Green Living: Time to implement your own environmental action plan
Wondering why the weather's been so wacky these days? This year, our summer seemed more like fall, and recently, our winters have felt like those experienced in the Arctic. Though our weather patterns are all messed up, some people still don't believe in climate change! Even though they are contradicted by over 99 per cent of scientists internationally who accept its certainty, about 60 per cent of the population rejects the reality of global warming.
These scientists have concluded that our climate is undergoing changes caused by greenhouse gases. However, this article is not about trying to convince you that climate change exists. Rather, my purpose here is to discuss the benefits of implementing an environmental action plan.
Gases from oil and coal that we use to power our cars and heat our homes produce harmful emissions. By reducing the energy used in these day-to-day activities, we can lessen the amount of pollution being pumped into the air. Less pollution will not only help remedy our climate change problems, but as well, will work towards creating a healthier atmosphere for us to live in. With growing concerns relating to asthma and other respiratory problems, it would be extremely beneficial to cut these pollutants down. In fact, they say it is more harmful to your lungs to be doing strenuous activity, in a high traffic area on a hot day, than it is to smoke a cigarette.
Ways of lessening the amount of pollutants we are putting into our air include: cycling or walking, instead of driving, taking city buses or car pooling, and insulating our homes well, so as to limit the amount of air conditioning and heating we use. Most people, thoughtlessly, leave their temperature controls on high all day, while spending the majority of their waking hours elsewhere.
Alternative modes of transportation, that don't involve gas or oil, also promote healthier living, in general. A walk to the store and back is far more stimulating, than climbing into a car to make the trip. This new way of thinking may assist in combating our current obesity epidemic, as people learn to be more active while completing their daily tasks. While some may be hesitant to undertake longer treks to get their groceries, if my 80-year-old grandparents can do it, you can too.
Another solution to assist in mitigating the climate crisis is to make the switch to renewable energy sources. By being able to produce our own energy, we can become more independent as individuals (and as a country), since we'll no longer have to rely on foreign nations to obtain oil. We all have access to the earth, the sun, waters, and the wind, and we can use all of these natural resources to generate more than enough energy to meet our daily needs.
For more information on renewable resources, and how you can make the switch, please visit: www.bullfrogpower.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
These scientists have concluded that our climate is undergoing changes caused by greenhouse gases. However, this article is not about trying to convince you that climate change exists. Rather, my purpose here is to discuss the benefits of implementing an environmental action plan.
Gases from oil and coal that we use to power our cars and heat our homes produce harmful emissions. By reducing the energy used in these day-to-day activities, we can lessen the amount of pollution being pumped into the air. Less pollution will not only help remedy our climate change problems, but as well, will work towards creating a healthier atmosphere for us to live in. With growing concerns relating to asthma and other respiratory problems, it would be extremely beneficial to cut these pollutants down. In fact, they say it is more harmful to your lungs to be doing strenuous activity, in a high traffic area on a hot day, than it is to smoke a cigarette.
Ways of lessening the amount of pollutants we are putting into our air include: cycling or walking, instead of driving, taking city buses or car pooling, and insulating our homes well, so as to limit the amount of air conditioning and heating we use. Most people, thoughtlessly, leave their temperature controls on high all day, while spending the majority of their waking hours elsewhere.
Alternative modes of transportation, that don't involve gas or oil, also promote healthier living, in general. A walk to the store and back is far more stimulating, than climbing into a car to make the trip. This new way of thinking may assist in combating our current obesity epidemic, as people learn to be more active while completing their daily tasks. While some may be hesitant to undertake longer treks to get their groceries, if my 80-year-old grandparents can do it, you can too.
Another solution to assist in mitigating the climate crisis is to make the switch to renewable energy sources. By being able to produce our own energy, we can become more independent as individuals (and as a country), since we'll no longer have to rely on foreign nations to obtain oil. We all have access to the earth, the sun, waters, and the wind, and we can use all of these natural resources to generate more than enough energy to meet our daily needs.
For more information on renewable resources, and how you can make the switch, please visit: www.bullfrogpower.com
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
