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1) The US EPA Personal Emissions Calculator:

This test estimates the household greenhouse gas emissions resulting from household energy use and waste disposal and takes a good 20 minutes to complete, so get comfy and get started.

2) The Ecological Footprint Quiz:

This actually calculates the number of Planet Earth it’ll take to support you! Takes about 5 minutes.

3) An Inconvenient Truth Carbon Calculator:

The fastest of the three, but I believe the calculator is less accurate as it has less variable to work from. I changed just one parameter in the test (can’t tell you which) and it took me from way below average to close to average, which does not make sense. But overall, a very lightweight calculator nonetheless!

For a suburbanite, my impact was below average for most parts. Let us know how you fared.

Such are the questions I face daily, not from outside, but from within, and there are no good answers. Nonetheless, it would not be unwise to theorize that most people lead their lives by inherited ideologies, things that they grow up with or ones they grown onto.

As a student in upstate New York, I was sure my professional life would be dedicated to serving the common good of mankind, but years later, I am not too sure if I even came close. One thing is for sure, the time I put into thinking about what I did not do has increased, while the actual time I dedicated to doing it has shortened considerably. With my hectic schedule, the best I could do is to scribble a few lines each day.

One might ask, what then are the alternatives for the corporate types? Is activism necessarily a full-time job? Are there avenues to pursue your passion in parallel with your career? The answers are yes, no and maybe, in that order.

Yes, there are alternatives for those stuck in a office, for starters, practicing a eco-friendly lifestyle in itself is the best way to lead. Set examples at work, take initiatives which involves improvement to workplace using eco-friendly products and concepts. Recycle everything, paper, plastic, metals, electronics, whatever. Turn your light off at day and use natural light whenever possible. Avoid keeping your laptops plugged into the electrical socket when the battery is completely charged. Use less electronics, unless you have to. Print less, use PDF whenever possible. Email, instead of snail mail or fax. Ride a bus, train, or car pool. Pack your lunch, avoid the vending machine, processed food, soda etc.

No, activism is not a full0time job, it’s a lifestyle, and the rule more than often is “less is more.” Less consumption of energy and resources & less waste usually results in more savings for today and for our future.

Maybe, it all depends on what you really think is important and where you live. For those residing in the US, heres a directory of advocacy groups in America, with many focused on environmental issues. Search your phone directory or do a simple search on the internet/Wikipedia, you are bound to find a group/chapter that you may want to volunteer with.

Finally, for those that were not following this story in inner-city Los Angles, where movie star Daryl Hannah was arrested with dozens of protestors, who were trying to stop a landowner from building over a community garden. She was caught sitting on top of a tree!!! Actor…ism?

Photo Courtesy: Yahoo News & Packaginggraphics.net

 

Tags: Urban, Tips/Tools, Engineered, Activism, Engineer, Conserve, Actress

As an scientist – job growth and an insignificant percent (0.02%) of land use verses a few thousand locals losing land which they hunted on seems like a reasonable proposition. As an activist – I find this issue ethically challenged, for one, if this piece of land was set-aside as a wildlife refuge, is it fair to rezone the area only to allow large corporations to exploit the resources for profits? Also, will the growth of population that will follow economic growth, inflate the risk of the refuge being urbanized?

Oil prices are on the rise, making the decision to venture into otherwise controversial programs easy for congress, after all we crib more about gasoline prices than the loss of habitat for the polar bears. The contention here is, Are there no other method to combat the rising oil price? Is the price of gas simply an issue of supply and demand? Why are alternatives to oil not promoted instead of funding projects to find new places to acquire oil from?

In attempting to answer these questions, one must not forget that oil is non-renewable and highly polluting, so the very idea of finding more of it seem futile as compared to finding alternatives. Alternative source of energy to run our vehicles are not always new and untried, clean burning natural gas, electric cars, and hybrids are all technologies that are in place and market tested.

Then there are the more aerodynamic light weight vehicles that reduce oil consumption simply by design alteration. Of course, we should not forget that even our old El Caminos and Ford Pintos could be made environmentally friendly, just give it a tune up.

Consumption of gasoline is on the down turn, which means the user are feeling the pinch of high prices, but does not explain the supply-demand excuse, if people are using less of a commodities, it should be cheap. As to why government is proposing more oil supply verses more alternatives (especially when a region as large as ANWR is already designated as a petroleum reserve- Click on the image above), call or write to your Congressman, Senator or your House Representative.

And finally, let’s self evaluate our burden on the ecosystem and help turn the tide.

Click for HR 5429 bills: American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House).

Click for more on ANWR.

Footnote: The Alaska Inter-Tribal Council, as a statewide consortium of First Nations, which share a common bond with unique cultures, language, spirituality, and traditional values, declare our intent to proactively advocate for, protect, defend, and enhance our inherent rights, as self-determining tribal sovereigns.

Footnote: National Defense Council Foundation is a defense policy think-tank specializing in low-intensity conflict, drug wars, and energy policy as it pertains to U.S. national security. NDCF works to protect American security through media appearances, research and publications, medical and fact-finding missions, and the intern program.

Photo Courtesy: ANWR.org

The simple to do steps include changing to more energy efficient bulbs, subscribe to greener energy, saving on gasoline use and even buying Carbon Offsets.

They also have a calculator that estimates your personal pollution impact.

Source: http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=135

Footnote: Environmental Defense is dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people, including future generations. Among these rights are clean air and water, healthy and nourishing food, and a flourishing ecosystem.

Photo Courtesy: Fightglobalwarming.com