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Clean Energy Solutions: Ten Things You Can Do to Help Curb Climate Disruption

Responsible Choices
The choices we make and the products we buy test our commitment to maintain a healthy planet. When we burn fossil fuels -- such as oil, coal, and natural gas -- to run our cars and light our homes, we pump carbon dioxide into the air. This thickens the heat-trapping blanket that surrounds the planet, causing climate disruption.

Choosing modern technology can reduce our use of fossil fuels and help protect the planet. These ten steps will help curb climate disruption, save you money, and create a safer environment for the future.

Drive smart!
A well-tuned car with properly inflated tires burns less gasoline -- cutting pollution and saving you money at the pump. If you have two cars, drive the one with better gas mileage whenever possible. Better yet, skip the drive and take public transit, walk, or bicycle.

Buy local and organic.
Did you know the average American meal travels more than 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate? Think of all the energy wasted and pollution added to the atmosphere -- not to mention all the pesticides and chemicals used to grow most produce. So go to your local organic farmer or farmers market to get your fruits and veggies.

Support clean, renewable energy.
Renewable energy solutions, such as wind and solar power, can reduce our reliance on coal-burning power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution in the United States. Call your local utility and sign up for renewable energy. If they don't offer it, ask them why not?

Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs.
Especially those that burn the longest each day. Complact fluorescent and LED bulbs produce the same amount of light as normal bulbs, but use much less electricity and last far longer.

Home energy efficiency is good for the environment and for your wallet.
Start with caulking and weather-stripping on doorways and windows. Then adjust your thermostat and start saving. For each degree you lower your thermostat in the winter, you can cut your energy bills by three percent. Finally, ask your utility company to do a free energy audit of your home to learn how to save even more money.

Become a smart water consumer.
Install low-flow showerheads and faucets and you'll use half the water without decreasing performance. Then turn your hot water heater down to 120°F and see water heating costs go down by as much as 50 percent.

Buy energy-efficient electronics and appliances.
Replacing an old refrigerator or an air conditioner with an energy-efficient model will save you money on your electricity bill and cut pollution. Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances or visit their website at www.energystar.gov to find the most energy-efficient products.

Plant a tree, protect a forest.
Protecting forests is a big step on the road to curbing climate disruption. Trees "breathe in" carbon dioxide, but slash-and-burn farming practices, intensive livestock production, and logging have destroyed 90 percent of the native forests in the United States. You can take action in your own backyard by planting shade trees around your house. They will absorb CO2 and slash your summer air-conditioning bills.

Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
Producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70 to 90 percent of the energy and pollution, including CO2, that would result if the product came from virgin materials. Recycling a stack of newspapers only four feet high will save a good-sized tree. Please... buy recycled products!

Mount a local campaign against climate disruption.
Educate your community about how it can cut carbon pollution. Support measures at the national, state, and local level that:

• Make automobiles go farther on a gallon of gas;
• Accelerate the use of clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind;
• Increase energy efficiency and conservation; and
• Preserve forests around the world.