be the E: Reduce Carbon

 

Did you know?

 

  •         4.1 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide are created by individual actions or controllable behaviors and choices outside of work. This accounts for 32% of total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions and 8% of world emissions.
  •         Small shifts in individual behavior in the U.S. can generate emission reductions that can exceed the total emissions of entire industry sectors, countries, and continents.(The Carbon-Neutral Individual, Vandenbergh and Steinemann, 2007)
  •       The increase in extreme weather events is connected to climate change caused by emission of greenhouse gases from human activities. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/extreme.html

 

Reducing Carbon Emissions

The natural range of atmospheric carbon dioxide is 180-300ppm (parts per million), hovering near a concentration of 280ppm. In 2008 the carbon dioxide concentration was above 380ppm and continues to climb. Scientists agree that this can be attributed to human activities. (IPCC) According to NASA, climate change associated with elevated levels of greenhouse gases may cause warmer temperatures, increased frequency of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and changing water and vegetation patterns.

 

A dramatic decrease in emissions must occur, and quickly, to avoid catastrophic climate change including higher global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events. Many Be the E and other environmental actions have the added benefit of reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide. Because many greenhouse gases disperse from where they are emitted and remain in the atmosphere for several decades, any changes made to reduce emissions will have global and long-term benefits.

 

Take Action!

       Quick and Easy

·     Be Energy Aware. Change your light bulbs to fluorescent and save 100 lbs of CO2. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees up in the summer and down in the winter. Unplug appliances that are not in use; standby energy use accounts for 1% of world CO2 emissions. Be Energy Aware

 

·     Waste Less. Reducing, reusing, and recycling to reduce your waste by 10% can save 1200 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. This also helps reduce the massive amounts of CO2 produced in manufacturing new items. be the E: Waste Less

 

·     Travel Green. Carpool, use public and alternative transportation, or reduce your miles driven. The typical passenger in the US releases over 5 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Traveling with others or reducing your travel time could cut these emissions by 4-6%. Travel Green

 

·     Eat Eco. Choosing to eat less meat helps to curb the 18% of world emissions produced by the meat industry. Eating locally and organically, even just one day a week, can reduce your CO2 emissions by 6000 pounds a year. Eat Eco

 

·     Defend Forests. Reduce your paper use, purchase sustainable paper products and learn more about how you can defend forests at http://www.ran.org/category/issue/forests. Defend Forests

 

 

Extra Effort

·     Advocate for and buy clean energy. Contact your electricity provider to find out about green energy options – solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal power all emit less carbon dioxide than fossil fuels. If not offered, offset your use by purchasing renewable energy credits.

 

·     Insulate and weatherize your home and invest in Energy Star appliances. Seal air leaks, switch to double-paned windows, and increase insulation to reduce energy loss. This can reduce individual emissions by up to 10%. Americans using Energy Star rated appliances reduced carbon dioxide emissions by an amount equal to that emitted by 25 million cars.

 

·        Get Involved. Visit the Union of Concerned Scientists website to find out more and learn how you can help protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations from the consequences of climate change: http://www.ucsusa.org/globalwarming or checkout our Get Involved page.

 

Big Changes

·        Calculate your carbon footprint and save money by reducing your carbon.Use the EPA's home emissions calculator here: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.htmlor help your kids play the consumer consequences game: http://sustainability.publicradio.org/consumerconsequences. Make as many of the suggested changes as you can to reduce your footprint and save money in the process.

 

·        Become a climate activist. Join 350.org's climate campaign and put pressure on our government to take strong actions to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Look! (videos)

The Green Guide, Howdini

How to reduce your carbon footprint at home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJwt9nwCElA&p=D56EF377FF053364

 

For more information:

Count Down Your Carbon:

See how your everyday choices can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pledge to change.

www.countdownyourcarbon.org

 

PlaNYC

On Earth Day 2007, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, released PlaNYC, a comprehensive sustainability plan for the City’s future. PlaNYC puts forth a strategy to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas footprint, while also accommodating a population growth of nearly one million, and improving our infrastructure and environment. Recognizing the importance to reduce global carbon emissions, and the value of leading by example, New York has set the goal of reducing its citywide carbonemissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels and reducing carbon emissions from government operations 20 percent below fiscal year 2006 levels by 2017.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml

 

350.org

An international campaign that's building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. Focused on the number 350—as in parts per million CO2, above which scientists say, the damage we're already seeing from global warming will continue and accelerate. Their mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.

http://www.350.org/en

 

Climate Justice websites:

http://www.actforclimatejustice.org/about/what-is-climate-justice

http://www.climate-justice-action.org

http://www.climate-justice-now.org