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Viewing Be an Al Gore and Create a Positive Impact on Global WarmingBe an Al Gore and Create a Positive Impact on Global Warming
By Kathy Steinemann
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Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to protect the environment and put a brake on global warming. Do not sit back and let everyone else do the work. We must all do our parts NOW to effect positive change and benefit future generations. Al Gore has set the stage. Everyone is waking up to the fact that we are turning our globe into a pressure cooker. However, leaving the solution to world governments and industry is an error that may leave future generations the legacy of a dead planet. Here are some ways that every one of us can make an impact. Stop eating so much! This may seem like an odd tip for reducing greenhouse gases. However, think about it. A huge percentage of the world's population is overweight. Raising animals for steaks and southern fried chicken requires land that farmers could otherwise dedicate to valuable oxygen-producing agricultural products. Each cow that is intended for the slaughterhouse requires about five acres of pasture - an inefficient use of land. The manure produced by each cow, if not handled correctly, will create methane - a greenhouse gas. Consider the extra water treatment chemicals needed for increased sewage generated by an overweight society. Add in the pollution and greenhouse gases caused by the creation of plastic, Styrofoam, and cardboard packaging for all the food products we ingest. Then envision how much extra oxygen overweight people consume. Now do you understand how each additional pound of fat takes an adverse toll on the environment? Develop a green thumb. Every trip you make in your gas-guzzling car uses oxygen and creates toxic greenhouse gas emissions. Every new baby born into the world consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide - another greenhouse gas. Every tree that we cut down to produce paper or build houses decreases the available oxygen supply. Plants consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. The more plants we have in our homes, offices, and yards, the more oxygen we introduce into the atmosphere. Turn your surroundings into a showcase of greenery. There are many plants that even the most inept of home gardeners can grow - spider plants, aloe vera, and philodendrons, to name a few. Talk to the people at work about increasing the number of plants in your work environment. If you live somewhere with an accessible flat roof, see if it is practical to put some greenery on the roof. Fill your yard and balcony with berry bushes, trees, and easy-care perennial flowers. Compost your garbage. Matter that decays in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment like that of most landfills produces methane. A properly constructed compost pile can turn your kitchen garbage into dark, nutrient-rich compost that you can cultivate into your houseplants or yard for show-quality plants and shrubs. You can purchase a composting container from most garden supply departments, or make one yourself. Search the Internet for 'compost bin plans' if you would like to tackle the job. It may surprise you to learn that you can add the following substances to your compost: Search the Internet for 'things you can put in compost' to get a more complete list. The above pointers are just the tip of the iceberg. Continue to watch 1stRateArticles.com for more information about protecting the environment. (c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included. About the Author: Kathy writes articles for several sites, including general articles for 1st Rate Articles, travel articles for 111 Travel Directory, and language articles for A Language Guide. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com |
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