Our Warming Planet:

Personal Solutions To A Global Problem

By Nancy K. Crevier

When the sun strikes the earth, one-third of the heat is reflected back into space. The remaining heat is absorbed by the planet. The absorbed sunlight is converted into heat and radiated back into the atmosphere. It is a balancing act perfected by nature.

 Increased use of power, waste production, and an increase in the use of fossil fuels all add immense amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases to the atmosphere that upset that balance; the imbalance is known as global warming, or the greenhouse effect.

As carbon dioxide gases rise, more heat is radiated into the atmosphere, causing a rise in average temperature on the earth. The rise in temperature may seem insignificant, but according to the United Nations-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control, even a rise of 8 degrees Fahrenheit, a possibility within the next 100 years, would alter the earth’s climate drastically.

The United States and Canada would experience droughts; there would be a loss of arctic shelves, causing water levels to rise and displace thousands of people as land masses disappeared. Groundwater levels would drop as water was drawn from the ground; paradoxically, rainfalls would become heavier, creating flood conditions, as more water was returned to the atmosphere.

Already, the United States Environmental Protection Agency reports an increase in average temperature of nearly three degrees and a 20 percent increase in precipitation in Connecticut over the last 100 years. Connecticut can expect an increase in the frequency of hot days and an increase in frequency and intensity of winter storms if global warming continues on the current path.

Former vice president Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth opened in cinemas the first weekend in July. It provides viewers with graphs, charts, maps, and film of the effects of global warming in the world. It points a finger at industrialized nations, particularly the United States, that contribute to high outputs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, slowly but surely raising the mean temperature of the earth.

It is meant to be a wake up call to the apathy that has seized people regarding the environment, but it could be called, rather, a reawakening.

At the website for An Inconvenient Truth, a list of ten simple things anyone can do to reduce global warming are listed. Of the ten suggestions, only one should be news to anyone who is over the age of 30 — switch from incandescent bulbs to the compact fluorescent bulbs. The other ideas ought to ring a bell. Drive less, recycle more, check your tires, use less hot water, avoid products with a lot of excess packaging, adjust your thermostat, plant a tree, turn off electronic devices, and spread the word.

The technology is available and many of the actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions save money. The question is, are people ready to take on personal responsibility when it comes to the environment? It may be time to revisit once-popular ideas.

1) Adjust your thermostat and use less hot water. It was nearly 30 years ago that then-president of the United States Jimmy Carter advised lethargic Americans to take some initiative in offsetting the energy crisis. Lower the thermostats in winter, raise them in summer, he said. Be conservative, urged this president.

In the home, energy conservation practices were put in place by those who understood the finiteness of the environment. Cold water detergents gained in popularity as families switched from hot water washes for clothing to just-as-effective cold water washes.

These practices continue to make sense three decades later, and many other options are available now that save consumers money and reduce energy consumption. Front loading washing machines use less water per load and are kinder to fabrics. Save money, save energy, and save clothing. Why not?

Programmable thermostats, high quality insulation properly installed in homes, and ceiling fans that circulate warm and cool air reduce homeowners’ costs. The correct size room air conditioner not only saves money, but saves pounds of damaging gases from being released into the atmosphere.

Heating and cooling systems in the United States regurgitate over a billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Furnaces should be adjusted and maintained professionally every year for optimum function and replaced with energy efficient units when older units fail.

2) Drive less and check your tires. The 70s were also the era of driving slower. Remember the “55 Saves Lives” campaign? Smaller cars were the rage and “gas guzzlers” scorned. But when auto manufacturers improved auto emissions and fuel economy, fuel usage went higher as Americans drove more, and cars rebounded to the mammoth sizes of earlier years. According to the government’s energy information administration, Americans now consume approximately 500 gallons of gasoline per person each year. US cars emit 302 million metric tons of carbon per year into the atmosphere. Both are statistics that can be altered to the benefit of a life-sustaining environment.

In the late 1980s, Connecticut, and other states around the country, constructed highways designed to reduce the number of cars on the road, and thus, emissions. But high occupancy lanes on Connecticut highways have not encouraged car-pooling despite an initial requirement of three persons in a vehicle being reduced to only a driver and one passenger in a car to use those lanes.

It may seem easier to squirm and complain at gas pump prices of $3-plus per gallon, absorb it into the cost of living and ultimately shrug it off, but very simple actions can change the high cost of driving. A fuel savings of ten percent can be achieved by improving driving habits, e.g. driving the speed limit, driving fuel-efficient or low-emission vehicles, and maintaining a car properly. A $400 dollar a month gas bill can be lowered by $40 and less carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. It is a win-win situation and virtually painless to implement.

