How To Stop Global Warming

1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
   CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
   We recommend you purchase your CFL bulbs at 1000bulbs.com, they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.

2. Install a programmable thermostat
   Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
   Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.

4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
   Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
   Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available.

6. Do not leave appliances on standby
   Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
   You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.

8. Move your fridge and freezer
   Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
   Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
    When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
    This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.

12. Get a home energy audit
    Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

13. Cover your pots while cooking
    Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!

14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
    If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

15. Take a shower instead of a bath
    A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

16. Use less hot water
    It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
    You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

18. Insulate and weatherize your home
    Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.

19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
    You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.

20. Recycle your organic waste
    Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.

21. Buy intelligently
    One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
    You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.

23. Reuse your shopping bag
    When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.

24. Reduce waste
    Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.

25. Plant a tree
    A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.

26. Switch to green power
    In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.

27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
    The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
    Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
    They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.

30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
    Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

31. Eat less meat
    Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
    Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.

33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
    Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting north american commuters and travelers.

34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
    This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.

35. Keep your car tuned up
    Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
    You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance.

37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
    Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!

38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
    You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on FuelEconomy and on GreenCars websites.

39. Try car sharing
    Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar - offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see ZipCar.

40. Try telecommuting from home
    Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

41. Fly less
    Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investingin renewable energy projects.

42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
    You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.

43. Join the virtual march
    The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.

44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
    Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers with Vote Solar.

45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
    Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Conservation International has more information on saving forests from global warming.

46. Consider the impact of your investments
    If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out SocialInvest and Ceres to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.

47. Make your city cool
    Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list.

48. Tell Congress to act
    The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Tell your representative to support it.

49. Make sure your voice is heard!
    Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!

50. Share this list!
    Send this page via e-mail to your friends! Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!
    

-Sharon-

Tips to reduce the use of plastics

Here are some simple tips to get you started.

• Say 'no' to plastic bags at the check-out. Take your own reusable bags or boxes with you.
  
• Buy loose fruit and veg at the supermarket. There's no need to bag them.

• Buy meat from the meat counter. Pre-packaged meat is wrapped in more plastic.

• Buy soft drinks in cans or glass bottles.

• Choose brands with the least packaging and write to your favourite producers and tell them their packaging bothers you. Consumer choice is a powerful tool.
  

• Reuse plastic bags that you've accumulated as garbage liners. Better yet, let your rubbish bin go naked! A quick swirl of water after it's been emptied into the council bin outside will have it looking and smelling as good as new.

• If you have to use plastic bags then make sure they're biodegradable. These can be bought online from zerowaste.co.nz and ecostore.co.nz, but phone or write to your local supermarket and ask them to get them in.

• Look for products that use recycled plastic - look for the Envirochoice label.
  

• Separate your recyclables from your other rubbish and prepare it for collection. Rinse it and remove the caps, cap rings and base cups from plastic bottles. These accessories may be made from other types of plastic and by removing them you will help reduce processing time and expense.
• Put your rubbish in a secure, lidded bin - most marine debris starts out on land.
• Use your own permanent food containers for picnics instead of using disposables.

• Got an old mobile phone? Then take it back to your supplier. These phones are tested, repaired, refurbished and reused or the components striped from them and the plastic melted down.
• Put cigarette butts in ashtrays, not on streets, pavements or beaches.
• When boating, bring your oil cans, food wrappers and cigarette butts back to shore, and be sure to ask your marina to handle waste properly.

• Spead the word. Reduce, recycle and reuse! Encourage your friends and family to do the same.
• Less is more. Don't buy stuff you don't need that will just end up as trash.

-Sharon-

Plastic Damage

Plastic is very dangerous especially after long term of usage. However, most people are unaware of this..here are some facts on PLASTIC..

