Change

This photo is of Don and a boatman in Ireland last summer. The inland waters were very low from extreme heat and lack of rain, We had to disembark from the boats so each boatman and a volunteer could navigate the boat through the shallows. Will the "Emerald Isle" become the "Brown Isle"?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is finalizing its report, confirming that humans have caused the greenhouse gases that are putting too much carbon into the air, and that our temperatures will continue to rise at alarming rates if emissions are not seriously curbed.

I will watch with great interest in the coming days as politicians spin the scientists’ research and conclusions. I believe the scientists. Those who created the report are not paid for their efforts.

But mostly, I want to grab this opportunity to alter my own behavior as needed to align with my view that each one of us can make a difference. Over the centuries we humans have created a separation of ourselves and nature, using up precious resources for our own purposes, giving scarcely a thought to the effects of our gargantuan consumption. I want to do my part to slow down this wildness so my grandkids (future) might have a chance to live on a decent planet.

I already have a car that burns about 35 mpg. What else can I do?

- Drive less: Plan trips ahead so unnecessary travel is eliminated or minimized.

- Recycle more and better: Landfills are a huge source of methane emission.

- Home heating & cooling: Use AC less and keep the winter heat lower. Improve insulation.
Watch for new appliances that don’t use hydroflourocarbons, especially refrigerators. Not yet available in the U.S. due to monopolies by Dupont and others who are trying to convince the regulatory that non-HFC fridges are unsafe, even though they are safe.

- Go “carbon neutral”: This means offsetting the emissions you create by contributing to green technology. For instance, when my airplane flies to Ireland in July, each passenger on the jumbo jet will use 432 kg of fuel and emit a warming equivalent of 4031 kg of CO2. Here’s a web site I’m going to study to find an investment-worthy travel offset program.

Go here to calculate your carbon emissions.

Thanks to the David Sazuki Foundation web site, which offers lots of ideas for making a difference individually.

If I’m educated, I will also be better equipped to keep my government accountable.