Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

What Can You Do?Reducing CO 2 Emissions• Drive a fuel-efficient car, walk, bike, carpool, anduse mass transit• Use energy-efficient windows• Use energy-efficient appliances and lights• Heavily insulate your house and seal all drafts• Reduce garbage by recycling and reuse• Insulate hot water heater• Use compact fluorescent bulbs• Plant trees to shade your house during summer• Set water heater no higher than 49°C (120°F)• Wash laundry in warm or cold water• Use low-flow shower headFigure 21-19 What can you do? Ways to reduce your annualemissions of CO 2 .Why Are Global Warming and ClimateChange Such Difficult Problems to Deal with?A Complex, Long-Term, and ControversialChallengeGlobal warming and climate change are hardto deal with because they have many causes (somepoorly understood); their effects are long-term anduneven; and there is controversy over how theyshould be addressedSeveral characteristics of global warming and climatechange pose difficult and often controversial scientific,economic, political, and ethical questions about how toaddress these threats.First, these problems have many complex and stillpoorly understood causes and effects. Second, they arelong-term problems. Elected officials who have to maketough decisions about dealing with these issues will belong gone when the beneficial or harmful effects oftheir actions occur. The long-term effects of climatechange also raise an important ethical question. Howmuch are we willing to change or sacrifice now for benefitsthat may not be realized in our lifetimes but couldgreatly benefit our children, grandchildren, and theplants and animals that we share the planet with?Third the harmful and beneficial effects of climatechange are uneven. There will be winners and losers.Develop crops thatneed less waterWaste less waterConnect wildlifereserves with corridorsMove people awayfrom low-lyingcoastal areasMove hazardous material storagetanks away from coastStockpile 1- to 5-yearsupply of key foodsProhibit new constructionon low-lying coastal areasor build houses on stiltsExpand existingwildlife reservestoward polesFigure 21-20 Solutions:ways to prepare for thepossible long-term effectsof global warming.http://biology.brookscole.com/miller14483