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  Up In The Air

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  What is Climate?

  The Greenhouse Effect

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  A Burning Civilization

  Solutions

arbon dioxide is thought to be responsible for 70% of global warming. Many scientists believe that the odds of catastrophic global climate change increase as carbon dioxide comes nearer to doubling the pre-industrial levels. Therefore, for the first time, nations of the world are attempting to exercise deliberate, collective foresight on a risk whose full impact is unclear and will not be felt for decades. In short, they want to act before potential consequences become inevitable.

Decreasing the burning of fossil fuels, conserving energy by making the best use of electricity, and changing to cleaner energy sources is the way to stop the rise of CO 2, as well as the way to eliminate many other pollutants from our air. Many of the ingredients of ozone, the highly corrosive, lung-damaging gas that makes SMOG, are produced by burning fossil fuels.

Clean Energy is One Answer

Globally, the use of electricity is growing. In this country, about 40% of all fuel is converted to electricity before the energy is consumed. A modern utility plant that converts natural gas instead of coal to electricity, emits much less carbon and wastes only about half of the fuel. Cleanest of all is producing electric power from no-fuel, renewable technologies like solar and wind. If wind power production were to grow about 33% annually for the next few decades until the old coal-fired power plants that produce almost 1/3rd of American carbon dioxide emissions are ready to be retired, then wind could replace coal for carbon-free electricity.

Make the best use of electricity possible in order to reduce carbon emissions. Challenge your "energy savvy" by visiting our Model Home.

Fuel transportation with electricity. This is the only major economic sector where little is used, but this is changing. Many car manufacturers are developing electric models that extract 3 times the energy per unit of fuel as current gasoline engines. Also, these cars are zero emitters of air pollutants that poison our air and ruin our health.

There are all manner of energy saving devices ready for development for the 21st century. These include photovoltaic, fuel cells, biomass fuels, fluorescent lights, insulating windows, stingy thermostats and miserly appliances. Support these and other new technologies that can help us live smarter and better.

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