Dead Canary Manifesto: Part 1

May 20th, 2006 at 09:28am Keith Hemstreet 8

What Can I Do To Help Curb Global Warming?

“So you think you can tell, heaven from hell, blue skies from pain" - Pink Floyd

If a canary falls dead in the forest from pollution and no one is around to see it, does it mean that the air we breathe is still clean? In other words, how do we convince people to take drastic steps when the ill effects of climate change are hardly visible to the naked eye? Aspen looks as beautiful as ever. The sky, the clouds, the water all appear in excellent shape…so why change?

It’s difficult to say what it will take to convince the public of the danger at hand. It’s possible that tens of thousands of dead canaries would have to fall from the sky, crashing through the windows of our SUV’s like a biblical plague of frogs to get people to take notice.

Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “The Tipping Point,” examines the power of word of mouth communication. “With the right messenger, communication can spread like a viral epidemic,” Gladwell writes. Citing Paul Revere’s famous warning, “The British are coming!” he claims that Revere was not only diligent enough to travel great distances on horseback in a single evening to spread the message, but dynamic enough of a messenger to convince citizens to take up arms in preparation of a potential attack.

Now, I am no Paul Revere. Nor do I claim to be the dynamic messenger we need to convince the population to change their wasteful polluting ways. But somewhere out there is a Paul Revere, and we can only hope that he is mounting his horse to spread the word, “Climate change is coming! Use Renewable Energy! Get rid of your SUV! Climate change is coming!”

So what can we do? Jerry Mahlman, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, claims that every human on the planet will have to reduce carbon output by 75 percent to halt the progress of global warming. Below are ways to significantly cut your CO2 emissions.

STOP DRIVING
If you live in Aspen there is no need to drive. Aspen has an excellent public transit system and everything is only a short walk or bike ride away. If you live down valley and need to commute to work, ride the bus.

BUY A HYBRID OR ETHENOL FUELED VEHICLE
If you must drive, do so in the cleanest manner possible.

BUY WIND ENERGY
Renewable Choice, a company out of Boulder, Colorado, allows you to buy wind energy credits. By calculating your average electrical usage, you can purchase enough wind energy to offset your emissions. For an average sized home, this will cost an extra $10-$20 a month. The energy you purchase will be transported from a wind farm, as opposed to a coal burning fuel plant, to the nearest electrical grid for use.

To calculate your CO2 emissions go to the Aspen Global Warming website.

INSTALL A SOLAR SYSTEM
Homeowners can significantly reduce electrical usage by installing solar panels. There are excellent tax credits available to those who purchase solar systems. In short order, the system will pay for itself.

USE ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES
When replacing dishwashers, refrigerators, blenders and other appliances look for the “Energy Star” tag. Replace traditional bulbs with florescent bulbs. Replace toilets and showerheads with brands that use less water.

REDUCE
Americans are the greatest consumers the world has ever known, and thus, the greatest producers of trash. Be conscious of product packaging and patronize companies that use environmentally conscious packaging. Buy less, a lot less. Get your clothes from a consignment shop. Use less, a lot less. Turn off lights, computers and TV’s when they aren’t in use. Take efficient, quick showers. Don’t let the water run unnecessarily while you are brushing your teeth. Be smart.

RECYCLE
For those products we simply can’t live without, make sure to recycle the contents after use. By now, this should be habit.

This is simply a start, a first step, things that you and I can do to help slow the rising waters. If we hope to save the planet, drastic measures are necessary at local, state and federal levels.

Coming Soon:
Action Plan for Aspen: The Greatest City On Earth

This is the second part of a series on global warming. To read the first posting click on ASPEN TO SPEARHEAD ENVIRONMENTAL SALVATION

Entry Filed under: Environment, Aspen, Colorado