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The Science of Climate Change INTRODUCTION: The world needs to think of how the climate is changing the food supply of the earth. The climate is doing some really bad things to the earth. The atmosphere is also not in good shape because of climate change. Humans now need to think of how climate change is affecting people. Climate change is affecting the food supply of the world. The climate change is rapidly affecting the earth. The Greenhouse gases are what is really messing up are world food supply and what is messing up our earth. Global Warming is causing concerns because of its high content in the atmosphere already. Because of global warming the earth is going down hill fast. We the people need to step up and take part in the fight against greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are what are leading to climate change, and climate change is what is leading to the depletion of the world food supply. Because of rising greenhouse gases, by the year 2060 the temperatur e will rise 12 degrees. We have to use more fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizers. Natural fertilize rs aren’t harmful to the environmen t. Scientists think that if we are lucky the populations will only double in the next 66 years although we will still have to increase the demand for food. Between 1989 and 1990 , the crops increas ed by 60 percent. Betwe en these two year s we have incre ased farm machinery by 4.7 times what it was before. And we gave increased electricity by 5.1 times what it was before. The climate change is affecting our atmosphere and a lot of people don’t know that. There are lots of pollutants in the atmosphere but the two that are important in global warming and climate change are carbon dioxide and CFCs. Between those two, carbon dioxide ranks number one pollutant in the atmosphere. CFC’s are bad too, but not

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The Science of 

Climate Change

INTRODUCTION:

The world needs to think of how the climate is changing the food supply of the earth. The climate is doing

some really bad things to the earth. The atmosphere is also not in good shape because of climate change. Humans

now need to think of how climate change is affecting people. Climate change is affecting the food supply of the

world. The climate change is rapidly affecting the earth. The Greenhouse gases are what is really messing up are

world food supply and what is messing up our earth. Global Warming is causing concerns because of its high

content in the atmosphere already. Because of global warming the earth is going down hill fast. We the people

need to step up and take part in the fight against greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are what are leading to

climate change, and climate change is what is leading to the depletion of the world food supply. Because of rising

greenhouse gases, by the year 2060 the temperature will rise 12 degrees. We have to use more fertilizer instead ofchemical fertilizers. Natural fertilizers aren’t harmful to the environment. Scientists think that if we are lucky the

populations will only double in the next 66 years although we will still have to increase the demand for food.

Between 1989 and 1990, the crops increased by 60 percent. Between these two years we have increased farm

machinery by 4.7 times what it was before. And we gave increased electricity by 5.1 times what it was before. The

climate change is affecting our atmosphere and a lot of people don’t know that. There are lots of pollutants in the

atmosphere but the two that are important in global warming and climate change are carbon dioxide and CFCs.

Between those two, carbon dioxide ranks number one pollutant in the atmosphere. CFC’s are bad too, but not

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nearly as bad as carbon dioxide. CFC’s quicken global warming. Greenhouse gases consist of carbon dioxide mainly

and that is why we need to get rid of greenhouse gases all together.

Believe it or not climate change affects people too. Global warming and pollution affects peoples’

breathing. Lately people with asthma have had hard time breathing because of global warming and pollution.Doctors have had more asthma patients in this year then in any year. So now what do you people think of global

warming and pollution?

OZONE DEPLETION

O-zone Depletion is the ozone levels in the stratosphere over the South Pole that are dropping

precipitously during September and October every year at the end of the, “polar winter.” This has been happening

since 1960 and maybe earlier just unnoticed. The largest ozone hole was reported in Antarctica in 1997.Approximately 10% of all stratospheric ozone was destroyed in 1997. The loss of ozone is in result of UV reaching

the earth in result of one million more skin cancers. The extremely cold winters in Antarctica that cause ice

crystals are also a factor in the depletion. Human on Earth release many chlorine-containing molecules into the

ozone that are harmful. These things are very persistent and they keep destroying our ozone. Global warming is

said to accelerate if the ozone was restored. When one environmental factor is destroyed, another is affected.

Burning fossil fuel, agriculture, deforestation, and Industrial processes are all factors in global warming.

Many anthropogantic gases cause global warming such as, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Acid Rain is the deposition of wet acidic solution or dry acidic particles from the air. Air pollutants,

including mospheric acids that can be transported long distance are all known as acid rain. The air pollutants are

said to be affecting the lakes in North America and destroying many forests. Acid Rain also destroys manymonuments and buildings.

