10 Ways You Can Make A Difference

Can one person slow global warming? Sure! You and your family can take steps to cut the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. Here are 10 tips to help you save the planet.


1. Wear hand-me-downs. Every item of clothing you own has an impact on the environment. Wearing your brother's, sister's or dad's old T-shirt means you avoid consuming all the energy used in producing and shipping a new one.

2. Change your lightbulbs. Replace regular bulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs, which save energy. And don't forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room!

3. Ride the bus. Almost 90% of all trips in the U.S. are by car. Public transportation saves an estimated 1.4 billion gallons of gas annually.

4. Say no to plastic bags. The next time your parents go to the market, help them pack the groceries in reusable cloth bags. Every year, more than 500 billion plastic bags are distributed, and fewer than 3% are recycled.

5. Open a window. Instead of running the air conditioner, let some fresh air in. Set the thermostat higher in the summer and lower in the winter.

6. Rake the leaves. A gas-powered leaf blower is an energy guzzler. Make fall cleanup a family activity.

7. Take a cool shower. Reduce your use of energy-hogging hot water.

8. Plant trees, especially in tropical forests, which play a crucial role in cooling the planet. One tree can absorb up to a ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

9. Shut off your computer. A screen saver is not an energy saver. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75% of all the electricity consumed in the home is standby power used to keep electronic equipment running when it is not in use.

10. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Look at making small changes in your daily life. Recycle cans, paper and glass. Avoid disposable objects like paper plates, cups and towels. Some 900 million trees are cut down each year to make pulp and paper. That number can be reduced if people buy recycled paper.