The Simplest Solution To Help Stop Global Warming: A Major Fact For You To Face

It seems that each passing moment brings more facts about what some scientists say is the greatest challenge that humanity will face global warming. While no experts can really predict what will happen to the earth's atmosphere, the basic science is fairly simple: several gases are responsible for altering the way the earth's surface and atmosphere absorb heat from the sun. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) is thought to be the primary gas responsible for the current warming trend. Do you know what is responsible for the majority of carbon dioxide emissions? It's the burning of fossil fuels. While global warming is a complex issue that faces every inhabitant of planet earth, there is one simple solution that everyone can make to help stop global warming. And you don't have to do anything.

The Major Issue To Address Is Your Addiction To Your Car

That's right, you can help stop global warming by simply not driving! Do you struggle to imagine your life without owning a personal automobile? You're certainly not the only one. America's love affair with the personal automobile has a history so long that it is deeply embedded in our culture. You may see the automobile as more than a piece of technology, but as a staple of our material culture for the freedom that it ostensibly provides. Personal automobile use is a major contributor to global warming. On the bright side, you can make a big contribution to solving global warming by refraining from using your automobile. In the United States, the only sector responsible for emitting more carbon dioxide than transportation is electricity generation. While reforms to make electricity generation could take years of bureaucratic process and infrastructure development, you can take a major step to help stop global warming today by reducing your automobile use.

The Solution That Can Help You Stop Global Warming - Walk, Bike, and Use Public Transportation

The fossil fuels burned while driving are immense. If you drive 12,000 miles a year in a car that achieves an average of 20 miles per gallon, that activity is responsible for producing six tons of carbon dioxide. This number may seem meaningless, but consider that the average American home and car are responsible for 7.5 tons per capita each over the same year you can see what a tremendous impact driving has on the atmosphere. The American Public Transportation Association reports that using public transportation results in half the emissions that would be created by the same trip in a car. By walking or biking, you are choosing a method of transportation that is not responsible for any emissions and has numerous health benefits to boot.

By altering your life in this way, you can be a beacon for others who have yet to take the plunge themselves. Changing light bulbs is not an act that is visible to the public at large. Walking, biking and using public transit are public acts which make a strong statement that you are committed to help stop global warming. If others can see that you have made this change in your life, they will be inspired to do the same, creating a positive feedback loop that will catalyze grassroots reform-the key to overcoming this potentially devastating catastrophe.

The Simple Fact Is You Can Be Happier Without Owning Your Own Car If You Make Car Free Living A Major Focus In Your Life

If you are still reading, you probably take issue with the the idea of being happier without a car. But many people have kicked their habit of owning a personal vehicle and have not looked back. Your car may seem like an indispensable convenience, but it is very likely that your quality of life will improve if you're able to let go of your addiction . Take a moment to ponder the possible benefits: less time behind the wheel in traffic; a healthier body; one less major possession needing upkeep; more free time and more money. Now consider the fact that the average household in the U.S. spends 17% of its budget on owning and operating personal vehicles . Picture yourself free from that financial responsibility! You will be able to spend more money on what you enjoy or perhaps spend less time working.

As with other addictions, though, going cold turkey is not always the most effective method. Try first committing to using alternative transportation on one day a week when you would normally use your automobile. Gradually increase this as it becomes easier and work towards making more and more trips this way. As you continue to enjoy the financial benefits of making fewer car trips, consider getting rid of your car completely to realize the full money-saving potential. This may seem like a treacherous transition, but for occasional use, many people make use of car sharing. Car co-ops provide access to car for people who have given up owning a vehicle, but still want occasional access to one. Car sharing is available in hundreds of cities. If none exists in your city, consider starting a car sharing co-op or relocating to an area where you are not so dependent on your own vehicle.

Only earnest efforts to avert this possible tragedy will be effective. Giving up your car may seem like a tragic sacrifice, but it pales in comparison to the sacrifices that humanity and the earth will face should we fail to face the "elephant in the room" that is global climate change.