do you care about climate change enough to do something about it?

Question

something like driving less or switching to energy efficient lightbulbs or start recycling more or switch to green power? I am interested to know what people think - are we apathetic?

Answer 1

I have started an Eco group and anyone who is interested can click on this link:

Groups homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eco_wellness

My e-mail address is: [e-mail]

Here is a list of websites that give tons of info on a wide range of topics that can greatly help us (Many simple solutions that save us money-and that save our world as well). Within many of these links is several other topics and website addresses linking to even more info. This list will help us to create a better future for us all so be sure to spread these web addresses plus anymore you may have to as many people as possible (Getting those people to spread the word and so on..."After all, we should strive for a better world to hand down to future generations"):

http://www.coolpeoplecare.org/article/2006/09/22/recycling-rain/ (Click on "Inch of rain" for picture info)

http://42explore.com/recycle.htm

http://www.iphe.org.uk/ (Click on Environment for great info)

http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/pi/simple_tips.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/insulation

http://www.pcrf.org/tensimple.html

http://www.watersavingtips.org/

http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/

http://www.bnl.gov/rideshare/reduction.asp

Useful suggestions for getting others together to work toward a brighter/greener future:

Getting friends, neighbors, others that you trust, etc together to vote against environmental destruction and you may be surprised in what a group of people can do, once they have their hearts and minds set on something. Then having all of you spread the word even to people in higher places so that may be able to greatly help out as well (After all most people deep down inside, care about this world and want to help secure a beautiful world for us all and all future generations). Perhaps in spreading the word some one may be found that is high enough (With enough power) that could even help you to create advertisements in the news-paper, create pamphlets to staple on posts, phoning others, through the net, or maybe even advertising on a local TV/Radio station, etc.

Even creating a project/speech may help out by letting others know what your cause truly means to you, and why it should be addressed. I am sure that you will be able to find a lot of people who will be willing to help you out in this and other future events. Just remember to stand up for what you believe in and even if worse comes to worse then you and others can still have the power to prevent other unwanted events from happening in the future since their are tons of people out their who care and will be willing to help in situations like yours as well as many other events/situations. Just keep a record/info of all your contacts so that if anything else comes up, you will be able to have several people by your side in no time at all!! Again, best of luck and I hope that everything goes well.

Also, if businesses could have even some solar panels (Lots of empty roof and wall space not just for businesses but several other structures and buildings as well) it would help in reducing energy needs as well as placing solar panels in open unused areas (Wind turbines as well). There are also several areas on the globe such as deserts (In areas where they would not get damaged), and so on where tons of solar panels can be placed and several areas with high winds for wind turbines. May we all work toward a greener/brighter future. I have lots of interesting info and pictures at:
http://360.yahoo.com/blorm_multaeeneea_lavacom

Answer 2

I started walking or cycling to work in August 1990. I put in a low-flow shower head a few months later. Extra roof insulation 15 years ago. I have been running mostly compact fluorescent and full size fluorescent lamps for five years or more. The home heating here cycles down by 6 centigrade overnight and while the house is empty. Aren't I a good boy?

Answer 3

Oh! that old saying! "The trouble is, too many people are apathetic, but who cares?" No, I think the real problem is, people have too much time and money on their hands. So many people ride around in dune buggies (on the streets!), golf carts, ATV's, you name it, all hours of the day and night. They get in their dual-wheel pickups and race up and down the road! They have no chores, nothing to do once their job is over for the day. They have more than enough money to "get by" and want to do something...anything.
Me, I can't drive less...it is more than 6 miles to the nearest store, I am old, crippled, walk with a cane, the whole nine yards. If everyone was as poor as I, they would be more "green". I recycle, shut the lights off when not in use (I have no yard lights, do not leave the porch lights on all day and all night), I wear my clothing until worn out, not just out of fashion.
I use those curly-que lights and LED's. I would like to go solar and wind, but can't afford the stuff.
I contact the people who send junk mail, trying to get them to "save a tree". Also, Vet organizations and AARP that send so many ads, newsletters, etc.
I still think the big wasters are those places like Wal-Mart (all of those types, not just Wal-Mart) that leave those giant lights on day and night. One of those big lights use more than my entire house (I have no A/C; the house is heated electrically, I have a pump for water, etc.).
Still, if EVERYONE would do the same, we could stop importing oil!