There are many different hazardous things affecting our environment. Many people only look at the

murder, deaths, and pollution here on earth that are visible. What people fail to notice is there are many hazards

happening to our earth that can not be seen.

The Green Revolution

The green revolution was largely based on increased energy in the form of irrigation, mechanization,fertilizers, and pesticides. So far the production yields in crops are negative in the low latitude countries because

of climate change. Natural fertilizer helps crops by 22 percent where as chemical fertilizers help a little better

than that but they are harmful to the soil. Climate change can affect rainfall intensity, weather extremes, pests,

and diseases. Studies have shown that Sub Saharan Africa will get the worst of global climate change and pollution.

Also studies show that food production will have to grow 2 percent every year to sustain the

food supply. Scientists state that this is possible. The world food supply is changing and the population needs to

think about how to stop this from happening. Changing climate is changing our earth. As the climate is changing so

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is the world food supply. There is a high content of

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. People need to use natural fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers. We

need to increase the demand for food. Climate change affects people too.

The Green Revolution was based on the mechanics of farming. Climate change affects weather patterns

too. Food production must increase 2 percent ever year to keep up with the population of the world.

Did you know that the earth’s climate is gradually changing due to human beings? We take full

responsibility to this accusation due to our day to day activities. These activities alter the chemical composition of

the atmosphere through the build-up of greenhouse gases. These such gases primarily include carbon dioxide,

methane, and nitrous oxide. Our dependency on fossil fuels for energy plays a huge role on our planet’s fate. The

coasts of all countries could become immersed underwater if the polar icecaps were to melt, due to the

greenhouse effect...largely, due to us.

How Climate Change Influences Water Resources

Climate change is the biggest challenge that we face in the world today. It is already leading tosignificant changes in the world’s physical environment. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.

Glaciers are melting. Sea ice and snow cover are declining. Animals and plants are responding to earlier seasons.

Global warming has already driven up mean sea levels by 110-20 centimetres during the last 100 years, and this is

forecast to rise by up to another 88 centimetres by 2100. In this essay I will discuss how climate change influences

water resources and how the impact of climate change on hydrology can be minimised.

Water is essential to human life and many of life’s activities, from direct issues such as drinking water

and agriculture, to other essential modern activates such as industry and power generation. Consequently, there

have been a number of studies into the potential effects climate change can have on hydrology and water

resources. These studies are usually estimated by constructing scenarios for changes in climatic inputs to a

hydrological model from the output of general circulation models (G.C.M’s). The main motive for creating such a

model is to better understand how climate changes affect hydrology so it is paramount that these models are

appropriate for measuring the impact on water quantity and quality.

Such research over time is vital, as it will help predict future changes and in particular seasonal flow

predictions. As sea levels rise due to increases in global temperatures the risks of flooding are much higher and

therefore a greater emphases on water management based on the minimisation and adaptation to these changes in

capacity must be made (I.E. flood defences). Also as climate change affects the quality and quantity of water,

supply strategies must adapt. These practices will have a major impact on how climate change will affect the

water sector and in some countries.

Many countries in Asia and America are continuously experiencing extremely hot temperatures.

Oftentimes, the weather is so unpredictable that people become confused and predisposed to certain illnesses.

Nowadays, not even the experts can calculate the total change in Earth’s climate due to constant

variations in seasons.

A theory was postulated a decade ago which blamed man-made activities for the warming up of the

planet. However, people have already known that the heating of the atmosphere started during the Industrial

Revolution in the 18th century when factories, power plants, and farms were introduced. These and other machines

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that helped advance technology and reduce manpower contributed to the widespread contamination of air and the

trapping of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere.

As a matter of fact, worldwide temperatures have begun to increase by up to 5°C. Other parts of the

world, particularly the Pacific, suffer from the adverse effects of El Niño which has brought long-term economic

and agricultural problems. The Arctic permafrost is threatening to melt, while lakes and rivers in countries with

colder climates are beginning to thaw. Migration of animals like butterflies, beluga whales, and polar bears in the

Arctic regions has started to become disorganized.

Global warming happens not only in one country—it is experienced everywhere since it involves the

atmosphere. Consider these:

• Venezuelan mountaintops had six glaciers in 1972. Now, there are only 2 left.

