Tips on Helping the Environment

Global Warming Skeptic Beliefs:

• The rise in temperature over the last decade is completely natural
• Anthropogenic climate change, climate change caused by humans, is "unproven".
• The United Nations Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change -- consisting of the world's 2,500 best climatologists -- was "fixed."

Types of Pollution

• Air
• Water
• Soil
• Noise
• Radioactive
• Thermal
• Light
• Visual
• Personal

Today's Global Warming Effects:

• The average earth temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880
• Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910.
• Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss.
• Humans have caused all or most of the current planetary warming, which is called anthropogenic climate change, and are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants can absorb.
• These gases stay in the atmosphere for years, meaning that even if these emissions were eliminated today, it would not immediately stop global warming.

• Global warming could lead to large-scale food and water shortages and have catastrophic effects on wildlife.

• Sea level could rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 to 59 centimeters) by century's end, while rises of just 4 inches (10 centimeters) could flood many South Seas islands and swamp large parts of Southeast Asia.
• More than a million species face extinction from disappearing habitat, changing ecosystems, and acidifying oceans.

EPA

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was designed to "protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment -- air, water and land -- upon which life depends." The EPA regulates every environmental law written by Congress. The EPA ensures that "all Americans are protected from significant risks to human health and the environment where they live, learn and work." If you want to learn more about the EPA, you can log onto www.epa.gov or contact the California division. The telephone numbers are (415) 947-8000 and (866) EPA-WEST (866-372-9378) and the mailing address is 75 Hawthorne Street

San Francisco, CA 94105.

Here are some easy tips that will lessen the amount of waste in the environment and increase the weight of your wallet:

• Bring a reusable shopping bag when going to the super market.
• Recycle all papers, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles. (if you are unsure about a recyclable object go to http://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/yes.shtml)
• Ride your bicycle or walk as much as possible; if you cannot, try to carpool.
• Use reusable silverware.
• Unplug all chargers when not in use.
• Buy energy efficient items (i.e. lights, computers, televisions, and fuel efficient cars).
• Turn off the all electronics before leaving the room.
• Buy recycled products (http://www.eco-artware.com/)
• Before buying a product, think about what kind of effect it will have on the environment.

Steffi Demonstrates the Above Tips