(1) Burning massive quantities of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) dumps millions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere and this is causing climate change;
(2) Peak oil and other energy supply problems means that energy is going to get scarcer and much more expensive in coming years. We need to use energy much more efficiently and transition to renewable energies.
1.BUY ‘GREEN’ ENERGY: Many energy companies today have an option for purchasin green energy (i.e. that is, energy produced from wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, etc, rather than from fossil fuels). Green energy will be somewhat more expensive, but if you take energy efficiency seriously you will probably be able to offset price increases by reducing consumption. Call your energy company today. If they do not offer Green Energy, change companies.2.TAKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERIOUSLY: This can take many forms, including insulating your house well; only heating or cooling the rooms you are in; using energy efficient light bulbs; turning lights off when you leave the room; turning appliances off at the wall; only boiling the water you need, etc. Many small steps make a big difference, both in terms of consumption and cost.
3.SOLAR ENERGY: If you can afford to buy solar panels and/or a solar hot water system, do so. Not only do most systems pay for themselves over a number of years, but also by investing in renewable energy you will be indirectly supporting further research and development of renewable energy systems.
4.WHEN PURCHASING AN DEVICE, CHOOSE THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT: Energy efficient appliances are usually more expensive, but again, the extra initial cost is usually offset over time by the reduced energy costs.