• Within 15 years, the ice cap of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak, is feared to vanish

completely.

• In May 1998, India’s worst heat wave killed more than 2 500 people.

• In Washington, the famous cherry blossoms bloom seven days earlier in the spring compared to

their blooming time in the 1970s.

• About 20 percent of Samos Island, Greece was consumed by fire in July 2001 due mainly to

extreme hot and dry weather conditions.

• Thirty persons died and property worth almost $500 million were lost because of the floods

along Ohio River in March 1997.

• Dengue fever and other related diseases have reached North America.

• Warmer oceans bring about bleaching—a condition which coral reefs suffer from when algae are

removed. Thus, in turn, causes the loss of color and nutrients in coral reefs.

• Saltwater intrusion occurs inland.

• The population of some marine species like Pacific Salmon has decreased.

Questions:1. What are climate change and global warming, and how are they related?

A. Global warming refers to an increase in average global temperatures, which in turn causes climate change.

Climate change refers to changes in seasonal temperature, precipitation, wind, and humidity for a given area.Climate change can involve cooling or warming.

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Temperature readings taken around the world in recent decades, and scientific studies of tree rings, corals, andice cores, show that average global temperatures have risen since the industrial revolution began, with increasesaccelerating over the past few decades. The overwhelming consensus among climate scientists is that most of theincrease is due to human economic activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Theseactivities contribute to a build-up in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases in Earth’s atmosphere.

Our atmosphere is made up of gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, and CO2, and water vapor, which act like a

“blanket” draped around the planet. Some of these gases—such as CO 2, water vapor, and methane—absorb heat,reducing the amount that escapes to space, and increasing global temperatures. This is what is called the“greenhouse effect,” and these gases are often referred to as “greenhouse gases.”

Without this process, the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere would average about 30 degrees Celsius (50 degreesFahrenheit) colder than it is today, making it difficult for Earth to sustain life as we know it. However, if thisblanket were to become too “thick,” with too many gases trapping too much heat, Earth would be uninhabitable.In the atmosphere of Venus, for example, a build-up of carbon dioxide has led to a broiling temperature of 500degrees Celsius.

2. What is abrupt climate change?

A. While most climate change generally happens slowly over time, there is evidence that episodes of rapid coolinghave occurred in the past, with temperatures falling dramatically over periods of 10 to 20 years. Scientists havefound evidence that this has happened at least twice within the past 12,700 years.

3. Can abrupt climate change really happen in a matter of days?

A. There is no scientific evidence that abrupt climate change can happen in a matter of hours or days. What is trueis that climate change is real and it’s already happening. It’s a big problem, but one that we already know how toaddress on both the societal and individual levels.

4. Can global warming lead to an ice age?

A. According to the best available science, this is very unlikely. Here’s why:

Around the globe, a natural ocean “conveyor belt” slowly winds its way through the oceans, helping to regulateour planet’s climate. For example, it brings warm waters from the tropics to the North Atlantic, making places likeIceland and Western Europe warm enough to be comfortable.

As Earth’s average temperature increases due to global warming, melting glaciers and increased rainfall and runoffwill inject additional freshwater into the North Atlantic. The saltiness of the conveyor current is critical formaintaining the flow, and an influx of freshwater, which significantly reduces the salinity of the North Atlantic

branch of the current, can slow the movement of the conveyor belt. In theory, a major reduction or halting of thisflow—especially if it happened suddenly enough—could destabilize the global climate, causing some regions of theglobe to become much cooler, even as average global temperatures continue to increase.

However, the general climate conditions during the two most recent episodes of abrupt cooling were vastlydifferent than they are today. For instance, those episodes were probably triggered by sudden, massive injectionsof freshwater into the North Atlantic, released when melting ice dams collapsed and vast quantities of freshwaterfrom pent-up glacial lakes were rapidly dumped into the ocean. That can’t happen today, because those lakes areall long gone.

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There is some evidence that the water in the North Atlantic seems to be growing less salty due to global warmingand that the conveyor belt may be slowing. But scientists currently believe that even if part of the ocean conveyorwere to fail, it wouldn’t be for several decades, and any cooling effects would be overpowered by the continuedgeneral warming over the same period.

There is little disagreement that the real concern is climate warming, which is real and will have seriousconsequences. That’s what we need to worry about—and work to fix—right now.

