ENVIRONMENT

"Hey, it's the ocean. I've been very good to you. Shown you some great times. Do me a favor - don't pollute me." - Donald Faison, Scrubs

What You Should Know...

There are over 6.5 billion people living on Earth who can make choices that will preserve our environment. The planet's ecological systems sustain human life by providing farmable land, clean air and water. Over the last century, human activities have caused the Earth's temperature to rise, disturbing the planet's environmental systems and threatening the livable conditions and natural resources that it provides for its inhabitants. By making a few changes, we can all join together to create a healthy, sustainable environment for ourselves, future generations and all living organisms.

Global Warming

"Global warming pollution comes from us. So whenever you save fuel or electricity, you help save the earth. It's time to think green." Josh Duhamel, Las Vegas

"They call Earth 'The Blue Planet'. Sounds a lot better than 'The Brown Planet,' doesn't it? Maybe it's time to think green." Christopher Meloni, Law and Order SUV

Global warming is an increase in the earth's average temperature caused by the buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A certain amount of these gases occur naturally in order to trap heat and warm the Earth's surface, making it habitable for humans. Since the rise of industrialization, human activity has been emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases, which stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. Burning fossil fuels for energy use, deforestation, and unsound agricultural practices all release global warming pollution. These gases rise into the atmosphere, trapping more of the sun's heat, and warming the Earth further. The build up of global warming pollution is now beyond the planet's ability to remove it. As a result, the temperature of the Earth has increased by over one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years, though most rapidly in the past 30 years. The planet will continue to warm up to potentially dangerous levels, unless people act to greatly reduce their global warming emissions.

Carbon dioxide, the principal global warming pollutant, is released primarily from smokestacks and tailpipes. Today, carbon dioxide levels are greater than at any time in the last 650,000 years. However, we can still stabilize the climate if we change the way we use energy. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels will safeguard our natural heritage and livelihoods, while building a green energy future will lead to healthier communities.

The planet's warmer temperatures have already led to more extreme weather, such as intense storms, droughts and deadly heat waves. These heat waves can cause detrimental effects like lost crops, wildfires, power outages, unhealthy smog levels, and heat stress. The elderly suffering from heat waves, families whose homes are threatened by floods and eroding coastlines, and hunters and anglers watching wildlife disappear are already experiencing the impacts. Making wise energy decisions on the road and in our homes are steps we can all take to minimize the impacts from global warming.

Air

"Hey, it's the sky, I've given you some incredible sunrises and sunsets. Fresh air. Don't pollute me." – Molly Sims, Las Vegas

Pollution, such as smog and particulate matter, is harmful to both individual health and the environment. In the U.S., over half of all residential areas do not meet clean air standards. This results in many health problems including heart disease, asthma and cancer.

Studies have shown that pollution is greater in areas around major roadways, putting people who live in these areas at higher risk. The transportation sector produces about 30 percent of the greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere and is the fastest growing cause of air pollution. Traffic has an added effect; stop-and-go traffic can release up to three times the amount of pollution than steady traffic. Other factors that affect pollution on roadways include the kinds of vehicles on the road and topography. For the average American, driving is one of the top two pollution-causing activities.

Oceans

"Hey, it's the ocean. I've been very good to you. Shown you some great times. Do me a favor – don't pollute me." – Donald Faison, Scrubs

Covering 70 percent of the Earth, oceans absorb and distribute much of the energy that the planet receives from the sun. Similar to the way the human circulatory system keeps us alive, ocean currents deliver heat, oxygen and nutrients around the world, sustaining marine life. This system of currents -- known as the Great Conveyor Belt -- helps moderate temperature extremes so that human societies can live in places that would otherwise be uninhabitable. The ocean is the planet's thermal lifeline.

The ocean can store more than a thousand times the amount of heat than the atmosphere. In the last forty years, it has absorbed huge amounts of heat and carbon dioxide. Scientists estimate that the ocean has taken in excess energy equal to about 100 million Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs or 1 quadrillion barrels of oil! That is about 80% of the total increase in heat energy since 1955. If that amount was released at once, the temperature in the lower six miles of the atmosphere would increase by 22 degrees. While the ocean's ability to soak up excess heat and carbon dioxide has helped delay the effects of global warming, it has been at a great cost. Its waters have warmed and become more acidic, harming coral reefs and fish communities around the world.

Warming is also melting ice at high latitudes and elevations; glaciers, ice sheets, permafrost and floating ice are vanishing. The loss of Arctic ice, which is heating up at a faster rate than any other region, only speeds up the warming process. Because ice acts as a mirror for the Earth, it reflects sunlight back into space and prevents it from heating the planet's surface. Oceans, on the other hand, are not as bright as ice, and therefore absorb heat. This extra heat causes more sea ice to melt, creating even more surfaces of absorption.

