Global Warming: How would YOU answer Leo's question?

[Democrafty]

Leonardo DiCaprio asks on Yahoo: What are some simple steps or creative ideas that people can take at home and work to combat global warming?

John Kerry was asked to contribute to the discussion. You can read his answer and post your own ideas here:
http://blog.johnkerry.com/2007/01/combating_global_warming.html#more

[AnnieBW]

1. CF Lightbulbs, Recycling, Doing Laundry on Cold

Most of our lightbulbs are compact florescents (sp?). The only ones that aren't are the ones above the bathroom sinks, and our ceiling fan in the bedroom. We also do our laundry with cold water, or warm if it's whites. Of course, we recycle. I'm considering putting in a garden this spring. Or, at least growing some veggies in pots on our deck. Oh, and we have double-honeycomb shades in our upstairs living/dining room area, a programmable thermostat, and we used Trex when we built our deck. I still feel like we should be doing more, though.

[pitohui]

2. well if it's "creative" ain't usually simple but here's some simple ones

use birth control, unannounced surprises aren't just expensive to you and your family but to the planet, make every child a wanted child -- this is the simplest thing really because it doesn't cut into your time and resources compared to NOT doing it

as i'm not working, i try to drive only 2-3 days a week and walk or bike the rest, if you work, it might be worth considering if you can plan 1 day every 2 weeks where you do not drive at all

the public is invited to participate in christmas bird counts and or backyard bird counts each year to track the movement of birds, our most mobile and visible fauna, which gives some clues to how animals are affected as well as other scientific information, i try to participate in one of these each year, sometimes both are possible

don't spend 400 calories in petroleum to ship a 5 calorie strawberry, if possible raise your own fruits and greens, buy them locally, or don't eat them -- iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value whatsoever, it is a luxury -- if you have a yard and plan to plant a tree, pick one that bears fruit in your area and can feed you and wildlife such as the birds, even if you just have a window, you could try growing your own leaf lettuce, it's quite easy if it's a COOL window, hot weather spoils the lettuce

to be honest tho, this thing won't be solved on an individual level, there is nothing real i can do as an individual, what's going to make the difference is huge changes by industry and nations, 134 coal-fired plants knock out any carbon savings i make by walking to the grocery store

[Jcrowley]

3. Stay Put

- Walk and/or bicycle

- Plant gardens, grow food if possible

- Don't use television

- Don't use air travel

- Buy little or no new stuff (Essentials excluded of course)

- Buy local when possible

- Limit automobile trips

- Eat less meat

- Learn to play an instrument

- Shut down the worlds largest contributor to global greenhouse gasses (PENTAGON)

- Bake bread

- Save seeds

- Slow down

- Demand your government improve public transportation if they refuse act as if they are your representatives and do not allow them to operate until they heed your children's call

Individual steps are well and good but systemic changes are necessary and by focusing primarily on individual responsibility, which again is very important, allows the larger systemic changes and the wholesale culprits to go scot free.

Maybe ask John Kerry et al if they'll make huge cuts in the life threatening Military Machine. Everything else is hitched to this. If this is not done no amount of our well-intentioned personal changes will matter much.

[pitohui]

4. learn to play an instrument?

shoot me now, the world has enough talentless musicians out there to begin with

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. but if you stay home to play your kazoo

the Earth benefits :rofl:

[pitohui]

10. it's not worth it, bushdespiser, some things are just so NOT worth it

if the price of saving the earth is me playing an instrument, trust me, the earth must go

:-)

[Democrafty]

11. Hmm, what about free live music outdoors?

That can be pretty good...

[pitohui]

13. it can also be pretty god-awful

noise pollution anyone?

[Jcrowley]

7. You don't have to be great

to enjoy and spend time with friends laughing at your hackneyed playing.

But you do have to cut the Military Budget by enoromus amounts if you want the children to have any hope of survival. Children all around the world.

The U.S. war machine is the world's greatest polluter. As the U.S. Government engages in endless preemptive war, the Pentagon injects the poison of environmental terrorism all over the globe.

The U.S. military generates nearly a ton of toxic pollution every minute — 500,000 tons of toxics annually — more than the five leading chemical companies combined.

The 2004 $401 BILLION DoD budget exempts the armed forces from the Endangered Species and Marine Mammals Protection Acts.

Every year the U.S. military uses enough energy to run all U.S. mass transit for 22 years.

An aircraft carrier uses 150,000 gallons of fuel per day.

A fighter jet consumes as much fuel per hour as the average U.S. motorist uses in two years.

[PaulaFarrell]

14. I absolutely agree

not just the US military, all military - and spend the money doing something about climate change. Imagine the quantum leap in energy technology that could be made with that kind of research budget. I actually believe this is the only answer. Small, creative steps would have been great 20 years ago, right now we need huge creative steps.

[Democrafty]

8. Ask him at his blog,

that way he'll be sure to see it:

http://blog.johnkerry.com/2007/01/combating_global_warming.html#more

[Jcrowley]

9. Very good

I'll put together a question tonight and see if there is a response.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Another reason why DU is home...

all these ideas and many of them implemented already by our community. Bravo all! :applause:

[Gregorian]

12. Stop having children.

There are two ways to stop it. Use less combustive processes, or decrease the demand on existing combustive energy conversion processes.

And since no one is going to walk or take cold showers (as an extreme example), then fewer users is the alternative.

[bluewave]

16. Somebody had to say it. Thanks.

Our cities are overcrowded as it is. Two children is enough for any couple.

[lakeguy]

15. bike to work (10 miles one way)

recycle
high efficiency lights
garden
buy local and organic produce
don't shower every day:evilgrin:
keep house at 60 in the winter
no air in summer (makes not showering difficult)

[Gregorian]

17. Bike commuting is great.

I rode 11 miles each way for years. It's sick to see so many people in cars, and so few on bikes. I'd have loved to see a sea of bicycles. What a dream. And on many levels. Think of the people we'd meet. The exhaust that we would not create. The health of our communities.

Oh well, it was just a dream. Except for a few like you. Thanks!