3) Turn off electronic devices, recycle more, and avoid products with a lot of excess packaging. It is not just the battle cry of “Turn off the lights in that room if you’re not in it!” that is pertinent today. Electronic gadgetry has multiplied in the last decade, not only increasing power demands, but creating more waste as equipment dies or becomes outdated and is tossed out. On August 1 of this year, Connecticut set a new record for electricity usage of 7,455 megawatts.

When purchasing new appliances, televisions, DVD players, and other electronics, look for the Energy Star rating. This rating is awarded to appliances and products that exceed federal efficiency standards. Reducing operating costs means big savings over the lifetime of the product. It means big savings to the environment in the amount of energy expended.

As the 1970s ran into the 1980s, recycling containers blossomed at the curbsides. Over-packaging was considered a faux pas. Deposits on bottles and cans encouraged recycling and recycling centers popped up in nearly every city as Americans rallied to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.”

A throw-away attitude impacts the earth at several levels. Fuel is used to transport waste, resulting in carbon dioxide emissions. The disposal of solid waste produces harmful atmospheric gases from decomposition and incineration. The creation of replacement products uses energy and transportation of those newly manufactured items again emits carbon dioxide into the air. It is a vicious circle that can be slowed only by a commitment to reuse and recycle, one which, fortunately, has been embraced by the residents of Newtown.

Both locally and regionally, people are taking part in recycling, said Fred Hurley, director of public works in Newtown. “The town has kept up its percentages over the years, and the curbside recycling program, in place since the early 90s, has helped with that. It lets people who might not be able to get over to the transfer station take part in recycling.” Recycling benefits not only the environment but the town, as well, said Mr Hurley. Every ton of waste recycled saves taxpayers $40.

The town transfer station collects household glass and cans, newspapers, magazines and cardboard, and provides a drop off point for garbage. Last year, Newtowners recycled more than 4,000 tons of waste, said Mr Hurley, broken down into six categories. In 2005, residents recycled 563.74 tons of plastics and glass; 1,808.95 tons of cardboard; 1,081.74 tons of newspapers; 109.74 tons of mixed paper; 128 tons of office paper; and 396.14 tons of scrap metal.

The garbage collected at the transfer station is shipped to a waste to energy plant in Bridgeport, where it is turned into electricity, said Mr Hurley.

Returnable bottles and cans are collected on site and recycled by the parent group of the Newtown High School Band to raise funds for the band. Community and individual efforts prove that conservation is not just a word in the dictionary in Newtown.

4) Plant a tree. Earth Day was a new celebration in 1970 and introduced children and adults to the ancient concept of honoring the earth and understanding that many of the resources that make the planet livable are non-renewable resources that must be protected. The trees, soils, and oceans of the planet absorb hundreds of billions of tons of natural and manmade carbon dioxide waste every year. When these resources are depleted or diminished, optimum natural balance cannot be maintained.

A local opportunity to plant a tree is planned for the Labor Day Parade on September 4 when the “Roots For Newtown” coalition and affiliated groups will be handing out free Blue Spruce. Planting and care instructions will be provided to make an easy action even easier.

5) Switch from using incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent (cfl) bulbs. Every incandescent bulb switched over reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 150 pounds a year. Compact fluorescent bulbs require a much bigger initial outlay of money compared to traditional lighting, but cfl bulbs last seven to ten times longer, saving the consumer up to several times the purchase price each year. Full spectrum fluorescent bulbs are now available, as well as low mercury bulbs, leaving very few excuses to not make the switch.

Several local businesses carry the cfl bulb, with prices ranging from $4.99 for the equivalent of a 60 watt bulb to $15.99 to replace an incandescent 3-way bulb. By comparison, four 60-watt incandescent bulb can be purchased for under $3 and a 3-way incandescent bulb can be bought for under $5. It should be kept in mind, though, that the cfl bulbs do not need to be replaced for five or more years. Many incandescent light bulbs will find their way into the landfill in that period of time.

It might seem like a drop in the bucket, but three and a half million people in Connecticut, each dedicated to preventing just 150 pounds of carbon dioxide each from entering the atmosphere every year, does add up quickly.

The Environmental Protection Agency provides an eye-opening personal greenhouse gases calculator at yosemite.epa.gov/car/globalwarming.nsf, as does An Inconvenient Truth at climatecrisis.net.

6) Spread the word. Reduce, reuse, recycle. It is a phrase worth bringing back. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”