Re: Runaway Global Warming Possible!

From: Jo Schaper (joschapern4ospam_at_2socketdot.no5net)
Date: 01/28/05 

Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 19:44:51 -0600

ošin wrote:

>>>Change is inevitable; resist it at your own peril.
>>
>>I agree heartily. Let's change our social and economic dependence on
>>unsustainable and self-destructive usages of fossil fuels.
>
>
> How?

Folks could start by using solar/hydro/wind/geothermal electric where
possible. They won't solve the whole problem but could help.

One word: biodiesel. Or entirely bio-ethanol powered cars. (And no, you
don't really need petrol-based fertilizers/pesticides/huge farm
machinery to grow corn.)

Try driving a fuel-efficient car--one that drives right by gas pumps.
Mine, at over 40 mpg, does so. (Car was purchased used, and is 7 years
old, using 'old technology', not high priced hybrid, though I'd consider
one of those for the future.) Car does gravel roads with potholes, and
drives right past SUVs in ditches on ice and snow. No, it can't climb
the sides of arroyos like the TV ads, but I wouldn't take a vehicle
there, anyway.

Support development of long-distance passenger and short distance
commuter rail, instead of petrol-guzzling airplanes, which should be
reserved for flights over large bodies of water, since we no longer have
any but luxury passenger ships.

Roads are good, but do we really need a 6 or 8 lane super slab to go to
the grocery store? Work for flexible or staggered office hours. How much
gas goes up in smoke moving nowhere during so called rush hours?

Put the thermostat at 65-67 degrees F. Wear a sweater if you are chilly.

Shut off lights, appliances, etc. if you aren't using them. Sounds
stupid, but if 270 million people did what their Mom said, we'd save
LOTS of energy.

Who says you have to have dusk to dawn lights over the entire US? Some,
of course, are needful, but do you really need your own personal star?

Install passive solar heating systems. Keep the a/c off unless it is 85
degrees or more. Do what my grandparents did: cook early or late in the
day; remodel the basement as naturally cooler living space.

Recycle plastic. Fix stuff instead of throwing it away until it is broke
beyond repair. Use non-petroleum based cleaners. That citrus stuff they
use in industry really does work.

Lean on congress-critters (in the US) to come up and implement nuclear
storage facilities. I'm not pro or con Yucca Mountain, but if we want to
take advantage of nukes, let's find something to do with the waste.

Drive the speed limit (not 10 miles over). Find your ego somewhere else
but the gas pedal of a monster truck, speedboat, ATV, motorcycle, etc., etc.

It all boils down to appropriate use of technology. The only thing
lacking is will.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Runaway Global Warming Possible!
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