MODERN TECHNOLOGY - OWES ECOLOGY - AN APOLOGY

By Jyothi Ling

...So came the wise words of philosopher Alan M. Eddison, perfectly summing up one of the biggest problems that we face today. Global warming. Ring a bell? I thought it would. In just a few years, this phrase has evolved from a far-fetched hypothesis into a real life crisis. We see the warning signs everywhere - disappearing glaciers, unpredictable weather, rising sea-levels - yet many of us still have trouble grasping the seriousness of it all. Why? Probably because we’re too busy searching for treasures to call our own to remember the natural treasure that we already possess - good, old, perseverant Mother Earth. All the harm we’ve done to her has not made her give up on us. No matter how much we trash her, trample her, tear her apart, she continues to nurture us like only a mother can. And we, like children who have not yet learned to appreciate, continue to take advantage of her providence without a show of gratitude in return. One can only wonder, why are we so incredibly selfish?

Don’t worry, be happy! Good news is on the way! With every problem comes a solution; all we have to do is find it. So, what’s the solution for global warming? Go green, of course! It’s easier than you may think - really, it is. All it takes is a little inspiration, a little determination, and a little modification.

There are many ways to make your lifestyle slightly more environmentally friendly without making drastic changes. You may even save a few bucks along the way! Now, who wouldn’t want that? Here are a few tips to get you started:

  1. Turn things off - We’ve heard this one before many times, but it’s one of the easiest, most effortless things to do. Whatever it may be - whether it’s your radio, your computer, or your car - turn it off when you’re not using it.
  2. Go Online - That’s right, take advantage of the web! Do your banking online, read your newspapers and magazines online, do your job applications online! If the net is an option, go for it! Save some trees (and some money).
  3. Buy for Life - The next time you find yourself looking for electronics, appliances and their respective accessories search for energy-efficient. Give your lamps and ceiling lights a taste of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, for instance. They use 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer.
  4. Go Local - Food probably travels longer distances than you do (2, 400 km on average). Transferring your tummy fillers from one country to another requires a lot of energy, transport, and storage. They are also shipped in controlled environments, resulting in a depletion of nutrition. So do yourself, and the environment, a favour by buying local. Your food will be fresh, your neighbourhood farmers will prosper, and you’ll help reduce air pollution.
  5. Eat Vegetarian - All you meat-lovers out there who love to tell your vegetarian friends that they’re missing out, guess what? The tables have turned. Being vegetarian (surprise, surprise) actually helps preserve the environment! Of course it’s not completely fair to expect everyone to turn vegetarian overnight, but eating even one vegetarian meal a week can do a lot more good than you may realize. Eating meat affects the climate in two ways: (1) the food that goes into cows come out as methane, a major greenhouse gas and (2) growing beef requires space, hence forests are being clear-cut to accommodate beef growing. As we all know, cutting down trees reduces the planet’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide which in turn makes the planet less healthy. Now, who’s REALLY missing out?
  6. Check Your Tire Inflation - Properly inflated tires increase fuel efficiency, tire lifespan, and your time away from the pumps. With the soaring gas prices we have today, who WOULDN’T want to avoid a refuel?
  7. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Buy recycled goods, rechargeable batteries, reusable bags, steel water bottles. Heck, you can even go as far as buying your next electronic device used! Not only will you be creating less trash, but you’ll also be saving more money AND increasing the lifespan of your products.
  8. Homemade Cleaning Products - Baking soda and water. That’s right, baking soda and water. Find yourself an empty spray bottle and fill it up with a mixture of about 4 spoon-fulls of baking soda and a quart of water and you’ve got yourself an all purpose cleaner! Cost? About the price of a Tim Hortons coffee!
  9. Donate, Donate, Donate - Got stuff you don’t want anymore? Is your car more than 15 years old? It’s time to say goodbye. Donate your old and unused stuff to a local charity - remember, your junk is another person’s jewel. As for your beloved car? Send it to Car Heaven (literally). Car Heaven is a not-for-profit program launched by the Clean Air Foundation to encourage car owners to donate their aging cars. Car Heaven will tow your car for free and safely recycle your vehicle. They will also donate all proceeds from the sale of your car’s scrap metal to a charity of your choice. What a way to make a difference!
  10. Buy Less - Probably the best way to approach global warming is to cut down on your overall consumption. Control your urges. Do you REALLY need that new pair of designer jeans? How about that new game system? Or that deliciously tempting Big Mac? If you don’t need it, don’t get it. Buy less, use less, destroy less, SAVE MORE!

These are only a few of the many ways you can get a head start on doing your part to save the world. That’s right. I said it. Save The World. This is our chance to be that swooping superhero who shows up at just the right time to fight off the bad guys and return order to chaos. There’s just one difference - we don’t need high-tech gadgets or superpowers. So, grab a cloth bag, wheel out your bike, and start saving the world!

*For further tips on becoming more environmentally friendly, visit http://green.cbc.ca/, www.thegoodhuman.com, and other related sites. There are many web pages floating around that can give you great advice on how to do your part in reducing global warming. Get your search on!* 



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