Actions to Stop Global Warming

Looking at the ill effects of global warming, such as rising sea levels, unpredictable climate changes, increased frequency of floods and droughts, stronger and deadlier hurricanes, lesser availability of freshwater, outbreak of diseases such as malaria, extinction of many animal and plant species and irreversible changes and damages to ecosystem, many of us wonder about the ways to prevent global warming. Well, although politically, many steps are being taken to tackle this environmental issue, still as individuals, we too can do our bit to save our planet from these impending dangers.

10 Ways to Help Stop Global Warming

Be a Vegetarian
Eating fruits and vegetables is not only healthy for your body, but it helps in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a large extent too. Livestock is mainly fed on corn, which requires ammonium nitrate fertilizer to grow. To create this fertilizer, large quantities of petroleum is used, thus leading to more greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.

Recycle
Recycling is very important so make sure that you recycle plastic bottles, glass bottles, organic wastes in your garden, etc. Also, while purchasing, either of glass or paper, make sure that you buy recycled stuff, as it saves lots of energy and prevents deforestation.

Use CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Bulbs)
Replace the bulbs in your house with CFLs. It will save you a lot of money and at the same time, save a hell lot of carbon dioxide too. If you are really serious about this cause, then one of the most effective actions that you can take is to gift CFLs to your neighbors, friends, colleagues, etc.

Go Local
Do you know how much energy can be saved if you buy locally produced products? For the simple reason that transportation involved with importing goods can be greatly cut down. So, reduce your carbon footprint by going local!

Buy Products with Less-packaging
Goods which come with minimal packaging are a win-win for everybody. The consumer's garbage is reduced. The producer's manufacturing costs is reduced. And most importantly, carbon dioxide usage is reduced! So, always buy products which come with less packaging.

Get a Programmable Thermostat
Get a programmable thermostat installed in your house as they automatically lower and raise the air conditioning and heat. Or alternately, you yourself can lower the thermostat by two degrees during winters and raise it by two degrees during summers.

Insulate your Home
If you insulate and weatherize your home, you will be saving lots of carbon dioxide as well as lots of money, which is otherwise spent on home heating and cooling. So, insulate the walls and ceilings of your house and if you already have one in place which is old, replace it!

Grow Trees
Do you know that a single tree can absorb as much as one ton of carbon dioxide? So, take initiative to plant trees in your garden.

Drive Less
To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, drive less. Go in for car pooling with colleagues for traveling to work. Take your cycle or walk down, if you have to go somewhere near and travel by public transport, whenever you can.

Carry Reusable Shopping Bags
Instead of taking a disposable shopping bag from every shop you make purchases from, carry a reusable shopping bag. It will reduce wastage and the resultant carbon dioxide, methane emissions as well as environmental pollution.

Covering the utensils while cooking, not keeping the electrical appliances on stand-by, taking shower and not a bath, flying less frequently - as you can see, there is no dearth of ways to prevent global warming, provided we are serious about making a difference to the society, the world and the planet. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."