Global Warming and You

I was asked once what I thought about global warming; I'm afraid the answer I gave at that time really didn't have a lot of thought put into it. So here goes. Yes global warming is happening, it can be serious, but we must stop paying lip service and start doing something about it. Why must we always assume that industry has the greater responsibility when we as individuals have equally as important stake in this venture?

The motoring public has got to stop driving at 65 to 70 mph in order to get somewhere. Traveling at a lesser speed of 55 mph will only take a few minutes longer to get to our destination but will save gasoline, tire and mechanical wear on your car. Don't forget to check tire pressures to help increase gas mileage. Put them slightly higher (two pounds) than the number recommended on the sticker in the driver's doorjamb. If given a choice, consider using taller, narrower tires when replacement time comes; always replace tires in pairs, one on each side of the car.

Car-pool or share a ride if you can. Try to minimize the number of times you start and stop your car by combining your chores. Park your car at the mall so you can walk from one shopping destination to another.

Use slightly thinner oil in the winter, for example 10W30 instead of 10W40 or 5W30 instead of 10W30; oil tends to get very thick when cold.

Clean out your car so that you don't drag an unnecessary amount of weight from place to place (I'm the most guilty of this one.) Wax or polish your car often; a smooth surfaced paint job will help reduce drag. Remove radio antenna adornments and old bumper stickers for the same reason.

Try to keep room temperatures at 68 F. during the winter and 78 F. during the summer. If you're cold, put on a sweater but don't turn up the temperature in the whole house just because you are a little cool.

Insulate your home to keep out drafts and save on heating costs. Think about having a smaller, electric hot water tank installed closer to where you need the hot water like in the kitchen or bathroom. Turn off lights in a room you're not using. Close doors to rooms that are seldom used to avoid heating or cooling them to the same temperature as the rest of the building.

Lines dry some of your clothes, and then after they're dry, tumble them in a cold drier to soften them up.

Dry cell batteries that are too weak to be used in radios, Ipods, etc. can still be used in clocks because of their extremely low electrical draw.

An extreme measure to reduce fuel costs would be to reduce work travel time by moving closer to your job or to get a job closer to your home. This is easier said than done.

These are just a few ideas to save energy. The goal is to look around you to see what you can do to save a nonrenewable source of energy and not to demand that industry is the only means to accomplish this objective.

K.