If I ever doubted, which I really never did, that global warming was a real phenomenon and a real problem, today has erased that doubt for ever. Tom and I just took down the Christmas lights from outside the house. We did this in jeans and light cotton shirts. It is 65 degrees with partly sunny skies. That would be a pleasant early spring day in northern California. However, it is an absolutely absurd day in New Hampshire in the dead of winter, in the middle of January!!!
To date, according to my count, we have had exactly one winter day. There has been one inch and 1/2 of snow and one day when the temperature was in the teens. Some of the locals are thrilled. They are tired of years of slipping and sliding, shoveling and skimming in and of the snow. Yet, most of the locals, and now count myself among this group since I have lived here for more than a year, are sick hearted that there is no snow on the ground, that you can't skiing or go ice skating, and that the snow is not piled up on the evergreens.
You can't argue with the fact that warm weather is easier to live with and it is cheaper than either heating in an extreme winter or cooling in an extreme summer. But, that not with standing, pleasant spring days, in January, in New Hampshire is just not right! It's global warming and it requires action. I hope that I can get myself into action, but I am so set in my creature comfort ways. I am interested to know what other people have and are doing to reduce their footprints on the planet. I am looking forward to reading your belief and ideas
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Thermal curtains! Passive and active solar design! Compact fluorescents! Cold boxes and warming drawers! Bicycle-powered blenders!
Need green advice? Look no further than your hippie children in Arcata, CA!
Seriously, though, checkout the CCAT website. Scroll down to the TOPICS section in the lefthand sidebar. There's a whole list of articles on reducing your footprint.
You know, I just looked at our weather forecast, and it looks like your winter weather stalled on the west coast! It's supposed to dip into the 20s this week and it's supposed to rain at the same time. Doesn't that usually mean snow?
I'm not sure if your being sarcastic or serious about the global warming bit. Either way here in California we seem to be having an ice age.
Climates are funny, and so is our perspective. I'm just glad I haven't heard the phrase El Nino used recently!
I'm being serious through the use of sarcasm. Yesterday, Tim, Donna, Tom and I went to the beach in January on the coast of Maine!! It was 55 degrees. We didn't have gloves, hats or scarves, just regular coats. It was beautiful and we had a wonderful time. However, all we could say over and over again was "this is so bizarre!"
You may not be hearing the term El Nino on the West coast, but they're using it alot on the east coast.
I actually watched a special on why the weather is so wacky this winter. It was 72 in New York on Saturday and everyone says its because of global warming, but actually there have been two other times that it reached 72 in New York on Jan 6th, first time recorded was 1930 and second was 1956. This by all recent accounts is before global warming started. So although it is not the norm and rare, it has happened. So they are trying to research if El Nino is a common occurence that has long cycles. They are not denying that global warming is still effecting all of us, but at the same time is this something we just have not seen before recorded weather history.
I also read a report about the fact that we are so overfishing our oceans that if the same percentage of fish dying off continues, we will have NO fish left at all by 2055. I think that is much scarier than global warming.
I don't know what I have done to help erase my footprints, have to think on that one. My daughter did give me a bad time because she "thought" my hairspray had CFCs in them...she was wrong.
I actually watched a special on why the weather is so wacky this winter. It was 72 in New York on Saturday and everyone says its because of global warming, but actually there have been two other times that it reached 72 in New York on Jan 6th, first time recorded was 1930 and second was 1956. This by all recent accounts is before global warming started. So although it is not the norm and rare, it has happened. So they are trying to research if El Nino is a common occurence that has long cycles. They are not denying that global warming is still effecting all of us, but at the same time is this something we just have not seen before recorded weather history.
I also read a report about the fact that we are so overfishing our oceans that if the same percentage of fish dying off continues, we will have NO fish left at all by 2055. I think that is much scarier than global warming.
I don't know what I have done to help erase my footprints, have to think on that one. My daughter did give me a bad time because she "thought" my hairspray had CFCs in them...she was wrong.
While I might not jump on the global warming train yet, I certainly agree we all could do more to consume less energy. Especially with all the power troubles we have in California. Apparently the upsurge in computer usage in the last twenty years caused a drain that no one had predicted. I remember reading that San Jose was going to deploy several gigantic solar arrays to try and compensate for all the additional power they consumed.
In the end I don't see how moderate conservation could hurt anything, and it certainly helps my pocketbook.
That's actually one of the best arguments for conservation, Kludge; it's a great way to save money. The more you save now (ecologically and economically), the more comfortable, and secure, your future will be.
I never thought about the computer usage before, DUH!!
Silcon Valley, of course...
Of all the tips I have heard about conserving, I already do, so now what?
I would recommend seeing the DVD that can be rented called the "Inconvenient Truth" produced and narrated by Al Gore. It was very different than I had anticipated. It is an eye opener. Also, PBS or some of the science stations on cable/satellite TV air a 2 hour special that Tom Brokaw did called "What you need to know about Global Warming". It is also very informative.
The last two things Tom and I have initiated is getting tote bags to carry groceries home from the store. We tried this several years ago and never got in the habit. This time we keep the tote bags in both vehicles, so we can't use the excuse that we forgot and end up using the plastic or paper. We are also putting most produce in one plastic bag and let the checker take out each item, scan it and replace back in the same plastic (one) bag. We cut out about 10 plastic bags this last trip to the store, Lastly, we bought plastic sandwich tubs and have stopped using sandwich zip lock bags. It's not much, but its one more thing I can do.
Mellisa, Jackie and Ryan are a great source of info.
Just to let you know, winter has returned!!! It was 16 degrees this AM and never got above 26 degrees. All we need now is snow. It should be coming the middle of next week. I will send pictures.
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