| 0;Global Warming” has been called | | | | speed at the recommended fuel efficient speed. |
| everything, from “the greatest hoax | | | | Other things you can do at home: |
| perpetuated on mankind”, to “the | | | | 1. Reduce / eliminate meat and switch over to |
| greatest challenge to face mankind”. Whilst | | | | more organic and vegetarian food, which requires |
| I’m not here to debate on this subject, | | | | less energy to produce. |
| my primary goal is to make you aware of the | | | | 2. Use strong cloth bags for shopping and not |
| simple things we can do, that will go a long way | | | | plastic or paper. The latter not only lasts less |
| to help curb this problem. | | | | uses, but are more prone to getting suddenly torn |
| We’ve heard that “charity begins | | | | and resulting in a lot of inconvenience and possible |
| at home”. This sentence means that we | | | | damage. |
| should first ensure that at least our nearest family | | | | 3. Don’t use a dryer to dry clothes unless |
| has sufficient resources before we give away to | | | | it is urgent. Use the old fashioned way of drying |
| charity. It’s the same with global warming. | | | | them in natural air. |
| Unless we all individually do something about this, | | | | 4. If you’re in cold countries, lower the |
| there is no point in blaming how careless people | | | | thermostat of your heating system by a few |
| are towards this growing problem. You need to | | | | degrees where the cold is bearable. Better still; |
| start taking the necessary steps first, before | | | | wear some good sweaters so you don’t |
| advocating and attacking others. | | | | need a lot of artificial warming. |
| First of all, we need to understand what global | | | | 5. If you’re in hot countries, choose an |
| warming really is and why it is happening. Global | | | | energy efficient air conditioner. Increase the |
| warming is the increase in temperature of the | | | | thermostat by a few degrees where you |
| layer of air covering the earth. Increase in CO2 | | | | don’t feel the heat. Wear cotton clothes |
| (carbon dioxide) is the primary cause of global | | | | so you don’t need a lot of cooling. A quick |
| warming. So if we can minimize or eliminate this | | | | 2 minute shower can also instantly cool you down. |
| emission as much as possible, we can possibly | | | | 6. Insulate your water heater as well as the walls |
| curb this to some extent. I have listed a few | | | | and ceilings of your home. |
| things below which will help you contribute to this | | | | 7. Replace your most frequently used |
| issue. We will start with cars and traveling. | | | | incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones. |
| 1. Tune up and maintain your car regularly; this | | | | 8. If your refrigerator is over 10 years old, its |
| increases fuel efficiency by 5-7%. | | | | time to replace it. The new ones currently |
| 2. Always keep your tires properly inflated. This | | | | available are a lot more energy efficient. Similarly, |
| improves fuel efficiency by 3-4%. | | | | washing machines are also available in energy |
| 3. For a change, especially when you’re | | | | efficient models. |
| planning to go somewhere nearby, walk down or | | | | 9. Don’t use your washing machine or dish |
| ride a bike. This helps in 2 ways – it | | | | washer unless you have enough load. This will |
| reduces carbon emission and secondly, it’s | | | | reduce the frequency of use and save energy. |
| also good for your health. I’m not even | | | | 10. Stop using screen savers in your computer, |
| considering the savings on fuel and parking! | | | | they do not save energy. Instead, switch off the |
| 4. Always try to get the most bang from a car | | | | monitor and / or set the power settings to |
| trip by combining errands, meetings, shopping | | | | switch it off after a predetermined period of |
| sprees, outings, dropping children to school, | | | | inactivity. If you cannot shut down the computer |
| traveling to work, etc. | | | | regularly, keep it on sleep or standby mode |
| 5. Carpool to work if you can. Same goes for | | | | whenever you’re not using it. |
| dropping children to school – create a | | | | 11. Try to make your children understand the |
| group of neighboring children in the same school | | | | global warming problem and encourage them to |
| and have a fixed day of commuting responsibility | | | | switch off lights and fans when not in use. |
| for each of the group. | | | | Reward them with little gifts when they do this |
| 6. Use public transport as much as you can. Try | | | | regularly. Also encourage them not to burst |
| to avoid your car at least one day of the week, | | | | crackers. Give them the money instead and let |
| when you go to work. | | | | them save it separately, and then show them |
| 7. Try to drive more evenly, with less sudden | | | | what wonderful things they can buy, instead of |
| brakes or hard accelerations. Also maintain your | | | | the money going up in smoke! |