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We Need to Go Green

I'm sure that everyone pays attention to the news. For one reason or another, I'm going to assume funding practices, our politicians are hesitant to pursue cleaner energy alternatives. We shouldn't be biased since other countries are not participating either, but we should lead as an example for the rest of the world; after-all, the world watches our nation very closely. The dependence on fossil-fuels is in direct correlation with the demand for it.

What's causing this increase in Greenhouse gases? I'll let the experts answer that: NASA.

So what's happening?
  • "The last monitoring station in the world without a 400 parts per million reading has now reached it, NOAA confirms."
    -- The Guardian
  • "In the remote reaches of Antarctica, the South Pole Observatory carbon dioxide observing station cleared 400 ppm on May 23, according to an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday. That’s the first time it’s passed that level in 4 million years (no, that’s not a typo)."
    -- Climate Central
  • "Passing the 400 ppm milestone in is a symbolic but nonetheless important reminder that human activities continue to reshape our planet in profound ways. We’ve seen sea levels rise about a foot in the past 120 years and temperatures go up about 1.8°F (1°C) globally. Arctic sea ice has dwindled 13.4 percent per decade since the 1970s, extreme heat has become more common and oceans are headed for their most acidic levels in millions of years. Recently heat has cooked corals and global warming has contributed in various ways to extreme events around the world."
    -- Climate Central
  • "The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years."
    -- NASA


  • "All three major global surface temperature reconstructions show that Earth has warmed since 1880. Most of this warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the past 12 years. Even though the 2000s witnessed a solar output decline resulting in an unusually deep solar minimum in 2007-2009, surface temperatures continue to increase."
    -- NASA
  • "The number of record high temperature events in the United States has been increasing, while the number of record low temperature events has been decreasing, since 1950. The U.S. has also witnessed increasing numbers of intense rainfall events."
    -- NASA
  • "Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent."
    -- NASA
  • "Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century."
    -- NASA
  • "Droughts in the Southwest and heat waves (periods of abnormally hot weather lasting days to weeks) everywhere are projected to become more intense, and cold waves less intense everywhere. Summer temperatures are projected to continue rising, and a reduction of soil moisture, which exacerbates heat waves, is projected for much of the western and central U.S. in summer. By the end of this century, what have been once-in-20-year extreme heat days (one-day events) are projected to occur every two or three years over most of the nation."
    -- NASA
  • "The intensity, frequency and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes, as well as the frequency of the strongest (Category 4 and 5) hurricanes, have all increased since the early 1980s. The relative contributions of human and natural causes to these increases are still uncertain. Hurricane-associated storm intensity and rainfall rates are projected to increase as the climate continues to warm."
    -- NASA
  • "Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since reliable record keeping began in 1880. It is projected to rise another 1 to 4 feet by 2100. This is the result of added water from melting land ice and the expansion of seawater as it warms. In the next several decades, storm surges and high tides could combine with sea level rise and land subsidence to further increase flooding in many of these regions. Sea level rise will not stop in 2100 because the oceans take a very long time to respond to warmer conditions at the Earth’s surface. Ocean waters will therefore continue to warm and sea level will continue to rise for many centuries at rates equal to or higher than that of the current century."
    -- NASA
  • U.S. Regional Effects -- NASA
    • "Northeast. Heat waves, heavy downpours and sea level rise pose growing challenges to many aspects of life in the Northeast. Infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and ecosystems will be increasingly compromised. Many states and cities are beginning to incorporate climate change into their planning."
    • "Northwest. Changes in the timing of streamflow reduce water supplies for competing demands. Sea level rise, erosion, inundation, risks to infrastructure and increasing ocean acidity pose major threats. Increasing wildfire, insect outbreaks and tree diseases are causing widespread tree die-off."
    • "Southeast. Sea level rise poses widespread and continuing threats to the region’s economy and environment. Extreme heat will affect health, energy, agriculture and more. Decreased water availability will have economic and environmental impacts."
    • "Midwest. Extreme heat, heavy downpours and flooding will affect infrastructure, health, agriculture, forestry, transportation, air and water quality, and more. Climate change will also exacerbate a range of risks to the Great Lakes."
    • "Southwest. Increased heat, drought and insect outbreaks, all linked to climate change, have increased wildfires. Declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas are additional concerns."
  • Currently, only a handful of countries contribute majority of the CO2 emissions. China and United States are leading the pact. The following figures are measured in Millions of Metric Tons and measure the total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy as of 2011. -- Union of Concerned Scientists
    1. China: 8715.31
    2. United States: 5490.63
    3. Russia: 1788.14
    4. India: 1725.76
    5. Japan: 1180.62
    6. Germany: 748.49
    7. Iran: 624.86
    8. South Korea: 610.95
    9. Canada: 552.56
    10. Saudi Arabia: 513.53
    11. United Kingdom: 496.80
    12. Brazil: 475.41
    13. Mexico: 462.29
    14. South Africa: 461.57
    15. Indonesia: 426.79
    16. Italy: 400.94
    17. Australia: 392.29
    18. France: 374.33
    19. Spain: 318.64
    20. Poland: 307.91 

  • "EIA estimates1 that U.S. motor gasoline and diesel (distillate) fuel consumption for transportation in 2015 resulted in the emission of about 1,105 million metric tons of CO2 and 440 million metric tons of CO2, respectively, for a total of 1,545 million metric tons of CO2. This total was equivalent to 83% of total U.S. transportation sector CO2 emissions and equivalent to 29% of total U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions in 2015."
    -- U.S. Energy Information Administration
  • The statistics don't end. You can Google for the different ways humans are causing climate change. This article would continue on for quite some time if I listed everything.

