Global Warming, Global Problem

There are many ways in which even the busiest person can help to reduce the risk of global warming. Changing light bulbs from the conventional bulb to compact fluorescent bulbs will save the environment while saving money on energy bills (Sole-Smith 168 and Litke 233). “Compact fluorescent bulbs use 65 percent less energy than conventional ones, granted they may cost an average of 30 percent more than regular bulbs…but they have been proven to last 10 time longer” (Sole-Smith 168). If everyone changed just one conventional bulb, it would prevent major pollution.

The second largest source of greenhouse gases is transportation. Motor vehicles are responsible for about one third of all greenhouse gas emissions in not only the United States but also in Canada. By paying attention to vehicle maintenance and style of driving, one can greatly increase their automobiles fuel efficiency. “Speeding increases the consumption of fuel by about twenty percent” (Litke 234). By simply paying attention to speed limits gas mileage can increase by nearly fifteen percent. After accelerating past the speed of sixty miles per hour a cars fuel efficiency drops rapidly. In addition to driving style, the proper inflation of tires can greatly impact the amount of fuel consumption. Under inflated tires can cause fuel consumption to increase. Tire pressure should be checked at least once a month. Always use a tire gauge for consistent results because radial tires can be under inflated and still appear normal.

Everyone everywhere has heard it a billion times; reduce, reuse, recycle. Avoid making garbage in the first place, that way less time is spent worrying about trying to dispose of it or recycle it. It takes nearly “twenty times more energy to make an aluminum can from scratch than from a recycled one” (Sole-Smith 170). Recycling plastic, glass, paper, and cans keeps landfills emptier and saves both energy and trees. Along with recycling many household items, people should also begin to prevent food waste by composting organic foods. Food is wasted in many ways such as preparing too much, buying too much, or letting fresh food go bad. By simply composting leftover fruit and vegetable food waste with excess yard waste helps to create a compost pile high in nutrients. Compost piles can be used as a fertilizer to cover any type of garden, but rotting fruits or vegetables should not be put into the compost if the compost remnants will be used on a vegetable or fruit garden.

Today most the energy used to run many factories and common households is a major source of global warming. The infinite emission of carbon dioxide from energy use is a direct result of three things: our wasteful use of energy, our choices about when and how to use energy and the amount of carbon in the fuels we use (Guggenheim n.p.). To control the threat of global warming, we need to condense each of these. It is a common myth that only industries are using energy uneconomically, but individuals also have a huge role to play in making sure that energy is used efficiently. Due to the always changing technological advances we have been exposed to many different ways to prevent global warming from getting any worse than it already is. Architects around the world have been able to provide people with more energy efficient homes with solar panels to not only power their electronics but also to heat and cool their homes.

The environmental choices we make also affects the global warming crisis we face today. Most of the time we have the choice to walk or to take a public transportation to work or school, but instead we choose to drive which, most times, not only costs more, but also increases the harmful emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. People can do the smallest things inside their own home just to decrease the negative affects of global warming. Simply turning off a light switch after leaving a room or unplugging an appliance after use results in less carbon dioxide emissions let into the atmosphere (Litke 232).

How we use and produce energy is just as important as any other energy reducing strategy. As long as we are using energy fueled by fossil fuels we are still producing carbon dioxide that gets expelled into the environment. To achieve a healthier cooler future we need to switch to a more “global warming friendly” energy source; renewable energy. Renewable energy is fueled by the wind, sun, rivers, and oceans. The use of this renewable energy is not fueled by carbon dioxide therefore it does not emit carbon dioxide. Additionally, these renewable sources will not ever run out nor produce air pollutants that the burning of fossil fuels does. As of right now, “six percent of all the energy used in the United States comes from renewable sources” (Litke 233). Although it may seem like nothing, this small amount saves close to half a ton of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Carbon dioxide emissions are a major threat to the health and well being of our environment. Things like driving our cars when it is not necessary, speeding, and leaving lights turned on when we aren't using the light for anything and small things that, when a lot of people do them, have a huge impact on how we live. Global warming is a huge problem and people complain about it but do not want to take the small steps to help reduce it. People should walk twice a week instead of taking their cars, or obey the posted speed limits to help save their gas and our air. Also, finding an alternative source, like renewable energy, will keep us able to use all of the luxuries that we have today, while keeping our environment healthy and keep us from worrying about our resources running out. People need to start taking notice that global warming and carbon dioxide emissions are a big problem in our world, and that, if everyone changes one or two small habits, this world will still be healthy for generations to come.