For the health of our children and the world, fight global warming
Dear Readers:
This is my last column. The past 22 years I have focused with all of you wonderful readers on numerous issues concerning healthy teens and young adults. Now, I fervently believe the most critical factor in our kids' future is global warming.
We have a very short time to improve the outcome for our children and grandchildren -- many say at most eight years until we reach a point of no return. The exact time is uncertain but if we wait until "more is known" it will likely be too late.
Why are people ignoring this? Up until recently, the mainstream media have been extremely negligent in explaining the risks that reputable scientists have been warning about for a very long time. The serious implications for life on earth are still not getting a fraction of the attention reserved for the Anna Nicole Smiths. Some say we're in denial, putting off the unpleasant, or feeling powerless. We're all so caught up in our lives that we don't want to see the urgency of this crisis. The reasons don't matter, what matters is that if you are reading this, you care about kids and you just can't make any more excuses.
The jig is up. We've all got to get to work on this -- it won't be solved unless we do. Fortunately, unlike many issues, this is something each of us can affect:
Become informed and get inspired -- see "An Inconvenient Truth." Browse the Internet. Start with the Union of Concerned Scientists at ucsusa.org/global_warming/ . It is fascinating to learn more about the science of the earth's climate and to see how energy is interwoven throughout our lives.
Take Action -- with your families, in your home, at school, and at work. An engaging first step: Do an energy audit with your kids to see how much CO2 emissions your household generates. Click on Emissions Calculator at the Environmental Protection Agency ( epa.gov/climatechange ). Figuring out ways to reduce your carbon footprint becomes challenging and fun.
It does take perseverance and gentle reminders to develop new habits. My husband and I are still retraining ourselves to turn out all our lights (mostly CFLs) except for the room we're in and to unplug energy draining computers and appliances. It surprises me how long it's taking. I'm not Ed Begley Jr. yet, but I'm finally developing a turn-off reflex .
Next to electricity, transportation is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases -- about one-third coming mainly from cars and light trucks ( pick ups, minivans, and SUVs). Each gallon of gas you burn releases 19 pounds of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. Drilling, refining, and distributing that gallon add another 5 pounds, so burning one gallon of gas actually generates 24 pounds of greenhouse emissions and air pollution. Figure out how to decrease yours. The only people who should be driving gas guzzling SUV s are families or groups of four or more who need 4-wheel drive to cover very rough terrain. If this doesn't apply to you, please retire your SUV -- for our children's sakes. And please don't sell it to someone who will pick up where you left off -- recycle it.
What about work? Check out the photos of earth at night. Turning out most of those blazing lights will save massive amounts of energy and money. Security can be maintained and even improved by installing motion - sensing lights. Businesses can adopt numerous energy - and money - saving actions.
Don't wait for our leaders to lead us -- demand that they do. Pressure your representatives to pass legislation to incrementally reduce our heat-trapping emissions by 80 percent by 2050 with rigorous targets, and significant incentives for renewable, non-polluting energy. They need to hear an urgent and constant drumbeat from citizens that drowns out the corporate fossil fuel juggernaut. When they hear from enough of us they will respond.
This is actually an exciting time. Humankind is being challenged to do something it has yet to achieve -- we must overcome our ignorance, greed, fear, and aggression to create a sustainable way of life. Survival of our civilization is at stake. We have a good chance of saving it if each of us acts now.
Conserving and developing more sustainable systems is not boring or depriving -- it's actually engaging and innately satisfying. Questioning where things come from and how they're made helps us become deeper, holistic thinkers and will have a major impact on our children. If we truly change our ways we will not diminish or "lose" our lifestyle -- we will gain enormously. We'll lead more thoughtful and meaningful lives together. When people reflect on the highlights of a past year, they often mention a time they have slowed down and connected with family or friends, taking notice of something beautiful in nature. We can have lots more of this. Please join me! Tell me what you and your community are doing about global warming.
My mother and I have been privileged with this space for the past 46 years. I will miss hearing from you. What will I do? Work on climate change. Spend more time in my consulting practice helping people come up with creative solutions. Paint more. You can reach me at winship@logical.net . Keep the faith and keep in touch!
All the best,
PEG WINSHIP 