So what can we do to stop Climate Change?

  • "Change light bulbs to LEDs. Supply/demand will contribute to the prices. The more we buy, the cheaper it gets." -- David Suzuki Foundation
  • "Ask your utility to switch your account to clean, renewable power, such as from wind farms. If it doesn't offer this option yet, ask it to." -- David Suzuki Foundation
  • "And eat low on the food chain — at least one meat-free meal a day — since 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat and dairy production." -- David Suzuki Foundation
  • "Garbage buried in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Keep stuff out of landfills by composting kitchen scraps and garden trimmings, and recycling paper, plastic, metal and glass." -- David Suzuki Foundation
  • "Air travel leaves behind a huge carbon footprint. Before you book your next airline ticket, consider greener options such as buses or trains, or try vacationing closer to home." -- David Suzuki Foundation
The following are from Global Warming Facts
  • "Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning."
  • "Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer. Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment."
  • "Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner. Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year."
  • "Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases."
  • "Use the “on/off” function on the machine itself. A TV set that’s switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode."
  • "Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket. You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C."
  • "Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period. When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions."
  • "Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full. If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures."
  • "Insulate and weatherize your home. Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year."
  • "Be sure you’re recycling at home. You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates."
  • "Buy intelligently. One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide."
  • "Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%."
  • "The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community."
  • "Buy fresh foods instead of frozen. Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce."
  • "Buy organic foods as much as possible. Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!"
  • "Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!"
  • "Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car. This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight."
  • "You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car maintenance."
  • "Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!"
  • "When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle. You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on the FuelEconomy website."
  • "Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions.  You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action."

What have I done so far to help battle negative climate change?

  • At home
    • Switched all lights to LEDs
    • Installed a radiant barrier in the attic and side attics
    • Increased insulation in the attic by using the denim insulation
    • Encourage a "turn off the lights when not in use" policy
    • Turn off all electronics when not being used; with the exception of cell-phones
    • Caulked the entire outside of the house
    • Change A/C filters regularly
    • Keep tire inflation at 35 psi
    • Have planted roughly 50 different trees at my residence.
    • Reduced the number of times that I spray weed-killer (kid and pet friendly) to once-per-year and pick out the weeds at other times.
    • Recycle anything that can be recycled
    • We purchase mostly organic food now and always look for local organic
    • Have adjusted the programmable thermostat
    • Have energy-efficient appliances
    • Energy efficient windows
    • Garage door insulation
    • Even though this one is difficult, I pay very close attention to my driving style.
    • Donate to organizations that promote planting trees.
  • At work (First Choice Wheels and Tires)
    • Stopped drinking from Styrofoam cups and use a coffee-mug now.
    • We have completely gone paperless. All communication is done through email.
    • Renewable energy is a topic that's discussed at least a few times per week.
    • Lights are turned off when not in use.
    • A/C is turned off every night
    • Computers are shut down every night.
    • We offer incentives for EV owners looking to purchase wheels.

What's next in my pursuit to be Eco-friendly?

  • Being a car-guy since I was young, this one is particularly difficult for me. There are people who's car is just a tool that gets them from A to B. That's not the case for me. I love everything about it. I enjoy every trip. I've driven manual-transmission cars as long as I can remember; it looks like that's going to have to change. Due to the low demand, and high cost to offer a feature that more and more American's don't want. There are also other factor why a manual transmission is not offered but I won't go into detail. I have started an exhaustive research project in figuring out which car is going to be my next car. It looks like the Tesla Model S is going to win, but here are all of the notable mentions. If I lived in the city, or if my commute was less than 50 miles per day, the e-Golf would have won.
    • 2016 BMW 330e
      • Pros
        • 76 MPGe
        • 31 MPG Gasoline
        • 365 Miles total range (14 miles electric)
        • Luxurious
      • Cons
        • Price
        • It still wastes about 5.8 barrels of gas for every 15,000 miles driven
        • It only gets 14 miles of pure electric driving
    • 2016 VW 3-Golf
      • I was ready to buy this one until I read one fact; it's range is only 83 miles. Some are reporting as low as 53 miles.
      • Pros
        • Fully electric
        • 116 MPGe
        • Still looks awesome.
        • Plenty of trunk space for the dog
        • It wastes 0.2 barrels equivalent of electricity!
        • Price
      • Cons
        • I drive 55 miles each day. If the car was to in-fact get 53 miles to the charge, I wouldn't make it back home.
    • 2014 Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid
      • Pros
        • Price!
        • 115 MPGe
        • 46 MPG Gasoline
        • 570 Miles total range (13 miles electric)
        • People have reported roughly 65mpg to 75mpg based on similar driving conditions
      • Cons
        • Only 13 miles electric
    • There are electric cars for everyone though; depending on your income, you have used electric cars starting at about $8000.00 and going up to $130,000. It can be done and everyone's style differs.
  • Switching to a renewable energy option from my energy company. Have to weigh the pros and cons since it looks like all of the energy is generated from Biomass. If anyone knows more on Biomass, make sure to let me know.
  • Wrapping the water heater with the insulation blanket.
  • Purchase Green products for friends and family. I always hear that LED's are too expensive. I'm going to give them some for free. I encourage you to do the same.
  • My wife will be getting a plug-in hybrid SUV. It looks like the BMW X5 eDrive40e has won. You don't have to completely give up your way of life; just focus on reducing as much as you can. We still need an SUV for traveling and I feel better knowing that she's driving my son in a car that has high safety ratings.

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