5. What is the scientific consensus on the causes and consequences of climate change?

A. Global warming is real. The global average temperature in 2003 was the third hottest since record keepingbegan in the late 1800s (1998 was the first, 2002 was second), and the ten warmest years on record have occurredsince 1990. The 1990s was the warmest decade in the Northern Hemisphere in the past 1,000 years.

What some scientists continue to debate is the extent to which humans are affecting global temperatures andcausing climate change. But the majority of scientists who study these issues around the world—including thosewith the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the U.S.National Academy of Sciences—agree that humans are the main force behind the sharp global warming trend of the

past century.

Most scientists agree that the climate changes caused by global warming will never be completely predictable, butthat they present serious risks—more extreme temperatures (hot and cold), greater storm intensity and frequency,more frequent droughts and floods, and rising sea levels—that warrant immediate efforts to reduce emissions fromfossil fuels.

6. What role does human activity play in the current global warming trend?

A. A variety of heat trapping—or “greenhouse”—gases collect in Earth’s atmosphere and keep the planet warmenough to sustain life. This occurs through natural processes. For example, humans and animals inhale oxygen and

exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). Plants absorb CO2 while growing, but release it as they decompose. Thedecomposition of cattle manure and peat releases methane, an even stronger, but shorter-lived heat-trapping gas.

Human activities also produce greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is released when we burn fossil fuels to produceelectricity; heat our homes with oil, coal or gas; drive our cars; or switch on our natural gas stoves for cooking.And landfills release methane into the air as our garbage decomposes. Such activities have significantly increasedthe quantity of several heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere over the past few centuries. For example, carbondioxide concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere are 34 percent higher today than they were at the onset of theindustrial revolution in 1750—higher than at any time in the last 400,000 years.

Scientists have determined that as atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide have increased, largely due to humanactivities, the average global temperature has risen significantly. In 2003, the average global temperature was thethird highest ever recorded, just slightly below the 1998 and 2002 averages. Scientists predict that average surfacetemperatures will increase during this century at rates unprecedented in the past 10,000 years.

7. What role do natural forces play in the current global warming trend?

A. While some scientists continue to believe that global warming could be due to changes in sun spots, naturalcycles of warming and cooling, or other factors, most scientists who study this issue now agree that it’s extremelyunlikely that these changes in temperature are wholly natural in origin. Instead, they believe the warming we areexperiencing today is due to rising concentrations of heat-trapping gases that form a “blanket” around Earth.These gases are put into the atmosphere primarily by human activities—particularly the burning of fossil fuels.

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8. Will climate change actually bring benefits to some areas?

A. As a result of global warming and climate change, some regions—such as Siberia—will likely become warmer andmore habitable. The growing seasons in some regions will lengthen, as spring arrives earlier and winter frosts set inlater.

But betting on the climate is like a game of Russian roulette. Our planet’s climate is a highly complex system thatwe still don’t fully understand. Likewise, we do not know exactly what the impacts of climate change will be onparticular countries or regions. Even an area that welcomes warmer days and lighter jackets might also experiencemore frequent and intense storm activity, or the arrival of tropical diseases like malaria. At the same time, otherplaces might experience problems like rising sea levels or more extreme heat or cold. And as temperatures riseand become more “comfortable” in some regions of the U.S. or Europe, for example, the number and range ofagricultural pests such as insects and diseases will increase, counterbalancing benefits due to warming.

Developing countries will likely be hit hardest as warming continues because they have fewer resources with whichto address and adapt to the impacts of climate change. But residents of the United States and other industrialcountries will also experience negative consequences, such as increased coastal flooding and more frequent andintense heat waves, droughts, storms, and wildfires as well as the associated economic and health costs.

Most scientists believe that, at least on a global basis, the costs of climate change will far outweigh any benefitsthat it might bring to a given region.

How Does Climate Change Affect ME?

1. What are some of the impacts we can expect from climate change?

A. The impacts of climate change will vary from place to place, but we can expect more severe and frequentstorms (such as hurricanes and ice storms), heat waves, floods, droughts and wildfires. Warmer temperatures willincrease the range of disease-bearing mosquitoes, while also increasing the range and numbers of insects and

other agricultural pests, such as weeds. Melting glaciers and expanding sea water (water expands as it warms) willfurther raise sea level, inundating low-lying islands and flooding coastal areas, while warmer ocean temperatureswill kill many if not most of the world’s coral reefs. Such events, in turn, will influence our food supply, our accessto clean water, our health, and the economic and social conditions of families and communities around the world.

