Climate Change - Practical Solutions

See the film AND the practical suggestions on this website:  Kilowatt Ours

Here are practical ideas with the amount of CO2 you would save: 1. Plant trees (20 lbs/year) 2. Use a push mower (80 lbs/year) 3. Replace refrigerator (220 lbs/year) 4. Buy only reusable or recyclable packaging (230 lbs/year) 5. Replace washer (440 lbs/year) 6. Install solar system for hot water (720 lbs/year) 7. Recycle everything you can (850 lbs/year) 8. Leave car at home two days per week (1,590 lbs/year) 9. Purchase fuel-efficient car (5,600 lbs/year) 10: All of these things (11,000 lbs/year!!)

Here are more ideas (excluding those already noted on early trail mark): #2 Choose clean power #4 Unplug some appliances #5 Have an energy audit #6 Use compact flourescent lightbulbs #8 Choose good wood #10 Voice your concerns

And more practical ideas: #1 Use compact flourescent lights inside #2 Use motion-detector lights outside #3 Lower thermostat on water heater #4 Add insulation to water heater #5 Install low flow shower head #6 Caulk and weather strip #9 Defrost refrigerator #10 Wash clothes in cold water

And these ideas: #1 Tune up your car #2 Advocate for better fuel efficiency #3 Sign up for renewable energy #9 Reduce, reuse, recycle

And more unique ideas (with $$ savings!): 1) Buy organic and local 4) Drive hybrid if you have to drive ($3750/year) 5) Change air filter in car ($130/year) 6) Switch to tankless water heater ($390/year) 7) Take shorter showers 8) Unplug appliances ($256/year) 9) Adjust thermostat ($98/year)

Air travel affects global wamring more at night than during the day because of the day-time reflectivity of the contrails

"The production and disposal of junk mail consumes more energy than 2.8 million cars."

If you have to eat meat (see earlier marks) then be sure to buy organic.

Each family could save $68 per year simply by using power strips to eliminate the power drain of devices that are turned off but in "stand-by mode." Nationally, 40% of the power we use is consumed by devices that are actually turned off, equivalent to the electricity generated by 17 power plants. And each plant contributes greatly to global warming.

Learn about Compact Fluorescent Lighting here then purchase the bulbs online at this website: Nolico: [Click here to open page that is separate from this trail.].

Learn about LED bulbs which are getting more efficient and affordable. To buy them online, go to: C. Crane Company: [Click here to open page that is separate from this trail.].

Flowers grown with sustainable practices resulting in a donation to Rainforest Action Network and Oxfam America.

Use the calculators on this page for some idea of how much impact your changes can have.

Stormy Weather by Guy Dauncey and Patrick Mazza provides simple, effective solutions. Each user-friendly solution is organized on two facing pages with a description, illustrations, quotations, resources, and a detailed "how-to" section.

Recommended by the Union for Concerned Scientists, this website has lots of relatively low priced gifts that are great for the environment.

It's bad for your car as well as the environment. The Union of Concerned Scientists explains why.

Reduce your shower time – or shower together (Mmm, well that may be counter productive)

6. Accelerate gradually. 7. Use cruise control on the highway. 8. Obey the speed limit. 9. Combine your errands into one trip. 10. Keep your car tuned and support the smog check program. 11. Don't top off at the gas pumps. 12. Replace your car's air filter. 13. Keep your tires properly inflated.

 National Geographic sponsors this page with Video Clips, Environment Articles, Organic Products, Quiz - The Green Guide

The Sierra Club has excellent suggestions about sustainable food:

• eat local
• eat organic
• eat less meat
  
• eat more grains and seeds

Want to reduce or eliminate your carbon footprint?  Here's one way to do it.

The Green Guide by National Geographic gives 12 tips for those who would like to begin commuting by bike.

When choosing food at the grocery story, be sure to look at the place of origin and the costs to the environment of shipping it to your location.  To be environmentally friendly, buy local.  Buying local AND organic is the best of all.