Sustainable Planet Today

While it is true that living a greener life contributes to the sustainability of our planet, you may be wondering what you can do when you have little time or resources available. Global warming from greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane is a real issue and we can reduce its effects on the planet and our lives. But, global warming is a planet-wide issue. What can you do as an individual to actually help? The answer to the question is simple really. Anything you do can and will help.

It’s been calculated that if every American household replaced three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with three CFL bulbs, the pollution savings would be equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road! That’s just three bulbs. What would happen if we replaced more?

I do realize that compact fluorescent bulbs are expensive when compared to standard incandescent types. However, doing the math will reveal that you actually save money over the life of the bulb due to decreased energy consumption. In fact, replacing all of your bulbs with compact fluorescents can reduce your electric bill by up to 7% each month. A more in depth look at compact fluorescent bulbs can be found by reading Deborah Mitchell’s article at the Charity Guide website.

How about recycling? Why not spend a few extra minutes of time by taking plastics and aluminum cans to a recycling bin or center? It may be an inconvenience, but the benefits to the planet are immense. You can even get paid for recycling aluminum cans. That in itself is a nice incentive to recycle.

Driving less is another way to reduce fuel consumption and the resulting pollution from the combustion of gasoline. I’m pretty weak in this area myself. My commute is 54 miles a day round trip. One option I am considering is carrying my bike in the back of my truck and parking a few miles from work. I can ride my bike the rest of the way and save a little money on gas while helping the environment and my waistline. As I get more used to the ride I plan to slowly increase the distance I park my truck from work. You could consider doing something similar or maybe riding public transportation once a week.

A final way you can reduce your “carbon footprint” easily is to install a programmable thermostat in your home. You can program these instruments to keep your home warmer while you are away (or cooler during winter). The thermostat can also be set to increase or decrease your homes temperature for any period of the day. Programmable thermostats save you money and reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.

The above list is in no way meant to be comprehensive. There are many small changes you could make in your lifestyle to help reduce global warming. And, if we all work together, each person’s small actions can add up to great changes. The time to act is now.

If you have a suggestion to add to the list, please feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts with other readers.

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