As ecosystems become further stressed by climate change, species extinction will accelerate. Many of the specieslost will be seemingly “insignificant” plants and insects, but we will also lose plants that could cure diseases, andlarge animals such as polar bears, which rely on winter ice as a platform to hunt for food. Warmer winters couldmean reduced snow pack for some regions, reducing water supplies and the output of hydropower dams in theNorthwestern U.S., for example, and shortening if not eliminating ski seasons in some regions such as NewEngland. The regional or national economic impacts of such changes could be significant.

Many such changes are already being seen around the world. For example, the number of weather-relateddisasters experienced worldwide every year has been increasing over the past few decades. In the United States,

the number of such disasters experienced each decade has risen fivefold since the 1970s. During the course of thiscentury, average global surface temperatures are projected to increase at a rate unprecedented over at least thepast 10,000 years, and scientists believe that rising temperatures could further increase the intensity andfrequency of extreme weather events.

2. Could climate change ever “wipe us out”?

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A. Past changes in climate have caused glaciers to advance and rivers to freeze. Even regional temperaturefluctuations have contributed to the deaths of millions of people and the demise of civilizations, as in the cases ofthe Irish Potato Famine and the Vikings’ departure from Greenland. But humans can move and adapt far moreeasily than most other species, and are unlikely to be wiped out—even by abrupt changes.

At the same time, it’s important to realize that even relatively small changes in average global temperature canhave significant impacts on weather patterns, agricultural productivity, water resources, and the spread of disease

—and thus on millions of individual people. Climate change will have a lot of negative impacts, like the extinctionof many plant and animal species, the spread of disease carrying insects, more frequent and intense heat waves,floods, droughts, and wildfires. Already, the World Health Organization blames climate change for an estimated150,000 human deaths every year.

3. Should I be worried about climate change? Will it affect me personally?

A. Rising global temperature means more than just extra time to wear shorts and sandals. An increase of just afew degrees in average temperature can cause dramatic changes in conditions that are important to the quality oflife—and even the Earth’s ability to support life. We may not always see or feel it directly, but climate changeaffects us all. For one person it might mean paying more for food because flooding or drought has damaged crops.

For another it might mean a higher risk of contracting a disease like malaria, which spreads more easily in warm,wet climates. Someone else might face losing her home or even life in a catastrophic weather disaster made worseby global warming.

Almost everyone is vulnerable to the effects of weather-related disasters, but people in poor countries face a fargreater threat due to risk factors that include inadequate housing located on flood plains and steep hillsides, weakhealthcare systems, and heavy economic dependence on agriculture. It is not uncommon for single weatherevents, such as tropical cyclones and floods, to kill thousands of people in regions such as South Asia, southernChina, and Central America. If the warming continues for years and sea levels rise as predicted, then a great manypeople will become climate refugees—because their homes and countries will be under water. Rising sea levels willalso affect people in U.S. coastal regions, from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and much of Florida, toLouisiana, to California. Already, rising seas are forcing communities in Alaska to move inland, at very high cost tothe state.

What Can I Do?

1. What can we do right now to slow climate change and make a real difference?

A. While it’s impossible for any one individual to prevent global warming, we each have a direct impact on theconditions that allow warming to occur. We can pledge to do our part to conserve energy and pollute less.Whether at home, on our commute to work or school, in the office, or at the store, there are things we can do tolessen our contribution to climate change.

Examples of things you can do include turning off lights and computers when they are not in use, using publictransportation or carpooling, driving less, recycling, purchasing energy efficient appliances (in the U.S., look for

the Energy Star label) or a more fuel-efficient car, buying food grown locally, insulating your water heater andhome, and choosing “green” electricity from a company selling power generated from renewable sources such asthe wind or sun, which is now possible in many areas.

Another important way to act on climate change is by voting and supporting candidates who are serious aboutreducing greenhouse gas emissions. Also, encourage your current state and national legislators to supportlegislation that will slow climate change.

