Global Warming

A few simple ways to help:

1) Switch your regular light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs. They cost more but last longer.
2) Purchase energy saving appliances. For more information go to – www.aceee.org/consumerguide/chklst.htm or www,energystar.gov/products. Try washing dishes by hand or hanging your clothes to dry.
3) Lower you thermostat in the winter a few degrees and raise it a few degrees in the summertime. Seal off spaces under doors and check windows as well. Drape off areas in your home during the cold season to retain heat in specific rooms.
4) Get an energy evaluation. You can perform your own at www.energyguide.com.
5) Set your water heater no higher than 120 degrees. Try cool showers in the summer time and wash clothes in warm or cold water. Take less showers and wash less clothes.
6) Switch to energy saving computers and office equipment. Go to www.energystar.gov for more information. The only way to conserve energy with electrical equipment is to unplug them altogether. Using power strips than can be turned on and off work as well and are easier to use.
7) Go off the grid all together! Use solar, wind or even earth heat to power your home needs. Go to www.green-e.org or www.epa.gov/greenpower.
8) Drive less and walk more. Ride a bike or look into hybrid cars or cars run on vegetable or hemp seed oils. Share a ride to work.
9) Don’t sit in your car with the engine running and travel when there’s less traffic. Drive according to the speed limit – after 55mph, your car loses efficiency. Carry the least amount of weight in your trunk and use higher octane gasoline. Keep up with appropriate air in your tires and always check your fluids. Driving with your windows open makes the engine work harder. Look into possibly switching your own car engine into a vegetable oil run engine!
10) Limit flying in a plane. Stay at home or near home when vacationing. Go camping right in your own back yard or share a vacation with a friend or family member. Travel together in one vehicle if going away on vacation.
11) Buy less stuff and save more money. Live and shop closer to your need level than want level. Don’t shop for cheaper items that don’t last. Spend a little more and shop for items that last longer. Keep large dispensers and refill them. Try to by as many bulk food items as possible. I refill my liquid soap container, laundry bottle, spray bottles and use the same juice bottles for making frozen concentrated juice. Items that are concentrated last longer and come in much smaller packaging.
11) Recycle as many items as possible. I make it a point to recycle aluminum. Find areas near you that will take paper, cans or plastic.
12) Eat less meat! It is more expensive to raise the animal than to grow crops. Many forest areas are dying just to make room for raising more cattle.
13) Although we can’t get rid of everything that contributes to the global warming crisis, we can certainly do something…even if it’s just one thing. One individual doing one part to help is good, but many individuals doing one part makes a huge difference!
To read more about this, pick up the book:
An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It by: Al Gore