Green... Our Environment
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The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part
to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now
in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This
carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and holds
in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’
The reason we
exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just
enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very
narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable
air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human
beings have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the
atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and
power plants. If we don't start fixing the problem now, we’re in for
devastating changes to our environment. We will experience extreme
temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable
destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with
scientific predictions about the effects of climate change have
become more and more commonplace.
Global Warming is one of
the most serious threats facing our country and our planet today.
Scientists agree that global warming is real and caused by human
activities and many say we have only 10 years to take action before
we cause irreversible harm.
40% of the world’s resource and
energy use is linked to the construction and maintenance of
buildings, and about 33% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
come from transportation. By reducing our energy consumption at home
and at work, by building green buildings that are more energy
efficient, and by driving and demanding more fuel-efficient
vehicles, we can begin to make a difference.