If you linked to here- You’re already a champion in our books! We all know we can’t change everything in our lives, and the problem seems so massive, it’s overwhelming to think that small solutions are going to have an impact.
But that’s just it. We need to REDUCE OUR ECO-IMPACT- any way we can. Even a small collection of steps makes a difference.
The reality is- it is no longer a question of choice. If you are a parent, this affects not only your kids- but you will be around to see your kids lives affected dramatically by climate change. If we do not see improvements over the next couple of decades, the prospect of a future on this planet will look very bleak. Will your kids give you grandkids? This depends on what we do today to ensure them a safe home. It’s that simple.
Click here for a summary of startling facts.
START HERE – START NOW!
5 things to do this week:
- Pop some corn and watch “An Inconvenient Truth” for a clear, accurate representation of the facts.
- Talk to 5 people about the weather. Everyone is affected by climate change.
- Watch of listen to the news- the real news (CBC) – stories and experts on climate change can be frequently heard from.
- Make a list of the wasteful activities in your day and your home you know you could work on.
- Study the list below and check off at least 10 things you can implement this month to change your eco-impact forever.
(With thanks to Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” movement for helping us formulate this list).
REDUCE YOUR ECO-IMPACT AT HOME
Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb(cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.
Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models.
Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year!
Only run your dishwasher when there’s a full load and use the energy-saving setting
You can save 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year.
Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
Buy recycled paper products
It takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.
Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. The Green Power Network is a good place to start to figure out what’s available in your area.
REDUCE YOUR ECO-IMPACT ON THE MOVE
Almost one third of the carbon dioxide produced in Canada comes from our cars, trucks and airplanes. Here are some simple, practical things you can do to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you produce while on the move.
Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year
Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.
Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth.
Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
Avoid heavily packaged products
You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.
When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid!
Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Nothing like that in your area?....START one!
Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week.
Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly.
REDUCE YOUR ECO-IMPACT BY LEADING CHANGE
Your actions to reduce global warming can extend beyond how you personally reduce your own emissions. We all have influence on our schools, workplaces, businesses, and on society through how we make purchases, invest, take action, and vote. Here are some ways you can have a positive effect on global warming.
Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.
Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them.
Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is released into the atmosphere -- deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change, by talking to your financial advisor.
Political Will is a renewable resource.
Write to your M.P and make sure you join the thousands that are making the Climate Crisis the pivotal issue on Canada’s political scene. Better yet, vote Green, and support the part that has been working on the solutions for decades. The Green Party of Canada is part of the Global Green Party network. A global solution is needed. Vote for the party that is neither left nor rights. Vote for the party that is right to handle today’s political issues. A Green Canada means a Greener Economy!
Make sure your voice is heard!
We must have a stronger commitment from our government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. |
