[Velika]

What else can the average person do?
Discuss what other things we can do!

Mostly vegan/vegetarian local and seasonal diet.

[Ready2Transform]

Grasshoppers here in Kansas today. Mowed my (still green) grass. Wasn't uncommon to have snow by now prior!

Just installed a more energy efficient furnace (okay, old furnace made me do it, but still...). Getting the house prepped for winter by making sure everything is properly insulated. I keep all of my appliances at the most energy efficient settings (one of the perks of living alone is no one to argue about how hot the shower should be). No vehicle. Grow food when possible in the summertime or buy from local independent gardners or local farmers via neighborhood grocer. Going to a more seasonal diet, and cutting back on meats (was vegetarian prior, and I'm strongly considering going back to that for both health and environmental reasons).

[Anjae]

Thank you, Thundarr, that was a good positive attitude.

Can I ask what the world is doing about it?

Parts of the world are doing a lot, some a bit, others not much. Some countries have stricter environmental rules and approaches than others.


Personally speaking, I don't have a car (or own a driving license), I walk or take public transportation. The household has a car, but it is rarely used.

In the house, we use water sensibly, same for electicity and have efficient appliances. We recicle (plastic, metal, paper, cardbioard, glass, batteries). In Portugal there is a recycling program and there are for those. People separate the materials home, they carry them to the bins. Clothes are handed down, and the ones no one wants or do not fit anyone are either given to charity or we put them on bins designed to collected those used goods. Same with shoes and bags.

We take used/no longer funcioning electric/electronic material to a shop that colects and recycle it. We buy very few things. And when it comes to clothes, shows and bags, we are using second hand shops more and more. We take out of date medicines to the pharmacy to be recycled and good ones that we no longer need to a parish near by, and they distribute them by those who need them.

Not sure if some of this things are possible in rural areas or in other countires.

A thing to have in mind is that a good portion of the world does not consume like Americans do, nor has houses as big as American ones.  And in Portugal houses with AC are rare. Big offices/companies have AC, private recidences not really.

Climate Change is real, Global Warming is part of it. There would be Climate Change without humans, Earth climate changes on its own, but humans are speeding up the changes at an uprecedent level. We are causing too much devastation and damage to the planet. We are also 7 billion. 7 billion need a lot of resources. It is possible to have a more sensible use of resources, but it requires that countries are on the same page.

We should be glad the ice caps are still there after 16 years.

[Sally Wood]

My carbon footprint is not very big like most regular people who don't live in giant houses or ride around in limos.

When I see the wealthy entertainers and politicians who spout off about global warming giving up their 10,000 square foot homes and vacation pads and limos and riding in Air Force One to vacation on Martha's Vineyard, then I will take them seriously.  Yeah.  That'll happen.

By recent calculations, China produces 10 Million tons of greenhouse gasses per year, the U.S. about half, then the EU and India after that.  I speculate that if we reduced our emissions to zero (which is impossible because we would have to prevent cows from farting and we would have to stop breathing outward) it wouldn't change the trajectory of China and developing countries any time soon. 

[Velika]

One fourth of China's carbon footprint is created in manufacturing products consumed abroad. Per capita China consumes less than the U.S.

China is actually leading world in producing solar, wind, and smart grid technology. Its renewable energy sector is growing faster than its nuclear and fossil fuel capacity. China invests 9 percent of its GDP in water and transit infrastructure whereas in the U.S. it is less than 3 percent.

Many parts of the world have highly connected and extensive public transit systems that simply do not exist in the U.S.

Wealthy celebrities and public figures should not be our role models in this regard. We should look to the average citizen of other nations and see where we can improve.

We can reduce methane from cows and other animals if we adopt a healthier plant based diet and avoid factory farmed meat. Greenhouse gases from livestock production account for almost 15 percent of global total, more than direct emissions from transit.

So actually there is a lot we can do in the U.S. as a nation and even as individuals in our daily, collective choices.

[Mermaid]

OK since we have moved on to climate change.

Can I ask what the world is doing about it?

Mermaid - are you making changes to your life to support this?
What else can the average person do?
Discuss what other things we can do!

Great! Positive turn!
1. A car that uses less petrol, and lower CO2 emissions.
2. Walk or use public transport whenever possible
3. Avoid buying food wrapped in plastic/packaging if possible
4. Recycling everything possible
5. Energy efficient light bulbs
6. Support Greenpeace
7. Make energy efficient choices for domestic appliances
8. Promote smart lighting and energy efficient solutions in commerce and industry
9. Turn lights off when not in a room
10. Be cautious with use of water in domestic use
11. Buy local products
12. Avoid eating red meat
13. I rarely heat a room, even in winter. We have a small heater under the table.
14. I avoid using a clothes drier, dish washer or other appliances unless essential
15. We've planted trees on our farm

There's more I'd like to do. We can never do too much.

Portugal is way ahead on renewable energy, most of Portuguese electricity comes from renewable sources.

[karmirtsaghik]

Great posts,
Actually my MLC H is a specialist in climate risk reduction and disasters, specializing also in water resources management. He would have provided a very good insight. 😀
Thundarr

Have you heard about raging fires in the South and how the existing drought is impeding their containment? These are direct impact of raising temperatures.
Velika, China also is a signatory to Paris Agreement  and is not threatenning to withdraw, nothwitstanding Trump's election. I also completely concur concerning public transit systems. After living in Europe for a while, one should trully appreeciate the public transport systems in many European countries.
It also requires that our governments support and incourage innovation, research and development.
Simple things like keeping you tires inflated saves gas/milage.

[stayed]

Thanks for the list Elegance.  I came away feeling really good about ourselves.  We meet most of those standards.  We are building a new home in the spring and plan to employ even more energy efficiency to our day to day live.  We are both avid gardeners, always have been, don't expect that to change.  We have trees, 5 and a half acres of them, hehehe... but we continue to plant more.  Thinking of planting an orchard once the house is built.  Also, will get bee hives but will have to have somebody else manage and maybe even own them, as I am rather allergic... still what they do for the environment the risk is worth it. 

I love my country home, and sadly we do have to use our cars but we do have fairly good energy efficient ones.  Will probably go electric in one, at least once we get settled.  Our lake is pristine.  No fungus's, no fertilizers being pumped into them, heck not even cow poop.  We do use a small motor but quite sparingly.   Tend to kayak and canoe more then motor boat.  We do have a couple of bad habits though, both of us love snowmobiling and ATVing... sorry! 

Great information. 

[Thundarr]

Neutral article and terrific read for both sides of political spectrum:

http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/11/16/you-are-still-crying-wolf/

[Roma]

Working at the public Library, there have been quite a number of people of all races, asking about or checking out books on becoming an American Citizen. My heart broke for them because if I was born a citizen and have fear of the upcoming Trump administration, I can just imagine what type of turmoil they are experiencing!