what can i do about global warming?
by Lionel Orford

Start by cutting your own energy use:
By saving energy, you reduce your contribution to consumption of fossil fuels and over time save money on energy bills.

Free
Things that cost nothing and save energy and money

· Turn down water heater thermostat to 120°F.
· Ride your bike for local transport and car pool wherever possible.
· Sun-dry or air-dry your clothes.
· Set thermostats to 80°F in hot weather when you're at home, and up to 85°F when you're away. A fan is very effective in the dry air-conditioned air.
· Reject excess packaging and disposable containers - these use energy and oil to make.
· Take your plastic bags and containers back to the supermarket and re-use them.
· Turn off lights when leaving a room.
· Use energy-saving settings on washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators.
· Close vents in unused rooms.
· Close drapes (and windows) during sunny summer days and after sunset in the winter.
· Don't waste water, hot or cold, inside or outside your home.

Simple and Inexpensive
Things that will pay for themselves in lower energy bills in less than a year

· Install a clothesline in a sunny spot - and use it. ($10-30)
· Install a compact fluorescent light bulb in the fixtures you use the most ($15 each).
· Install a programmable thermostat so that you don't run the a/c while you're not home ($26 - 50).
· In the attic, fill the air leaks a cat could crawl through, and replace and reputty broken window panes (about $20).
· Clean or change the air filter on your air conditioning units ($2).
· Install an R-7 or R-11 water heater wrap ($12).
· Install a water-saving 2.5-gallon-per-minute showerhead ($15).

Getting Serious
Measures that collectively will cost up to $500 and receive payback in one to three years.

· Upgrade the insulation in your roof and walls.
· Install awnings on any windows that receive direct sunshine. Solar gain control films may also be useful in cutting back solar heating.
· Seal and insulate air-conditioning ducts.
· Choose energy efficient appliances when you upgrade.
· Choose gas (natural or propane) over electric every time - for the same heating value, gas emits well under a quarter of the CO2 to atmosphere compared to electricity.
· Get a comprehensive energy audit, including a blower door test, to identify sources of air infiltration. Fill all leaks identified by the test. Start with the attic first (especially around plumbing and electrical penetrations, and around the framing that rests on the foundation), then weatherize windows and doors.
· Have your air-conditioning system tuned up every year or two.

Other things that you can do:

· Buy Green Power certified by Green-e as 100% renewable. Renewable energy results in no net release of CO2 to the atmosphere.
· Buy the highest efficiency vehicle that is available to suit your needs.
· Install a solar hot water heater, which would reduce hot water energy use by 95% in Texas.
· Tell your friends why you are doing these things and why they should too.
· Be pro-active in buying locally produced food and other products. This means less energy consumed in transport of goods.
· Join the Green Party and work for responsible energy policy through the political system. Contact the Harris County Green Party or find your local party at www.greens.org.
· Visit the site of the Rocky Mountain Institute: www.rmi.com and learn more about the whole energy efficiency scene.
· Visit the site of the Union of Concerned Scientists: www.ucsusa.org and learn about current environmental issues.