Here's a question for all you environmentalists out there:?

Question

I firmly believe that we should reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere in order to make the Earth a clean place for people to live for thousands of years. However, whenever im talking to someone about the issue, i find myself at a loss for words about just exactly how to reduce the amount of CO2. i'd like to hear your suggestions and ideas about how make our planet a clean place to live.
and as always: SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Here are 25 simple everyday things you can do to lower your carbon footprint that have added benefits.

1. When a room is not being used, turn the lights off.
2. After exercising, try taking a cool shower instead of a hot one.
3. Take public transportation or car pool as often as possible, but at your convenience.
4. If one of your lightbulbs burns out, try replacing it with a more energy-efficient light-bulb. Over the long term it will save you money through energy conservation.
5. When not using your speakers on your computer, turn them off. Also, if not using the monitor for 15 minutes or more, turn your monitor off. Save on your electric bill!
6. Buy metal tools rather than wooden ones. Not only is it good for the environment, but metal tools last longer.
7. Recycle as often as possible. Some states exchange money for recycled bottles.
8. Grow a garden, plant a tree. Add beauty while reducing carbon.
9. Warn others about the dangers of global warming.
10. When not home, turn the thermostat down (in the winter) and up (in the summer) for maybe 1 day a week.
11. Keep your car tires inflated. Save money :).
12. Take shorter showers. Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs.
13. Unplug unused electronics when not in use. Even when turned off, they use electricity and your money.
14. Reduce garbage however possible.
15. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.
16. Don't use paper plates.
17. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
18. Talk to your friends and family about Global Warming and what you can do.
19. Start a composte heap.
20. Start a vegetable garden.
21. Three R's: Reduce Reuse Recycle
22. Think of you own!
23. Explore alternative energy options.
24. Make sure your house is well insulated.
25. If you have one, turn the fan on during the shower. The energy loss is less than the energy saved.

Answer 2

I would say that we should replace fossil fuelled electricity generation with nuclear fission (which is the only thing that can actually compete with coal, delusions of the wind power fanatics not withstanding). That will take care of the biggest source of CO2.

Transportation fuels are going to be more difficult to deal with though and they're the second biggest problem. I'd say we'll use nuclear power (or any other clean energy source) to make our own synthetic fuels whatever they may be (hydrogen is a favourite but synthetic hydrocarbons have their advantages as well).

I would also shift over to a carbon tax and get rid of subsidies and carbon markets. Subsidies and carbon markets are just too prone to corruption to be of very effective while a sufficiently high carbon tax on everything that emits CO2 will provide an economic incentive to reduce CO2 levels. I'd prefer to choose the level of the carbon tax by the costs of mitigation of global warming but if we can't figure that out then making it enough to make the cheapest low emitting technology competitive would be acceptable.

Answer 3

Virtually everything you use has some sort of "carbon footprint"
associated with it, weather it's home, food, clothes, car, etc. whatever so the only overall answer is use less, just say no to energy use if not necessary and use what you do use more wisely and effectively. I heard a statistic the other day that really impressed me, it said that New York City had reduced it's overall water usage by 23% by putting in place regulations and procedures to among other things require low flow plumbing fixtures, to find and repair leaks and other measures. That is a huge number when you realize how much water the city uses and it illustrates very clearly what can be accomplished when we just make up our minds to do it.

Answer 4

The largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States in the use of coal to produce elctricity.

Over 50% of the electricity in the United States is produced by coal.

If we can replace coal with another energy source that does not emit carbon dioxide that will be one of the largest improvements that you can make.

Wind energy is competitive economically with coal.

The cost of production of electricity in the United States by the use of wind power is approximately 4 cents per kilowatt hour(1).

The only problem is that the wind does not always blow when you need it.

Solar photovoltaics are temptijng however they are a very expensive way to produce electricity.

The capital cost of solar photovoltaics is very high.

Generally the interest cost on the financing for solar photovoltaics causes the cost per kilowatt hour of electricity produced to be approximately 10 times the cost of production of electricity using fossil fuels.

Nuclear energy could replace coal however nuclear energy has the objection of waste disposal.

However on thing that most people do not realize is that coal is contaminated with radioactive Uranium and Thorium (2).

Several thousand tons of Uranuim and Thorium waste are produced every year by coal burning. the waste is left in the coal ash which is stored on the ground.

Coal fired power plants actually produce more radioactive waste per year than nuclear power plants.

If you have the choice between coal fired plants and nuclear power plants, the nuclear power plants actually produce less nuclear waste than the nuclear power plants and they are less dangerous.

Answer 5

You've been misled. CO2 is completely harmless and is totally essential to the well being of this planet. It's not only necessary for healthy plant-life, but contributes to the greenhouse layer which keeps the planet from freezing when the sun goes down. (unlike other planets in our solar system.)

CO2 is only 0.03% of the gasses in that layer, but it's still necessary.

Don't fall for all the propaganda. It's just people trying to make money confusing uninformed people. There's untold billions behind the "global warming" hoax.

You should still not pollute the planet, so cleaning up after yourself is a start to making it a clean place for your grandchildren.

Actually pollution's been going down in this country for the past 20 years, so a lot of people are working hard to clean it up already.

Answer 6

The ONLY natural way to reduce co2 is PLANT LIFE. Plant more tries, ferns, etc. Plants actually NEED co2 to survive.

Ever been around a college campus where the buildings are covered in Ivy? air seems fresher, cooler? Same reason the air is fresher and cooler in the forest.

ALL the plants are eating the co2 and producing oxygen.

Plants are 'backward" animal life, they take in co2 and 'breath' out oxygen, where animals breath oxygen and exhale co2.

Hope this helps

Answer 7

worldthoughts offered you 25 easy steps.

Forget that, just send "large al" 25K US and he'll send you a "feel good" certificate.

"I firmly believe that we should reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere"

From what established standard, where and when?

Answer 8

Even with advances in technology, that problem is going to become increasingly more difficult to solve with the increasing Human population. The more of us there are, the more carbon dioxide is going to be produced in many different ways.

Answer 9

One of the best ways is to use the bathroom less so you flush less and save water, here is how: When you need to go, restrain yourself and keep it inside, resist the temptation, wait till next time you need to go - You will cut your flushing in half!!!

Don't all of you envirowacos do this already?

Answer 10

Well, don't hold your breath. that was a pun.

If we could make CO2 into an energy source, we'd be on to something. Wouldn't we?