Image by biofriendly 

When it comes to lowering your carbon footprint and doing something about climate change there are many actions each of us can take.  Now, you may ask yourself, “I’m just one person, what can I really do?”.  As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to be people just like you and me who are going to be the driving force that can really make a difference. 

You can add solar panels to your home, you can add a wind turbine in your yard, you can grow your own vegetables and herbs, you can unplug your appliances/computers when not in use, you can use a fuel additive to lower harmful emissions coming from your vehicle or get a hybrid/electric vehicle, you can use public transportation, bike or walk to your destinations, you can cut down on your meat consumption, you can volunteer and help clean up your local beaches/parks, you can educate your children on water and energy conservation and the list goes on and on.

Of course there are also big steps that companies and governments can take, but without individual people changing their own actions and demanding that change in others, it’s going to be a much longer road.  Here are a few more steps you, as an individual, can take to do something positive about climate change while educating others to do the same:

1) The No Impact Project starts this Sunday (Oct 18th).  The No Impact Project is a basically a one-week carbon cleanse.  Whether you want to create as little impact on the environment as possible or you just want to save some money or you want to see how no impact living would affect your life, this is for you!  It’s a day-by-day project that lays out simple ways for you to impact your own life and habits, your community and the environment.  And remember, this project isn’t designed to preach about all the things we are doing wrong, it’s designed to give each of us tips and suggestions to help live a better life and have less impact on the environment.  Check it out!

2) You can get your child’s school to join the I count for my Earth Campaign. I count for my Earth is a program created to get our children educated and more environmentally aware of the world around them.  It also helps empower them to be able to do something to make a difference.  My daughter always makes sure lights that don’t need to be on, get turned off and reminds us that leaving them on “wastes power”.  Get your child(ren) more environmentally aware and knowing ”I count for my Earth”. 

3)  Last week I wrote about carbon dioxide and International Climate Action Day.  On October 24, 2009 people around the world are being asked to take one day – one moment of their life – to help get the word out….actually, get the number out.  You can organize your own activity or attend an already planned activity in your area, that helps draw attention and awareness to the number 350 and what it means to all of us.

4) You can go to the Seal The Deal! website and sign the petition for a fair climate agreement at the upcoming Climate Change Conference.

5) From December 7th-18th, 2009 world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Conference 2009.  Their goal is to negotiate and come to an agreement on a new climate treaty.  You can do your part by requesting your leader takes the bold actions needed to reduce greenhouse gases.  You can even submit your own video with your views, opinions and questions on climate change.  (The best ones will be aired on December 15th during the COP15 CNN/YouTube TV debate.)

6) And last, but not least, blog about it.  Today is Blog Action Day ’09.  It’s a day uniting bloggers from around the world to write about climate change all on the same day.  Bringing awareness to the issue is the first step.  Hopefully this action will not only bring about more awareness to the issue of climate change, but will result in global discussions and actions.

Hopefully these tips will help you answer the question “What Can I Do About Climate Change?”.  Let me know….I’d love to hear your ideas and find out more about what you are doing about climate change.  

Image by Chewonki Semester School 

Global climate change is something that concerns everyone.  Scientists and climate experts alike have said that our planet already has more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere should safely contain and that we need to get carbon dioxide levels down from almost 390 parts per million to 350 ppm.  And while that may sound like a big task there are things each of us can do to help. 

You can start by signing the petition for a fair climate agreement on SealtheDeal.org.   Then on October 24th, 2009 people all over the world will be celebrating “International Climate Action Day”.  It’s a day where you too can join in and take a stand toward a safe climate future.  International Climate Action Day is a day where everyone is being asked to take one day – one moment of their life – to help get the word out….actually, get the number out.  More than 100 nations have already pledged to take part. 

The plan is simple, organize or attend an activity that brings awareness to the number 350 and what it means to all of us.  For example, school children in Bangledesh are planting 350 trees, 350 divers will be diving at the Great Barrier Reef, scientists hanging banners saying 350 on the Easter Island statues, farmers making crop designs to display the number 350, etc.  Even places like the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA are planning events, like their ”Climate Change is Scary Too” on October 24th as part of their Scarium of the Pacific Halloween celebration.  Prizes will be awarded to the best costumes using recycled materials or the best portrayal of climate change.  You will even be able to sign up to pledge to lower your carbon footprint.

