9 Simple Actions After Earth Hour

So you pledged support to Earth Hour. On March 28, you voted Earth by switching off your lights for one hour starting from 8.30pm. You joined billions of people around the globe in a noble fight against global warming, resulting in a saving of tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Splendid!


While you are patting yourself on the back, you might want to ask: what next? No, it is still too early to plan your next trip to Paris during Earth Hour 2010 to witness the lights turning off at Eiffel Tower. The question for you is: What can you do to reduce your carbon footprint and prevent climate change, post Earth Hour?

There are many different answers to this question. And you can find all sorts of suggestions from the internet, such as stopglobalwarming.org. Now, I'm not going to reiterate all of those actions you can find elsewhere here. You do not have to spend a huge sum upfront to upgrade your gas-guzzling SUV to a plug-in hybrid like Toyota Prius or an all-electric Tesla Roadster. Nor forgo that getaway trip to Maldives because air travels account for a huge percent of global warming. Start small. I'll enlist 9 simple steps so easy to implement that they are no-brainers.


1. Something about the lights

Turn off the lights when they are not being used. I have encountered many instances where friends would leave the lights on when they leave a room for a short period of time. If you could flick your light switch during Earth Hour, there is no reason you can't do the same thing on your way out of the room next time.

2. Phantom electronics

In standby mode, your electrical appliances will still consume a small amount of electricity known as vampire power or phantom load. Although the wasted standby power is relatively small, the sum of this from all such devices becomes substantial. So unplug all your electronics, such as televisions and stereos.

3. Your PC needs rest too

A lot of people will leave their computer turns on while they are not using it. This is a waste of energy, and it will eventually burn a hole in your pocket. Shut it down. Or put it in sleep mode.

4. Water will become a precious commodity

Fresh and clean water will be scarce in the future. Conserve water, and you will save the planet. Take shorter shower and install low-flow showerhead. Using less water also means less energy to heat the water. And you guess it, do use the water heater if the water isn't too cold.

5. Trees are your best allies

Trees suck up CO², reducing green house gases. Besides, trees provide shade for your home from the hot sun. Plant more trees.

6. Blow your tires

Your may not have the means to purchase a hybrid vehicle. But you still can improve your fuel efficiency by making sure the tires on your car are adequately inflated. Check and inflate your tires regularly.

7. Incandescent isn't cool

Incandescent light bulbs are less energy efficient compared to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Though CFLs and LEDs cost more, you will save more in the long run as they last longer. Replace any incandescent with CFLs and LEDs.

8. Meat kills the environment

We all know eating excessive meat is hazardous for our health. Truth is the same practice will cause harm to the environment too. Every year, millions acres of forest are destroyed to make way for farmland to grow crops that are used to feed livestock, such as cattle, hog and poultry. In U.S., about 48 percent of corn production is for animal feed. It is highly inefficient to feed crops to livestock instead of eating the crops ourselves, as energy is lost at every levels as we move across the food chain, i.e. it takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of meat. Besides, the billions of farmed animals produce enormous amounts of methane, which is 20 times more powerful than CO² in retaining heat in the atmosphere. Reduce your meat consumption, or go vegan.

9. Ditch that plastic bag

Reduce waste by saying 'no' to plastic bags. Bring your own cloth bags or any other reusable shopping bags next time you visit the mall.


Closing thoughts

I have been a bit skeptical about the effectiveness of Earth Hour in fighting global warming. There were too many media coverage about cities and monuments around the globe going dark, with little press releases on how we can reduce our carbon footprint. As a result, many people don't realize Earth Hour is more of a symbolic event. Earth Hour is not about switching off your lights for one hour, saving power and money. How much energy would be saved in one hour, out of 365 days in a year anyway. The goal of Earth Hour is to instill awareness about global warming. An apprehension about the dire consequences of global warming and the urgent need to take action.

In fact, a lot more actions need to be done to save the Earth. Sacrifices will be made. Political wills shall be tested. But rest assured, with a little more effort, we can give our future generations a greener planet to live on.