Global Warming and CO2 Emissions Blog

In Hollywood, after the Oscars and all the parties and glitz and glamor, most "winners" will likely curl up in bed or take a vacation until the congratulatory phone calls cease. Next, I suppose they might have a spa day complete with massage, manicure and pedicure, followed by a power lunch with their agent to plan their next big move.

Maybe that's how they do it Hollywood, but somebody forgot to tell Al Gore.

Just days after An Inconvenient Truth won a couple of Oscars, Al Gore is making a move, not a movie. His move could hardly be considered "lateral" -- some might even consider it a demotion. Gore has decided to pursue the mundane business of delivery guy.

No, you won't find him racing around Manhattan atop a speeding 10-speed with courier bag in toe.

No, he has not taken a position with the Postal Service or FedEx or UPS.

On March 21st, Gore will be towing 10s or 100s of thousands of messages from YOU to Congress. So, whether you are a proponent of taking rational steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions OR if your think this whole "global warming thang" is just a hoax, you can take advantage of this free. limited time offer to have Al Gore deliver your message to congress -- no postage required.

Click here to send your message: http://algore.com/cards.html

Labels: Al Gore, carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming

GreenCars has posted its annual Greenest and Meanest list. The top scorers include:

1. Honda Civic GX
2. Toyota Prius
3. Honda Civic Hybrid
4. Nissan Altima Hybrid
5. Toyota Yaris
6. Toyota Corolla
7. Toyota Camry Hybrid
8. Honda Fit
9. Kia Rio / Rio 5
10. Hyundai Accent
11. Hyundai Elantra
12. Honda Civic

The list is topped this year not by the Toyota Prius, but by the Honda Civic GX. The GX is a new entry that uses compressed natural gas (CNG). The car is only available in California and New York. So, for the rest of us, the Prius is still the greenest way to go.

You can find GreenCars complete lists here:

Greenest Cars of 2007
Meanest Cars of 2007

Labels: carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming

According to the Cristian Science Monitor, American meat eaters are responsible for 1.5 more tons of carbon dioxide per person than vegetarians every year. Read the complete story here:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0220/p03s01-ussc.htm

Labels: carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming

The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently published Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, a review of current scientific data collected by the world's leading scientists and a discussion of that data for policy makers.

Among other things, the report states that "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level..."

Those who question whether or not this phenomenon is truly outside the scope of natural cycles or doubt that it may be anthropomorphic, may wish to consider reading the report in its entirety prior to forming any opinions.

Labels: carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming

This excerpt from NPR's story earlier today:

Compact fluorescent light bulbs save consumers money — and their use can help slow global warming. So why haven't they come into widespread use yet?

A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) is a tiny version of the long overhead lights in your office. It's twisted into a spiral. The CFL fits into the same fixtures where you use regular incandescent bulbs. The CFLs cost more, but they use about one-third of the electricity of the incandescent bulbs.

Utilities and local governments have tried giving them away to promote switching over to CFLs.

Wal-Mart hopes to more than double its sales of them in 2007.

"We are committed to selling 100 million CFL bulbs this year," said Andy Rubin, Wal-Mart vice president for sustainability.

He said one CFL should last five years, and the customer's electric bills should be 50 cents to 75 cents lower each month as a result of switching from one standard bulb to one compact fluorescent bulb.

If the nation's largest retailer were to meet its goal of selling 100 million CFL bulbs, the aggregate electric bill savings would be $3 billion, according to Rubin.

When Wal-Mart itself switched to CFLs in its ceiling-fan-lights displays, it saved $8 million a year.

"There is a real desire right now for action," Rubin said. By buying CFLs, customers know they are helping curb greenhouse gases. "Everyone can do this."

Why Use a CFL?

According to the federal government, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star approved compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), the United States would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

Energy Star is a joint project with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy that promotes energy efficient - and thus climate-friendly - products.

But not all CFLs are created equal. Here, some tips from Energy Star about what to look for and where to use a CFL:

The Benefits

- Energy Star qualified CFLs use at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer (average lifespan of a CFL is five years).

- CFLs save $30 or more in energy costs over each bulb's lifetime.

- CFLs generate 70 percent less heat, making them safer to operate.

Where to Use

- To get the most energy savings, replace bulbs where lights are on the most, such as the family and living rooms, kitchen, dining room and porch.

- Install them in hard to reach fixtures, like ceiling fans.

- Make sure the CFL matches the right fixture by reading any restrictions on the package. Some CFLs work with dimmers, others are specially made for recessed or enclosed fixtures.

Myths

- CFLs have a harsh, cold light quality. Increasingly, this is less of an issue. Over the past few years, manufacturers have worked to provide a warmer color. Some people say they still notice a difference, but the gap is narrowing. For a warmer, white light, look for a color temperature of 2,700-3,000K on the package.

- CFLs aren't for bathrooms. Not necessarily. CFLs can work in bathrooms, but humidity may shorten the bulb's life.

- CFLs can't be used in older houses. In fact, CFLs may work better than incandescent bulbs in houses with older wiring; CFLs generate less heat and draw less electrical current.

Labels: carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming

This is in from Ken Geddes, a reader in the UK:

"From here you can see the fuel mix of the electricity supplier you are using in your home, more importantly you can actually do a comparison from the home page so see just how much you can reduce your own CO2 footprint by changing electricity supplier.

The interesting thing is that you can actually reduce your CO2 footprint by changing electricity supplier but not actually having to go to a “renewable energy” supplier.

Have a look at www.fuelmix.co.uk and see what you think, its free and 100% impartial."

Labels: carbon dioxide emissions, environmental activism, global warming