From Mensagenda - July 2007

The Future: The Greenhouse Effect

by Mary Abbey

Last month I discussed a few of the changes occurring today that are more than likely due to global warming. Any time we have long-term data about a species, changes are evident. Ocean levels have risen from 10 to 24 cm in the last 100 years. That doesn’t seem very accurate, but ocean levels are notoriously difficult to measure. Island nations like Tuvalu, and coastal areas like Bangladesh, are noticing changes already and making plans. When you consider that more than 50 percent of Americans live along our coasts, rising water levels will affect our country, as well. Many areas are facing dwindling water supplies and anticipate much greater difficulties in the future. Many populations will be seriously stressed.

In addition to the consequences of global warming, we will soon be dealing with increasingly costly fossil fuels as the finite supply dwindles. What we choose to do now will affect what we have to deal with in the future.

If you can make changes that save you money in fuel costs, you will be helping the environment. When younger, I chafed against my father’s admonition to turn off lights I wasn’t using. Now I’m following his advice. I haven’t gotten to the point of turning off power strips to prevent phantom energy use of appliances, but I’m considering it. Anytime you use electricity, you are contributing greenhouse gases to our atmosphere, and you are using up fossil fuels. Here in Minnesota, about 25 percent of our electricity comes from nuclear power, 5 percent from hydropower, wood, waste, and wind, and 70 percent from fossil fuels, mainly coal. Your home should be well insulated, you should use a setback thermostat, and, if possible, install a new, highly efficient furnace and water heater. The next biggest home draw of energy is your refrigerator. If you purchase a new one, don’t use the old one. Have it recycled. New washers and dryers are also much more efficient. If you haven’t gotten on the fluorescent bandwagon yet, jump on. You are paying for the production of light, but that heat coming off your incandescent bulbs proves you’re losing money. The fewer kilowatts you use, the less you have to pay, and the less fuel the power plants have to burn.

As a society, we love the independence that personal automobiles provide. However, our propensity for bigger and bigger vehicles is creating more greenhouse gas emissions and using gasoline at a faster rate than we can afford. Ideas are changing along with the prices at the pump. Fuel-efficient cars are gaining in popularity, both smaller models and hybrids. People are moving closer to their work places. Governments are investing more money in mass transit systems. The less gasoline you burn, the less you will spend, the fewer the emissions, and the longer our oil supply will last.

Many, many solutions will be needed. Please be aware that these issues will affect us all, and we all can be involved in solving the problems caused by our dependence on fossil fuels. We are an intelligent, creative species and we must take our role of caretaker of the world seriously. Our future depends on it!