If you think our biggest worry when it comes to climate change is a few shrinking glaciers somewhere far off in the distance, it's most definitely time to think again. Everything from the foods we eat to the plants and flowers we enjoy to the way we conduct our lives in general either already are or soon will be directly affected by the ravages of global warming and climate change.Today, on Blog Action Day '09 people in more than 150 countries around the world are blogging about the importance of climate change and even the White House has gotten in on the act. By spreading the word, sharing ideas, and joining together to find solutions for coping with the effects of climate change that we're already experiencing like dwindling species, strange weather patterns, and altered ecosystems we can all make a real difference.
But what can we do as mere individuals that could possibly effect this vast world of ours? Plenty.
For starters we could consume less as a society in order to cut down on the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere. Cutting back on our consumption of goods, whether it's food, gasoline, or textiles, reduces the amount of fossil fuels needed to manufacture and ship those goods.
We could also make it a point to be more efficient in all aspects of our lives. This could be as seemingly insignificant as simply turning the lights off when you leave the room, using your computer's power saving mode, or something a bit more monumental such as only buying appliances with the Energy Star label or driving only hybrid vehicles.
Remember weatherproofing your home will help to save considerably on your heating and cooling costs, and make it a point to finally get rid of all those incandescent light bulbs that should be replaced with their more efficient counterparts.
Consider going vegetarian. Besides "saving the animals," being a vegetarian saves on countless barrels of oil needed for transporting the feed that cows, pigs, and chickens need to be fattened up before slaughter, not to mention all the fuel used for growing and harvesting the corn to make that feed.
And don't forget to recycle, recycle, recycle. It's certainly not difficult and just about everything can either be repurposed, reused, or recycled.
What Else Can You Do?
Well, just a little more than a week from now on October 24, 2009 people all around the world are banding together for an International Day of Climate Action organized by 350.org. Learn about how you can join in to make a difference.
You could also go to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change's website to read up on the facts about global warming. Or, visit the Center for American Progress' site to read about The Top 100 Effects of Global Warming. And, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website has a great FAQ page on the effects of climate change.
Instead of merely talking about what needs to be done all the while worrying about the impending consequences of not acting it's high time to put our words into motion. I've started, have you?
