What CAn We do to help?
Imagine if we were living in that time when all those effects we talked about happened. Those irreversible and harmful effects. The Earth would heat up, glaciers would be almost gone, Arctic and Antarctic animals extinct, and the rising sea levels. Places would experience droughts and famines, and we would suffer. By then, we wouldn't be able to do anything about it, but if we act now, we could make a difference. We are all in this together. Every little thing you do can add up if we all work together! Here are some ways to decrease your carbon footprint:
•Grow plants to get rid of CO2
•Use compact fluorescent lights
•Turn off/unplug devices when you are not using them
•Carpool, ride bike, or walk to reduce CO2
•Shorter showers
•Use renewable energy
•avoid drive thru
• go vegan (or be a vegetarian)! Animals’ digestion produces methane ,which traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide
•Grow food
•Use cloths instead of paper towels
•Use natural light to save electricity
•Clean / replace HVAC filters
•Compost compostable trash
•Use cold water to wash clothes
•Ditch the dryer (dryers use lots of energy)
•Repurpose old furniture (if possible)
•Save water
My Action Plan
While doing research, I noticed that light bulbs use lots of energy, especially when no one is using them. I also remembered times when we left the house and forgot to turn off the lights before leaving. While we were gone, the lights would be on, using lots of energy. For my action plan, I decided to save energy! My first step was to open all of the shades (we don't have blinds, and the shades let in more natural light). Next, I turned off all of the lights. Now, there was natural light in the house! For rooms that don't have windows, like a closet or bathroom, I turned on the lights only if I needed them, and in the evening, we closed the shades and turned on the lights, since it got darker outside.
