What are simple ways to help address the issue of global warming?

Question

Than you for your great ideas of saving our mother earth.

Answer 1

For the individual, the key is conservation. There is unfortunately a popular myth that that means "doing without," sacrificing lifestyle. This is simply false--a fear image manufactured by special interests.

First--in all of what follows, the watchword is common sense. Most people can do all of what I'll suggest--but do it sensibly. For example--trading in on a more fuel-efficient car is probably the single biggest way to reduce energy use--but wait until you're ready to trade in anyway, unless the savings from an early trade-in would offset any added cost.

A bit more on cars--hybrids are okay--but expensive. There are plenty of high-mileage cars on the market, however. The cheif problem people will have on this point is overcoming the "status/use value" image of the SUV, if they have one. Bottom line: an SUV is a station wagon with a high wheel base. And a glittery image. And that's all they are--except they are expensive, fuel-inefficient--and the basic design is suited to rural/off-road driving--but NOT to an urban driving environment.

Other things: the simplest--switch to compact florescent bulbs.

Make sure windows and doors are properly sealed/maintained

Set thermostats warmer/cooler (depending on season

As appliiances wear out, replace with energy-efficient models.

There's more, of course (solar energy panels, adding insulation and other enrgy saving features to homes, etc)--but yousaid "simple."

And stop and think: all the suggestions will ultimately save you money as well as saving energy-and with little or no impact on lifestyle.

Answer 2

I am not sure there is a simple solution because we refuse to admit there is a problem, no profit I suppose. Off the top of my head I would point out that the internal combustion engine that powers most cars has had very little change in its over one hundred years of existence. The 1920 Model T would get about 10 to 14 miles per gallon. The average 2000 model doesn't even double it. So that would probably be a good start. The technology does exist for much better fuel management and has for some time. I refuse to believe otherwise. OPEC probably controls the patents that the auto industry doesn't. The shortest answer I can think of is to draft Al Gore, no other politician seems to care about this issue as much as he does and he has never changed his stance on this issue. I hope this helps, but I would like a better answer as this is very important to me.

Answer 3

Ryan G actually has a point.."have more sex" is a good way to stop global warming.
If you're having sex...
1) you are warm and could turn down the thermostat
2) you may want candlelight and don't need the lights on
3) you are busy, so don't need to have any other electrical appliances running
4) you are both home, so no one is driving around emitting carbon dioxide
5) you are emitting positive energy into the atmosphere

The only down side I see is that you are dirtying the sheets and may use the washer and dryer which hog a lot of energy. Wash them in the crick and hang them to dry =]

So have more sex and feel good about saving the environment!!

Answer 4

Global warming, or climate change, is a subject that shows no sign of cooling down.

Here's the lowdown on why it's happening, what's causing it, and how it might change the planet.


Is It Happening?

Yes. Earth is already showing many signs of worldwide climate change.

• Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

• The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia, according to a number of climate studies. And the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850.

• The Arctic is feeling the effects the most. Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average, according to the multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report compiled between 2000 and 2004.

• Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss.

• Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910. In the Northern Hemisphere, thaws also come a week earlier in spring and freezes begin a week later.

• Coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to small changes in water temperature, suffered the worst bleaching—or die-off in response to stress—ever recorded in 1998, with some areas seeing bleach rates of 70 percent. Experts expect these sorts of events to increase in frequency and intensity in the next 50 years as sea temperatures rise.

• An upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events, such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms, is also attributed in part to climate change by some experts.

Answer 5

1. Accept it as part of the natural cycle of the earth.
2. DO NOT PANIC and do hasty things.
3. Keep politicians and Big Business and Big Government OUT of the fray. They only make it worse.
4. Study the past times of Global Warming, and what happened worldwide.
5. Do NOT believe computer models until they can correctly
"predict" known past history. Especially eschew policies based on computers whose input has to be "adjusted" from reality to get the desired outputs.
6. Remember GIGO and make sure the input data is not mostly from sensors in certain types of areas, like large cities.
7, Avoid suppressing differing opinions and data, or ridiculing and silencing those who disagree.
8. Look for positive global ways to solve any real problems, and make sure all the inhabitants of the globe will be helped, not just certain influential groups. See what "Carbon Credits" have done to the earth's jungles and their inhabitants already...and wonder how many medicinal plants have been wiped out to make "biofuel" to enrich uncaring mega companies and conniving politicians.!

Answer 6

Individually, plant a tree a year and nurture it to maturity. If you have no place to plant a tree, support tree planting projects elsewhere, especially in Africa. Collectively, the world can embark on a massive afforestation project, to, for example, stop the Sahara desert from its southward march. If we can change deserts into green pastures as ell as halt their further advance, there would be little need to worry about global warming. Nature, which knows best, would once again be in control, and not fickle-minded man.

Answer 7

There is no easy answer. The problem with global warming is much like the problem of pollution. If nations can not act in unison to stop pollution than there is no way they would do anything with global warming. We can limit and have the use of CFC's and stemmed our carbon dioxide out put, but China has doubled their out put of such gasses..... see the conundrum. Chinas out put has replaced ours.

Answer 8

YES PLEASE big carbon global warming carbon Tax,genocide in Dafar Sudan is solving part of the problem G-W is your fault, Do more than change a dam light bulb- Its a problem lets fix it by Shut off all electric 6 days a week- only turn water on city for 1 hour a day- We have to SAVE the EARTH, ride bikes outlaw driving except for green politicians, 1 gallon of gas a day - mandatory jail think live green- BIG Carbon Tax on everyone vote 4 Al Gore

Answer 9

Just tell your friends about the issue and maybe create an Sustainability Street in your area. Show others that one can reduce carbon emmissions such as:

-taking shorter showers, which could save up to 250,00L of water each year.
-turning lites off when they aren't bein used
- and perhaps participating in tree planting days

You could opt to do lots lots more but that's basically it.

if you do want to participate in tree planting days or enviro-friendly stuff. Just email us on philipinos2003@hotmail. com as our yahoo account is currently being used to process other information.

Answer 10

The easiest thing you can do is to change your thermostat. Move it up about 2 degrees from where it's set in the summer, and down 2 degrees in the winter. You will reduce your energy bill by about 5%

Another thing you can do is to send letters to your Senators and Congressman that we should reinstate forestry management practices from the pre-Clinton years. Before about 1992, we used to manage forests in the western US so that forest fires didn't get out of control. But, pressure from environmental groups convinced Clinton to pass regulations that prevent the forestry service from clearing underbrush and thinning out unneeded trees. This has resulted in massive forest fires in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and California. The fires this year to date have generated as much carbon dioxide as one year's worth of automobile exhaust in the US.