The Arctic also powers the "heat pump" for the ocean's conveyor belt. As melted ice spills into the ocean, the balance between salty water and freshwater shifts. Changing temperatures and salinities are weakening the heat pump and threatening to disrupt the ocean's basic circulation patterns. A disturbance could cause dramatic heating in the tropics and cooling near the poles. Without the ocean conveyor's heat pump, Europe's temperate climate would be much colder.

The effects on the marine web of life would also be dire. Upwellings of cold, nutrient-rich waters that nourish the world's high-production fishing zones and large marine animals throughout the world are becoming less frequent. Sea ice also supports wildlife such as polar bears and seals, and protects Arctic coasts from battering waves. In addition, the combination of melting ice and thermal expansion of ocean waters is already fueling an increase in sea level that would inundate many important coastal ecosystems and human communities.

What You Can Do...

"Do you want to do something about global warming? You can, start by turning off the lights." – Ann Curry, Today Show

AT HOME

U.S. households directly produce 21 percent of the country's global warming gases. By making some changes at home, families can reduce their emissions by two-thirds, saving 800 million tons of global warming pollutants.

Choose energy efficient appliances
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances. If each home used only energy efficient appliances, we would eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.

Insulate your home
Insulating your walls and ceilings not only saves 25% of your energy bill, but also 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL)
CFLs use 60% less energy than regular light bulbs, which saves about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If all Americans switched to CFLs, we would save more than 90 billion pounds of carbon dioxide.

Change the temperature
Move the temperature on your thermostat down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Also, set your thermostat to lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise it in the morning. You will save about $100 on your energy bill.

Decrease hot water use
Energy is needed to heat water. Install a low flow showerhead or wash your clothes in cold or warm water. You can save around 400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Air dry
Drying your clothes on a clothesline for six months out of the year saves 700 pounds of carbon dioxide.

Unplug electronics
Don't just turn off electronic devices, unplug them as well. The energy used to keep clocks and memory chips working emits 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year.

Recycle
Recycle your household waste and save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Clean your filter and save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Plant a tree
A tree absorbs about one ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. The shade from your tree will also lower your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%.

Go green
Clean energy sources, such as wind, solar, and geothermal, emit little to no carbon dioxide. Today, about 75 million electricity customers in 42 states have the option to buy green power through their supplier.

Purchase offsets
Buy carbon offsets to balance your personal pollution; you can reduce your carbon emissions to zero!

AT THE STORE

When at the store, think about the effects your purchases have on the environment. Products that are not reusable are more expensive and create more waste.

Buy recycled
Recycled paper uses 70 to 90% less energy to make and saves forests from being destroyed.

Buy local
The average American meal travels 1,200 miles to the dinner table. Support local farmers and you will reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport food to you by one-fifth.

Buy fresh
It takes ten times more energy to produce frozen food. Eat fresh.

Buy organic
Organic farming reduces the use of synthetic fertilizers and chemicals and can produce three times the amount of food on the same plot of land. If we grew only corn and soybeans organically, we would remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Buy bulk
A family of four can save $2,000 a year in the supermarket by choosing large sizes instead of individual serving sizes. Also, by making one trip instead of frequent smaller trips, transportation emissions are also reduced.

Buy smart
When purchasing seafood, buy fish that are plentiful and caught in an environmentally friendly way.

Eat your vegetables
Buy low on the food chain – buy more vegetarian food items.

IN TRANSIT

Half the air pollution in the U.S. comes from automobiles. Two major ways to reduce air pollution are to drive less and drive smart.

Avoid driving
Try walking, biking, or mass transit. By avoiding just 10 miles a week of driving, we can save about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

Carpool
Hitch a ride two days a week. You will save 1,590 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Telecommute
Want to cut back on driving? Work from home whenever you can.

Make earth-friendly purchases
When in the market for a new car, choose the most fuel-efficient model that fits your budget and lifestyle.

Relax
Don't be an aggressive driver. Stop-and-go driving reduces your fuel efficiency and can use up an extra 125 gallons of fuel a year.

Check your tires
Inflated tires improve gas mileage, which lowers carbon dioxide emissions.

Car-share
Many communities now have a car sharing organization. Don't buy, share.

Lighten your load
Take only what you need. Carrying extra weight in your car reduces your fuel efficiency.

Stay tuned
Get your car a tune up regularly, it can save you 165 gallons of fuel a year.

Get shade
Using windshield shades to keep your car cool in the summer and keep frost away in the winter will help conserve fuel used to heat and air condition your vehicle.