Tuesday, 12 December 2006

• Currently Watching An Inconvenient Truth By Al Gore see related

  EDIT:  I know people have read this - leave your thoughts, please!!!

  I finally picked a good movie to watch (I have picked two bad movies lately and my record wasn't looking so good).  We watched "An Inconvenient Truth" last night with some friends, a documentary by Al Gore about global warming.  It was very interesting.  Have any of you seen it?  I highly recommend renting it!

  What is Global Warming?  (from the link above)

  Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable.  However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.

  The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence.  The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable.

  We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing.

  	The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
  	Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
  	The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
  	At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.

  If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences.

  	Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year.
  	Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.
  	Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.
  	Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.
  	The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.
  	More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.

  There is no doubt we can solve this problem. In fact, we have a moral obligation to do so. Small changes to your daily routine can add up to big differences in helping to stop global warming. The average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume. 

  Here are 10 simple things we can all do to help stop global warming:

  1. Change a light.  Replacing 1 regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

  2. Drive less.  You'll save 1 pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive.

  3. Recycle more.  You can save 2,400 punds of carbon dioxide per year by recyling just half of your household waste.

  4. Check your tires.  Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%.

  5. Use less hot water.  It takes a lot of energy to heat water.

  6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging.  You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.

  7. Adjust your thermostat.  By moving your thermostat just 2 degrees you could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.

  8. Plant a tree.  A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

  9. Turn off electronic devices.  By turning off your TV, computer, etc. when you're not using them will save you thousands of points of carbon dioxide a year.

  10. Spread the word! 

  It's funny how humans work.  We tend to like our comfy lives and don't like to make many changes.  What will things be like for our children?  For our grandchildren?  Some food for thought.

  • 9:30 PM
  • 12 Views
  • 10 eProps
  • 10 Comments
  • email