I have just watched Al Gore ("I used to be the next President of the USA") 's film "An Inconvenient Truth". Fantastic. I wish he had been made President instead of being tricked out of it in Florida (but there's still hope for the future when Obama wins the next election...)
This film is very moving and I hope everyone gets to see it at some point. It tells the story of Carbon Emissions and its impact on the World today and its consequences for us in the future. Try and watch this film... it is not heavy-going at all and I promise you will be shocked, inspired... and have a few laughs along the way! Don't think up excuses of why not to watch it... you should make it your duty to sit through 96 minutes of quality chat rather than watch the crap that's on TV day in day out right now.
I have always thought of myself as a "green" person... being the one who instigated
recycling in my family, I drive a very eco-friendly car and use eco-light bulbs etc... but really after watching this movie it has stimulated me to try and do a lot more... and do it a lot sooner than I had previously anticipated doing so too. These lifestyle changes are a drop in the ocean without large-scale involvement from countries like the US, China and India... but we are all obligated to do our bit as we all are leaving behind a carbon footprint with every cheap flight we go on, every unnecessary drive in the car, every product we buy and every potentially recyclable piece of rubbish we throw away.
After watching this film please urge others to watch it too. Forward them this e-mail or write one yourself. Take care and thanks for reading my rant!
Matt
Go to the film's website:
www.climatecrisis.net
Are you ready to change the way you live?
Encourage everyone you know to see this movie. Once you watch it you won't need much encouragement to do so.
Learn as much as you can about the climate crisis then put your knowledge into action.
Convince your friends and family to change.
After doing a few searches myself I have collected a few items to save you some of the bother. I've included the sites incase the hyperlinks don't work on some of your computers:
Calculate your carbon footprint now (Scotland's global footprint site) http://www.scotlandsfootprint.org/my_footprint/my_footprint.php
Find out your car's C02 per km here... (My Polo has 144g/km) http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/
The best 10 cars are here (petrol / diesel) http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/information/
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/information/how-to-use-the-data-tables.asp
Buy a hybrid car
Drive more economically with the car you have - change the way you drive! http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-to-drive-economically5.htm
Recycle (Click on my recycling site here for some quality links) http://web.mac.com/matthewstrachan/iWeb/Recycling/Welcome.html
Buy carbon neutral presents for you family this year... for a change! http://www.carbonneutral.com/shop/
Try this for your next Wedding Gift for someone http://www.carbonneutral.com/shop/details.asp?productid=952&productname=MarryMe/CarbonNeutral%2520Wedding%2520pack
Buy energy efficient appliances. http://www.nef.org.uk/energyadvice/savingenergy.htm Ask the seller how eco-friendly and efficient your product is (Do you know HD screens use 50% more energy? Wait till they are made more carbon neutrally before investing your thousand smackers on one).
Change your thermostat to reduce energy for heating and cooling
Weatherise your house, increase insulation, get an energy audit
When you can - walk or use a bike
Switch to renewable sources of energy.
http://www.est.org.uk/
Call your power company to see if they offer green energy. If they don't, ask them why not!
Ever wanted to plant a tree? Why don't you?! Click here http://www.treehelp.com/howto/howto-plant-a-tree.asp then go to B&Q!
Can't be bothered... buy it as a gift for someone here http://www.carbonneutral.com/pinfo/plant-a-tree.asp
Vote for leaders who pledge to solve this crisis
Write to your MP http://www.writetothem.com/
Speak up in your community
Call radio shows and write to newspapers
Join international efforts to stop global warming http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/default.asp
For many other links check out:
My Recycling Site:
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I signed up to join the Stop Global Warming Virtual March and I encourage you to add your voice as well. Global warming is the most urgent issue of our time and since we are all contributors to global warming pollution we must all be part of the solution. Joining the Virtual March is a first step to joining the movement to demand solutions now.
You can join by visiting: http://www.stopglobalwarming.org
StopGlobalWarming.org's mission is to use the strength of numbers to urge our government to address global warming, and urge businesses to start a new industrial revolution of clean energy that reduces our dependence on oil and helps stop global warming.
Together we can make a difference.
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