Answer 4

I'm doing my bit by becoming an architect, as buildings count for around 60% of carbon emmissions, but designing better buildings can cut this to zero or even to a negative figure (renewable energies putting energy back into the grid).

Answer 5

I'm willing to do something about it, even if global warming isn't happening I think it's worth cleaning the environment - but - are those rich politicians and movie people who are calling us to do something about it also going to do something about it. Like outlawing the use of private jets:

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The New York City audience laughed and applauded to a call by novelist Michael Crichton to stop the hypocrisy of environmentalists and Hollywood liberals by enacting a ban on private jet travel.

"I would like to suggest a few symbolic actions that right—might really mean something. One of them, which is very simple, 99% of the American population doesn’t care, is ban private jets. Nobody needs to fly in them, ban them now. And, and in addition, [APPLAUSE] "Let’s have the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), the Sierra Club and Greenpeace make it a rule that all of their members, cannot fly on private jets. They must get their houses off the [electrical] grid. They must live in the way that they’re telling everyone else to live. And if they won’t do that, why should we? And why should we take them seriously? [APPLAUSE]"

"I suddenly think about my friends, you know, getting on their private jets. And I think, well, you know, maybe they have the right idea. Maybe all that we have to do is mouth a few platitudes, show a good, expression of concern on our faces, buy a Prius, drive it around for a while and give it to the maid, attend a few fundraisers and you’re done. Because, actually, all anybody really wants to do is talk about it."

"I mean, haven’t we actually raised temperatures so much that we, as stewards of the planet, have to act? These are the questions that friends of mine ask as they are getting on board their private jets to fly to their second and third homes. [LAUGHTER]"

"Everyday 30,000 people on this planet die of the diseases of poverty. There are, a third of the planet doesn’t have electricity. We have a billion people with no clean water. We have half a billion people going to bed hungry every night. Do we care about this? It seems that we don’t. It seems that we would rather look a hundred years into the future than pay attention to what’s going on now. I think that's unacceptable. I think that’s really a disgrace."

http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=180902&Disp=6

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Meanwhile, we are being asked to control our use of the automobile and use a bicycle which I'm more than willing to do. But I have a hard time when they tell me to contol the use of my computer, especially if they make it a legal issue or charge me carbon credits for it:

http://www.celsias.com/blog/2006/12/15/virtual-worlds-using-real-resources/

http://www.celsias.com/blog/2007/03/08/computer-power-consumption-doubles-in-five-years/

So I'm willing to do some things but not others. I would like to have a choice as to what I would do. Seems that if you ar rich or famous you get many free passes which seem unfair, especially since many of them are the ones calling on us poor and middle class people to make all the sacrifices. Just my humble opinion.

Answer 6

Switched every bulb in the house to CFLs last week.
nothing majoe, but it is a start, without making drastic changes. Didn't ruin the economy either!

Answer 7

I have made changes, but only the ones that make sense to my personal economics. I'm not nearly gullible enough to make decisions based on temperature changes that could easily have been caused by the hot air given off by politicians.

Answer 8

yes. i have been using compact flourescent light bulbs (cfls), looking for a hybrid, recycling, using solar lights, and so on. it makes sense. anyone who cares about the environment should help stop global warming. global warming is causing animals to become extinct. if we help stop global warming animal populations will grow back.

Answer 9

I think globally, act locally and demand handouts because after all isn't empty emotion and not having to work what it's all about?

Answer 10

I am willing to do what ever it takes to normalize global climate if someone could just tell me what the normal climate should be.

Answer 11

Yes. Got rid of my car. Bought a bike. Rent a car only when I NEED one.