Every day brings another news story about the seeming inevitability and severity of global climate change. It is impossible to say with much accuracy how the forces put into motion by global warming will play out, but the bottom line is simple: the more heat-trapping gases we put into the atmosphere, the more the climate will change. The major culprit is thought to be carbon dioxide (CO2). And the major producer of CO2 emissions is the combustion of fossil fuels. This problem may seem terribly overwhelming, but there is a simple change you can make to help stop global warming, and it’s almost like you don’t have to do anything.
The Major Issue To Address Is Your Addiction To Your Car

The Major Issue To Address Is Your Addiction To Your Car

That’s right, you can help stop global warming by simply not driving! Do you struggle to imagine your life without owning a personal automobile? You’re certainly not the only one. America’s love affair with the personal automobile has a history so long that it is deeply embedded in our culture. You may see the automobile as more than a piece of technology, but as a staple of our material culture for the freedom that it ostensibly provides. Personal automobile use is a major contributor to global warming. On the bright side, you can make a big contribution to solving global warming by refraining from using your automobile. In the United States, the only sector responsible for emitting more carbon dioxide than transportation is electricity generation. While reforms to make electricity generation could take years of bureaucratic process and infrastructure development, you can take a major step to help stop global warming today by reducing your automobile use.

The Solution That Can Help You Stop Global Warming - Walk, Bike, and Use Public Transportation

The fossil fuels burned while driving are immense. If you drive 12,000 miles a year in a car that achieves an average of 20 miles per gallon, that activity is responsible for producing six tons of carbon dioxide. This number may seem meaningless, but consider that the average American home and car are responsible for 7.5 tons per capita each over the same year you can see what a tremendous impact driving has on the atmosphere. The American Public Transportation Association reports that using public transportation results in half the emissions that would be created by the same trip in a car. Walking and biking produce no emissions and provide the additional benefit of giving you a sense of freedom that cannot be afforded by any motorized vehicle.

By altering your life in this way, you can be a beacon for others who have yet to take the plunge themselves. You can change all the light bulbs you want, but very few people will ever witness that act. Walking, biking and using public transit are public acts which make a strong statement that you are committed to help stop global warming. If others can see that you have made this change in your life, they will be inspired to do the same, creating a positive feedback loop that will catalyze grassroots reform-the key to overcoming this potentially devastating catastrophe.

The Simple Fact Is You Can Be Happier Without Owning Your Own Car If You Make Car Free Living A Major Focus In Your Life

If you are still reading, you probably take issue with the the idea of being happier without a car. But many people have kicked their habit of owning a personal vehicle and have not looked back. Once you let go of your addiction, you will notice that your quality of life has improved and the car’s singular benefit of convenience will seem bygone . Reflect on the potential benefits for a moment: less time behind the wheel in traffic; a healthier body; one less major possession needing upkeep; more free time and more money. Now consider the fact that the average household in the U.S. spends 17% of its budget on owning and operating personal vehicles . Imagine being liberated from that financial burden! You will be able to spend more money on what you enjoy or perhaps spend less time working.

As with other addictions, though, going cold turkey is not always the most effective method. Try first committing to using alternative transportation on one day a week when you would normally use your automobile. Gradually increase this as it becomes easier and work towards making more and more trips this way. As you continue to enjoy the financial benefits of making fewer car trips, consider getting rid of your car completely to realize the full money-saving potential. This may seem like a treacherous transition, but for occasional use, many people make use of car sharing. Car co-ops provide access to car for people who have given up owning a vehicle, but still want occasional access to one. Car sharing is available in hundreds of cities. If none exists in your city, consider starting a car sharing co-op or relocating to an area where you are not so dependent on your own vehicle.

Only earnest efforts to avert this possible tragedy will be effective. Giving up your car may seem like a tragic sacrifice, but it pales in comparison to the sacrifices that humanity and the earth will face should we fail to face the “elephant in the room” that is global climate change.

Many people take for granted that they will get water when they turn on the tap. But did you ever stop to wonder where it comes from and how it gets to you?

Water is one of the Earths most abundant natural resources, but the total amount of water available is fixed. Earth has the same amount of water today as it did when life first emerged on the planet. That’s because our water is in a continuous process of use and reuse. In fact, the water we drink today was the same water the dinosaurs drank. You could actually be sharing a drink with Julius Caesar, Cleopatra or even George Washington!

Most of the worlds water supply is in the form of salt water stored in the oceans. Since converting salt water to fresh water for drinking is generally expensive, it is rare to find a city that relies on salt water as its water source.

Only three percent of the worlds water supply is fresh water, and two-thirds of that water is frozen, in the form of polar ice caps, glaciers and icebergs. Thus, only one percent of the overall supply is fresh water that can be found as either surface or groundwater and used for human consumption. You’ll find surface water in lakes, rivers, ponds and streams, while groundwater is underneath your feet in underground aquifiers.

Groundwater systems are more numerous, but serve smaller populations, while surface water systems serve larger groups. Others receive their water supply from private wells that also tap groundwater sources.

As the worlds population continues to increase, so does the demand for water; however, the worlds water supply does not increase. What there is, is unevenly distributed through precipitation because of varying conditions such as climate and water consumption by plants and animals. So there is not always enough water in places where it is needed. And due to growing populations and industry, the total amount of clean water available is constantly diminishing.

Those of us who reside in developed countries should count ourselves among the fortunate, in terms of water supply. Relatively clean water is a constant in our lives, readily available whenever we need it. However, even developed countries suffer from water woes and contamination issues related to aging infrastructure, treatment breakdowns, human error and geological influences.

In underdeveloped countries, the water crisis tops the list of issues to be addressed. More than 1.5 billion people around the world lack a safe and reliable supply of drinking water, and water-related diseases are the leading cause of deaths across the globe.

While there may be a plentiful supply of water in developed countries, there are still many issues with the quality of the water that is supplied to homes. This could be due to hardness minerals such as calcium and magnesium that can block pipes and cause hard water stains. To remove hard water stains from fixtures and fittings around the home takes a small amount of knowledge about its properties. In particular, knowing that a weak acid will remove them will go a long way to getting rid of them as the acid dissolves away such stains with ease.

These acid solutions can often be made up using simple household ingredients from around the home. There are really easy ways to remove even the most stubborn limescale and hard water stains without any expensive products in 30 minutes using a simple step by step proven method, that will make your fixtures and fittings shine like new!