Are YOU the PROBLEM or SOLUTION?

by LaFreda Ceaser

Efforts to address the potential affects of climate change is everyone's responsibility.  It is our individual efforts that are important in collaboration with larger scale changes that will become an agent of effective change.  So what can we do to become a part of the solution?

Take Personal Action

• Reduce the amount of gas you burn by choosing a fuel-efficient car or other transportation that uses less (or no) fossil fuel per person, such as trains, subways, and buses; car pools; walking; and biking. 
• Buy efficient appliances that use less electricity. Look for the Energy Star, awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Reduce every day electrical use. Develop a plan to reduce daily electricity use around your home. Ask each member of your household to take responsibility for a different electricity-saving action, such as turning off lights when leaving the room, unplugging appliances when they are not in use, using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), and only running dishwashers or washing machines with full loads.

Encourage Community Action

• Make it easier for community members to use energy-efficient transportation. For example, promote community carpooling plans and the construction of bike lanes, and urge local businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to install bike racks.
• Encourage the use of clean, renewable energy in publicly funded projects. For example, suggest that new construction or significant remodeling projects incorporate passive-solar techniques.
• Work with your local electric utilities. Encourage them to promote energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable energy sources.

Influence U.S. Action

• Write to your local newspaper about the significance of global warming and the need for U.S. leadership, or respond to stories and letters that dismiss global warming.
• Write or call President Obama to let him know you expect him to be an international leader on this issue.
• Contact your U.S. representatives and senators to encourage them to support actions that reduce the emissions of heat-trapping gases.
• Ask your governor, state legislators, and public utility regulators to promote energy efficiency, nonpolluting transportation alternatives, and the development of clean, renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power.

REFERENCES
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/what_you_can_do/