Global Warming and Climate Change: 4 things you can do to reduce it.
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word Winter? Christmas? holidays? or maybe even cold? I’m not sure about you, but when I hear the word Winter, I immediately think of snow. Snow is what makes Winter so unique, however, I cannot help but notice the minor lack of snow this year. This is because of all of the pollution that we emit such as smoke, aerosols, and greenhouse gases which is also known as global warming, which in turn causes the climate to change. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that all of the ice in the world will melt and that the Earth’s sea levels will rise eventually, but you can do something about it to delay it. Here are 4 things you can do to slow down climate change.
1: Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Image source: http://images.recyclereminders.com/img/lg/S/turn-off-caution-sign-s-1246.png
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but a little reminder never hurts. Whenever you leave a room in your house or a building, always turn the lights off. Not only does this save electricity, but it also slightly reduces the amount of heat you produce since light generates heat.
2: Don’t idle your vehicle.
Image source: http://www.pmm-asia.com/wp-content/uploads/bfi_thumb/clip_art_illustration_of_a_running_blue_compact_car_0071-1006-2115-2312_SMU-mioo6m0qpcp0w7ekuwa6nrhj2g9lyqm0c54vo0t0o0.jpg
For those who don’t know, idling is when your vehicle remains stationary while it’s engine is still running, usually this occurs when a car is at a red light, or waiting when parked outside of a building. It is generally not a good idea to idle one’s car because since the engine is still running, the car is letting off fumes for absolutely no purpose. So if you own a car, turn it off if you are waiting for someone, and surprisingly, it actually saves gas to just turn your car off than it is to leave it running.
3: Recycle any recyclable waste.
Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Recycle001.svg/1024px-Recycle001.svg.png
You knew this one was going to come up. For those who have been living under a rock their whole lives, recycling is when waste is converted into a reusable material. Not only does this help the environment, but it also helps the economy as well. According to this archived report back in May 2015, recycling had made a $6.7 billion economic impact in Ohio USA, and had employed over 14,000 people.
4: Plant trees in your community.
Image source: http://support.nature.org/images/friendraiser_uploads/1050.177518639.custom.jpg
This one is not only a good way to promote environmental wellness, but it’s also a nice way to participate in your local community too. There is even an ongoing program in Mississauga that encourages planting trees in your neighborhood. However there are some things that you should consider before planting a tree, such as making sure that there is enough room to accommodate the fully grown tree, the type of soil the tree is being grown in, and how the tree can serve a purpose to the public such as by providing shade, attracting birds, and looking nice.
If you want to learn more on how to help the environment, check out these videos, and these sites:
http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/in-the-community/