What We All Could Do

The debate continues. The war rages on. Sometimes the debate is civil, often it’s filled with acrimony, spite and loathing. Neither faction seems willing to concede that the other could have some credence. Blood has been drawn, property destroyed and families put asunder. I speak, of course, of the argument over manmade global warming. What seems to have been lost in the exchange is the idea that there could be some commonality between the opposing views, as to what actions man could undertake. The motivations may differ, but the results could be of benefit to all. Whether one thinks that global warming will bring about the end of mankind, or is of the opinion that it does not exist at all, or acknowledges it, but maintains that man contributes little to it; we all recognize that pollution is bad, that dependency on foreign oil is not desirable and that saving money is. The following is a list of eleven steps, small sacrifices, one could take, if one were serious about mitigating the negatives of energy consumption and conserving the coin in one’s pocket. None of us could do all the steps, all of us could do some of them and most of us could do most of them. The question is: Are we willing to sacrifice anything for our beliefs, or do we just complain about the actions of others.

1. We could all charge our cell phone only in our automobiles, never using household current to do so, never running the automobile solely for the purpose.
2. We could mow the first quarter acre (more if one is fit) of our lawns with a manual mower, not just one that needs to be pushed, but one that derives its cutting power from being pushed
3. We could reduce the wattage of our incandescent light bulbs by ten watts each; less expensive than converting to compact fluorescents and possibly less polluting in the long run.
4. We could make a conscious effort to consolidate the errands that require us to use our automobiles. Most of us probably make a half assed effort to do so now, but we could all improve.
5. We could resolve to walk or ride manpowered vehicles for any excursion of a mile or less from our homes.
6. We could eliminate electric devices that require being constantly on from our homes. Wind up alarm clocks could replace clock radios. Microwave ovens could be equipped with timers, not clocks. Telephone answering devices could be discarded. The various television recording devices could be turned completely off when not in use, requiring that one set the time each time a program was to be recorded.
7. We could reduce our television use by two hours a day. Reading a book in daylight requires no electricity.
8. We could reduce our computer use by ten percent and turn it off when not in use.
9. Those of us who golf could walk the course.
10. We could refuse to attend unnecessary events that consume massive amounts of energy.
11. We could petition the U.S.P.S. to not deliver junk mail. Does anyone have any idea how much energy is used to produce and deliver a product that nobody I know has ever requested?

So there it is. Whether you think the end is near, don’t like financing terrorists, or just want to keep some jingle in your pocket; there should be something on that list everyone can do. Multiply the results by millions of people. Imagine the effect.