Blog Action Day: Climate Change

Today is Blog Action Day!

If you are unaware of what this means, it is a day set aside for bloggers to write about one issue in order to cause greater awareness and make a difference in the world. This years subject is climate change.

One of my absolute favorite activities is snowboarding. In my senior year of high school I raced varsity on our snowboard team, and had been boarding 3 years prier. I remember the very first day I learned, it was in a blizzard. There was fresh powder every day I got up to the slopes. It was a wonderland. Each year, however, the snow has been falling less. Powder has gotten increasingly rare.

This last winter each night the snow fell, we had a freeze and we were left with really hard snow. It is hard enough to work up the courage to attempt a 180 off a jump, but when the surface you are landing on is basically ice, all my courage goes out the door.  Moving into spring, it is seen across the country that rivers are not flowing so freely. Less snow means less water.

Upon visiting the Grand Canyon this year with my grandmother, I was slightly disappointed. I had never seen it before, and it did not live up to my expectations. Pictures taken 20 years ago show a majestic wonder with a raging river at the bottom of a huge rock valley. The canyon was bigger than I ever imagined, but the river was almost non-existent. We took a helicopter ride over the canyon, and still we could hardly see it. The Colorado River is a main resource for water and power in much of the South Western United States. More than half of Los Angeles, as well as Phoenix drinks this water, while most of the agricultural areas of Southern California use the water for irrigation. Imagine what would happen if the river suddenly ran dry.

This is a threat that has become increasingly realistic.  Climate change has become a household topic ever since Al Gore’s movie "An Inconvenient Truth" came out a few years ago, and remains an important topic today. The thought that the San Francisco Bay Area could be underwater in a matter of minuets scares me to death. A call to action has been in place for a few years now, but many are slow to answer. I, for one, do not believe I have been doing everything I can to “go green.” And so, I researched a few more things I can do to help save the planet.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a few suggestions.

At Home:
-Use Energy Star light bulbs, like fluorescents, and when buying new appliances, look at the Energy Star lines. You will save energy, and money.
-Seal air leaks and add insulation to your home. The more you do to avoid using the heater/cooler, the better.
-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
-Plant plants that are indigenous to the area you live in. That way they will require less water and care. Also, use a push mower rather than a gas or electric grass mower.

At the Office:
-Unplug any cords that are being unused, especially at the end of the day before going home.
-Recommend to the Office Building Manager that the office building work toward earning the Energy Stare label.
-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
-Use recycled paper when necessary, but use the least amount of paper possible. Try email instead of memos or faxes.

On the Road:
-Read the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide before purchasing a new car.
-Reduce weight within the car, and go easy on the gas and break pedals.
-Check your tire pressure regularly.
-Why not try public transportation, carpools and/or biking? Loose the car addiction.

Just a few tips I thought would be helpful. If you have any more, please do not hesitate to leave a comment.

Thanks,
Andrea Jilot