All of these are being done because on December 7-18, 2009 The Copenhagen Climate Conference (aka COP15) takes place where world leaders will meet in an attempt to reach an agreement on a new climate treaty.  We need them to look at the science and research and come up with a workable and viable treaty that will effectively limit and thus lower the human-induced emissions from greenhouse gases.  

Changes are happening in the world all around us, every day.  Changes in sea levels, in the weather, changes in the earth we stand on….but one key thing we need to change is how we relate to and affect the earth we live on.   Driving a hybrid car or using a proven fuel additive may cut down on your car’s harmful emissions and adding solar panels to your roof or putting a wind turbine in your yard may help lower your electricity costs.  But we need broad and far reaching actions to be taken as well, actions that will help make “going green” the norm, not the exception.   

So take a minute and go to 350.org, they have some great ideas for actions/activities you can do in your area.  Then once you figure out how you are going to get the word out on International Climate Action Day that we need to lower our global carbon dioxide output, let your friends and family know too…this is something that concerns us all.  

Image by SanyamStudios

Anything having to do with “going green” or green/clean technology is definitely a hot subject these days. Companies taking steps towards improving the environment, lessening their carbon footprint and promoting sustainable/eco-friendly living are what everyone wants to see and hear. It is so big in fact, that per the UN, it is estimated the world’s green economy will be worth close to $3 trillion dollars by the year 2020.

But, what about the next generations? What about our children? Many students are about to step into the working world, but are they prepared to carry forth with everything that is being done in these green economy sectors? What do they know about energy efficiency, recycling, water conservation, fuel additives, agriculture, green transportation, etc?

Yes, maybe their parents teach them some of these valuable environmentally-friendly tips, but what are they learning in school? With unemployment rates where they are today, students need an upper edge that will prepare them to get a good job. With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $50 billion for green jobs, teachers owe it to their students to help ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed to get those GREEN jobs.

Thankfully, Green Technology is working to bridge that gap. The first “Green Pathways to the Future” Teacher Institute is taking place in Northern California on August 10-11, 2009 and the second in Pasadena, CA on December 10-11, 2009. These events are designed to provide that much needed interaction between educators and green industry/business representatives.

If you work in the green industry, it would be worth it to attend and/or make a presentation at the “Green Pathways to the Future” event. Besides giving valuable green information and resources, you will be helping mold the future of the green industries though our children.

Green industries are the future and we must educate our children so they can help power that future. Therefore, the time to start getting the word out is now. So, if you work in a green business/industry, please see what contribution you can make to educating our educators about how your green business helps the environment. You’ll be thankful you did!

Getting a jump on the rest of the world, the California Air Resources Board recently approved a landmark regulation designed to cut carbon emissions from California’s transportation fuels.  The Low Carbon Fuel Standard aims to reduce harmful emissions from California’s transportation fuels by 10% over the next 11 years.

How does it intend to do this?  Well, for one, having a new standard in place should boost the market for alternative-fuel vehicles.  That alone could eliminate around 16 million metric tons of emissions.  The new regulation is also expected to dramatically cut gasoline consumption (by around 20-25%) and of course encourage the development of low-carbon fuel sources for vehicles.  As reported by sustainablebusiness.com, fuel sources such as algae, post-recycled garbage, wood, straw, weeds, etc are all being considered.

The LA Times also reported, “The regulation requires producers, refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel to reduce the carbon footprint of their fuel by 10% over the next decade.”  With 40% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions being generated from the transportation section, it is good that measures such as these are being taken to lower these harmful emissions.

But I guess that means if you are planning to import gasoline to California, you’d better ensure it meets the new low-carbon fuel standards or start using an effective fuel additive to get it to conform to the new standards.

On a more immediate basis, one benefit of California’s new Low Carbon Fuel Standard is that it should create an estimated 3,000 new jobs.  With over 1.5 billion gallons of biofuels needed to sufficiently lower emissions (as per estimates from the California Air Resources Board) more than 25 new biofuel factories will need to be built.  So not only will workers be needed to build the factories but employees will be needed to run them and with the current condition of unemployment in California, new jobs are definitely good news.