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Getting Down to Businesses and Governments 

1. What role can businesses play in curbing climate change?

A. There are a number of ways that corporations as well as other large institutions like hospitals, universities, andgovernment agencies can curb the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases they emit into theatmosphere. At the production and manufacturing level, for example, companies can save energy and otherresources by designing products with fewer materials and less packaging, and by making new products out ofrecycled materials.

Through their formal purchasing channels, institutions can commit to using energy-efficient office equipment orfixtures, and can use recycled materials such as paper, which require less energy to produce. Some businesseshave already committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing energy from renewable sources,

and by choosing fleets of low emission vehicles. Businesses can also provide benefits that encourage employees touse public transportation, and facilitate telecommuting.

Individuals can play an important role in encouraging corporations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions bypatronizing businesses that have committed to polluting less, filing and voting on shareholder resolutions, orparticipating in letter-writing campaigns or boycotts.

2. What role can governments play in addressing climate change?

A. Governments can enact laws and tax policies that encourage energy conservation; the development and use ofmore energy-efficient cars, buildings, and appliances; and the development and use of renewable energy such as

solar and wind power and bio-fuels. Governments can also increase investments in public transportation andencourage development patterns that minimize sprawl. Today, the policies of most countries favor the mostintensive forms of transportation (such as auto and air travel), and are biased toward conventional energy overrenewables, and toward new energy supplies over efficiency measures. But, driven greatly by concerns aboutenergy security and climate change, several countries have begun to promote the sustainable use of energythrough green taxes, which shift the tax burden from labor to energy, and by enacting strong policies to advancethe development and use of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies.

3. Which countries contribute the most to global warming?

A. Wealthier industrial countries contribute the most to global warming since they use most of the world’s fossil

fuels. Europe, Japan, and North America—with roughly 15 percent of the world’s current population—areestimated to account for two-thirds of the carbon dioxide now in the atmosphere. With less than five percent ofworld population, the United States is the single-largest source of carbon from fossil fuels—emitting 24 percent ofthe world’s total. U.S. automobiles (more than 128 million or one quarter of the world’s cars) emit roughly asmuch carbon as the entire Japanese economy, the world’s fourth-largest carbon emitter in 2000. China, despitebeing home to one-fifth of the world’s population and its heavy dependence on coal, ranks a distant second behindthe U.S., emitting 12 percent of the global total. The average person in China produces less than one-eighth asmuch carbon dioxide as the average American.

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What You Can Do To Ensure a Better Day After Tomorrow

If you think climate change is too big of a problem for you to affect, think again. There are many wayseach of us can reduce our energy use and the amount of pollution we put into the environment. If everyone took afew easy steps, our collective impact would be truly significant.

Here are some ways you can help to slow climate change. Your actions, combined with those of others,will make a visible difference.

Do you shower up every morning? When you shampoo or soap up, turn the water off. Why? Because ittakes energy to heat the water we bathe in—and that energy usually comes from coal-fired power plants thatpollute the air and disrupt the climate.

Also, be sure that your shower has an efficient showerhead. If 20 million people installed efficientshowerheads, we would together prevent the release of nearly four million tons of carbon into the atmosphere.That’s the equivalent of taking 600,000 SUVs off of U.S. roads, all from the comfort of your own shower!1

It’s also a big water savings— more than 90 billion gallons a year, in fact. That’s a lot of water—morethan enough to fill 110,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools!

How are you getting around? If possible, think about using public transportation, walking, or biking. If youneed to drive, grab a few friends and carpool together in your most efficient vehicle.

Did you know that if 20 million people all drove a Toyota Prius to a theater 10 miles away, instead of aHummer H2, we would save more than 1 million barrels of oil and 460 million pounds of climate-disrupting carbondioxide? We’d also save combined $44 million at the pump—yes, just from that one trip! Think about all thepopcorn you could buy with that kind of cash!

So maybe you liked a movie so much you'll want to see it again when it comes out on DVD. But that'll bemonths away, so why keep your DVD player running until then? Switch off your power strips and fully turn off your

DVD players and any other devices that typically remain on standby. The “vampire-like” standby devices in DVDplayers, cell phone chargers, stereos, washers, dryers, and other appliances suck 26 power plants worth ofelectricity every year in the U.S. alone. That’s 26 power plants spewing pollution and disrupting our climate justso the vampires can sit at our beck and call.

Yes, you guessed it—if 20 million people controlled our vampires, we could drive a stake through an entirepower plant!

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