1. The use of plastic products has recently grown more and more into unbearable dimensions. How many of us are truly aware of the damage we cause?
2. Many are convinced that their plastic consumption is harmless, but in fact the manufacture, transportation and burying in landfills of plastic tableware are a heavy burden to planet Earth .
3. Disposable plastic cups, plates and cutlery as well as plastic bags are some of the greatest pollutants in the world.
4. What makes plastic look attractive to consumers is also what makes it seriously problematic : being disposable, durable and cheap to manufacture, 80 million tons of plastic are thrown away every year!!!
5. Buy – use once – throw away between 500,000,000,000 to 1000,000,000,000 plastic bags a year!!! Plastic tableware are manufactured in equally worrisome quantities… This is the formula according to which the world consumes
6. The garbage reaches different places in the world… as a result, animals die, the landscape gets dirtier, and the drinking suitable water sources are getting fewer and fewer.
7. Plastics are broken down in nature into smaller, more toxic petro-polymers… Plastic is degraded only after some million years, recycling it is too expensive , burning it is too polluting and its breaking down in landfills seriously pollutes the ground water and the soil.
8. Plastic is made out of oil This causes a serious pollution of the air we breathe, and necessitates a large funding of certain countries that support terror
9. Believe it or not, rehabilitating from plastic is possible , economical , cheap and much simpler than other rehabs!!! So… what can we do?!
10. • First of all…
    • A bag? No thanks!
    • Use green reuseable cloth bags that are available in every store
    • Reuse the same bags again and again
    • Look for ecological biodegradable trash bags in supermarkets – it even costs less!
    • For food packaging, buy paper bags
11. Plastic cups? Absolutely not! Plastic plates? You’re kidding! Plastic cultery? Not for me! I will not use plastic tableware anymore! For hosting, events or picnics at the park equip yourself with cups and plates made of hard, reuseable, washable plastic , or glass tableware.
12. And of course… don’t forget to recycle bottles !
13. Awareness is the name of the game. Spread the message to others, influence them for the best! Do a good thing for our children and for the environment. Don’t forget, wrong habits have to be changed gradually… otherwise the price is just too high.
    

Therefore, as a St Michael student, I agree on the no-plastic-day which falls on every Friday that was just introduced recently and I hope everyone would cooperate with it.

-Jody-

Why plants are important

Plants are the backbone of all life on Earth and an essential resource for human well-being. Just think about how your everyday life depends on plants.

	Food: Everything we eat comes directly or indirectly from plants. Throughout human history, approximately 7,000 different plant species have been used as food by people.		Air: Oxygen is brought to you by plants, as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
	Water: Plants regulate the water cycle: they help distribute and purify the planet's water. They also help move water from the soil to the atmosphere through a process called transpiration.		Habitat: Of course, aside from humans' myriad uses, plants make up the backbone of all habitats. Other species of fish and wildlife also depend on plants for food and shelter.
	Medicine: One-quarter of all prescription drugs come directly from or are derivatives of plants. Additionally, four out of five people around the world today rely on plants for primary health care. Read more about why plant extinction threatens the discovery of new medicine here.		Climate: Plants store carbon, and have helped keep much of the carbon dioxide produced from the burning of fossil fuels out of the atmosphere.

Taken from;

http://www.bgci.org/plantconservationday/whyplantsimportant/

By Jody

Definition of NATURE

Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. It ranges in scale from the subatomic to the cosmic.^{[citation needed]}

The term "nature" may refer to living plants and animals, geological processes, weather, and physics, such as matter and energy. The term is often refers to the "natural environment" or wilderness—wild animals, rocks, forest, beaches, and in general areas that have not been substantially altered by humans, or which persist despite human intervention. For, example, manufactured objects and human interaction are generally not considered part of nature, unless qualified as, for example, "human nature" or "the whole of nature".^{[citation needed]} This more traditional concept of "nature" implies a distinction between natural and artificial elements of the Earth, with the artificial as that which has been brought into being by a human consciousness or a human mind.

-Taken from WIKEPEDIA-

~Jody~

Nature to the Young Minds

Nature are the flowers and the trees around us. The green grass and the flowing river. The huge mountains and the vast lanes. It is the core that provides us with our basic and daily needs. It is also the paint of our world for it colours everything with lucious sceneries and magical views of the earth. -Jody-

Nature is a force. She may be kind by giving us life sources but if you temper, disturbs and destroy her gifts she is a forces you should reckon with. Fresh water shall rise and cause floods, calm sea water may form huge tsunami, cool air blows hurricanes onto buildings and people, bringing death onto the once beautiful scene. It is not her fault she might act vicious, we are the ones who started it and nature simply reacting to protect herself just as we would if a cat scratches us... -Janelle-

As a conclusion,nature is a gift from the Almighty one.The earth is dying,you and I are murderers.We must not kill her because without her,we might as well not exist! Remember,the taller a tree,the deeper are its roots.The older you are,the more wiser you must be.The earth will be a happy place to live in if you and I do our parts. -Sharon-