Why is CO2 reduction important?
The planet’s atmosphere is being changed by “Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions” which is a big way of saying it is being changed by people burning fossil fuels (mostly for energy, but also to clear land).
As the planet’s atmosphere absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO2), it traps more of the sun’s energy in what is known as the ‘greenhouse effect’.
This then causes the planet’s temperature to change, causing storms, rising sea levels, and floods/droughts – all of which harm people and wildlife.
Check out http://www.explainthatstuff.com/globalwarmingforkids.html to learn more.
Tips for reducing personal CO2 footprint:
- Swap old incandescent light bulbs for the new compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). They use only 25% as much electricity to give the same light. They last ten times longer.
- Turn off lights, TVs, computers, when you do not need them.
- Unplug! Any electronic gadget you can turn on with a remote (TV, DVD player, Nintendo, Xbox) uses power even when it is “off.” Appliances with a digital clock (like a coffee maker) or a power adapter (like a laptop computer) also suck power like a sneaky vampire. Plug these kinds of things into a surge protector or power strip that has an on/off switch. Then you can shut off all the power without unplugging each gadget.
- There are even power strips that glow to show you how much power is going through them, and power strips you can control from your computer or iPhone.
- Turn up the thermostat on the air conditioning when it’s hot. Use fans if you’re still hot. They use much less power.
- Turn down the thermostat on the heating when it’s cold. Sweaters, blankets, and socks are good for you and better for the planet.
- Walk or ride your bike instead of taking a car everywhere. Even a 2-mile car trip puts 2 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere!
- If you must ride, carpool.
- Stay out of the drive thru! When you go to a fast-food place, ask your driver to park the car and let you walk inside, rather than sitting in a line of cars with the engine running and polluting.
Why we should take climate change seriously:
Reducing your carbon footprint: