Pressure your representatives in Congress as well as state and local politicians. There's no way around it: political will must be exerted at every level of government to bring about an energy revolution. We must use existing laws to limit greenhouse gases immediately, as well as pass new laws to achieve a swift, short - term reduction of methane emissions and black carbon to stop the Arctic from melting; a medium - and long-term goal of stabilizing the climate by reducing atmospheric CO2 to no more than 350 parts per million; and a massive surge in innovation and widespread promotion of cleaner energy technologies to replace destructive fossil fuels.
1. Drive as little as possible. Do your best to walk, bike, carpool, or use public transit whenever possible, and combine errands into geographic bundles to make fewer trips.
2. Keep your car in shape with regular tune-ups and tire inflations. Gas use nationwide would come down 2 percent if all Americans kept their tires inflated, which they don't, and tune-ups can raise your fuel efficiency by 4 to 40 percent.
3. Choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Cars that average 20 miles per gallon emit about 50 tons of carbon dioxide over their lifetime, whereas those that get 40 mpg emit half that much. So trade up as soon as possible for the least-polluting, most efficient vehicle that meets your needs. Switch out your heavy compact sedan for a cleaner hybrid sedan or give up the gas-guzzling family SUV for a wagon, and save thousands on gas money as you reduce your carbon footprint.
Increase Efficiency In The Home By:
1. Replacing your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which last 10 times as long. A compact fluorescent, though more expensive up front, will lower your energy bills by about $15 a year and keep significant amounts of CO2 out of the air.
2. Using energy efficient appliances. When you buy refrigerators, washers and driers, or other household appliances, look for the Energy Star label, which identifies the most efficient appliances. Use the Energy Guide labels to compare model efficiency. Refrigerators are the biggest consumers of electricity in most homes, and new models use less than a quarter of the energy of models built 30 years ago; an upgrade could mean big energy and cost savings.
3. Making sure your house or apartment has adequate insulation; call your energy provider to see if it offers, or can refer you to a company that conducts, energy audits.
4. When possible, choose renewables for your energy supply itself. If your state allows you to pick your electricity supplier, use a Green-e-certified company that generates at least half its power from wind, solar, and other clean sources.
5. Reduce your consumption of meat. Meat production is one of the main drivers of environmental degradation globally, and the crisis is rapidly growing worse.