal lightbulbs rather than LED’s. Contact your mayor and ask why. Impact = 4.
- Ditch the McMansion - Large houses require lots of energy, so one should live only in the space needed. Impact = 5. That is a pretty large impact for simply cutting back on wasted space.
- Hang up a clothesline - Even if you don’t want to use a clothesline, just washing clothes on colder cycles or not driving as long saves energy. If buying appliances, look for energy efficient models. Impact = 2.
- Give new life to your old fleece - Patagonia collects used clothing made from Polartec and Capilene to melt and reuse. Impact = 2.
- Vintage clothing - buying vintage or used clothing saves on the energy used to create new clothing. Impact = 2.
- Letting employees work close to home - This obviously cuts down the fuel needed to get to work. Impact = 6.
- Ride the bus - Riding the bus helps to subside the carbon dioxide released from transportation (30% of US emissions). Impact = 7.
- Move to a high-rise - the article states that the greenest people live in New York because they often don’t own a car, ride a bike or walk everywhere and live in compact areas that require less of a commute. Impact = 7.
- Pay our bills online - Not only does this cut down on paper use, but rids the need to transport the letter. Impact = 3.
- Open a window - Rather than using AC, opening a window has an impact of 5.
- Buy green power - Power companies, like Rocky Mountain Power, have the option of using green power for you home. Impact = 6.
- Check the label - buy items with the Energy Star. Impact = 3.
- Cozy up to your water heater - putting an insulating blanket around your heater prevents lost heat. Impact - 2.5.
- Skip the Steak - The article poses the questions, “Which is responsible for more global warming: your BMW or your Big Mac? Believe it or not, it the burger.” This is actually due to the manure and the cow waste. Vegetarian lifestyle gets an impact of 5.
- Just say no to plastic bags - Only 3% of the 500 billion plastic bags are recycled. Skipping the plastic bags has an impact of 5.5. If you have a pet and need bags to pick up waste, there are bio-degradable ones available through petshops.
- Buy local - buying things from local farmers reduces the transportation energy used. Impact = 5.
- Remove the tie - Japan laxed the business dress code and set office temperatures to a fixed 82.4 degrees in the summer. This small changed cut an estimated 79,000 tons of CO2. Impact = 6.
- Shut off your computer - Unplug or shut off all electronics when not in use. Impact = 3.
- Wear green eye shadow - It is possible to buy makeup that is 100% biodegradable (plastic tube, wrapping, etc). Impact = 2.
- Kill the lights at quitting time - Offices should have a pre-set time when the lights kick off. Impact = 4.
- Rake the fall colors - rather than using a leaf blower, a rake can save energy. Impact = 2.
- End the paper chase - Americans recycled 42m tons of paper last year, equaling 50% of what we use. Buying products with recycled paper saves 60% of energy costs. Impact = 5.
- Think outside the packaging - give back extra napkins or unused sugar packets. Even take your own cup to Starbucks. Impact = 4.
- Fill’er up with Passengers - carpool! Impact = 4.
- Make your garden grow- using alternatives to fertilizer, such as compost or cut grass, or planting wildflowers has an impact of 2.
- Check your tires - Maintaining your vehicle (changing the air filter, keeping tires filled, giving the engine a tune-up) can increase mileage, resulting in decreased CO2 emission. Impact = 4.
- Make one right turn after another - UPS has starting using routes that allow drivers to only make right turns as to avoid having to idle while waiting for a left turn. Impact = 2.
The last one is my favorite as I really try to live a simple life.
- Consume less, share more, live simply - “The chance to buy a carbon offset - in essence, an emissions indulgence - appeals to the environmental sinner in all of us. But there is an older path to reducing our impact on the planet that will feel familiar to Evangelical Christians and Buddhists alike. Live simply. Meditate. Consume less. Think more. Get to know your neighbors. Borrow when you need to and lend when asked. E. F. Schumacher prasied that philosophy this way in Small Is Beautiful: ‘Amazingly small means leading to extraordinarily satisfying results.” Impact = 6.