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trapping gases that are so essentially in our fast-pacedmodern lives. This is called greenhouse gases (GHGs) andtheir levels are so much higher now than in the last650,000 years.The “greenhouse effect” is the warming that happenswhen certain gases in Earth's atmosphere trap heat. Thesegases let in light but keep heat from escaping, like the glasswalls of a greenhouse.Essentially, the sunlight shines onto the Earth’ssurface, where it is absorbed and then radiates back intothe atmosphere as heat. In the atmosphere, “greenhouse”gases trap some of this heat, and the rest escapes intospace. The more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere,the more heat gets trapped.Throughout the history of the planet, the level ofgreenhouse gases have fluctuated but remained fairlyconstant. It was the same for the average temperatureglobally until recently. Through the burning of fossil fuelsand other GHG emissions, humans are enhancing thegreenhouse effect and warming Earth.The consequences are critical. Global warming iscausing changes to the Earth’s climate. In the last decadeor so, weather patterns have changed drastically and as theEarth spins each day, the new heat swirls with it, pickingup moisture over the oceans, rising in some places andultimately changing the rhythms of climate that all livingthings are used to. Some areas are cool, some warm, someexperience change in amount of rain fall and snow. Theclimate is changing differently in different areas.It is a daunting task that humans today are facedwith; that is, how to slow down the warming process.Climate changes, as we know it, are already set intomotion. Here, in this part of the world, the El Nino effect ispart of the climatic changes that have occurred in ourweather patterns. Weather patterns here have gonecompletely out of sync with the mercury rising graduallyyear after year and unpredictable inclement-weatherduring dry months.Interestingly, according to the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change, eleven of the twelve hottestyears since thermometer readings became availableoccurred between 1995 and 2006.The first step you can take towards preserving theenvironment is to become an eco-minded citizen. Yourdaily habits and decisions, unknowingly, contribute toglobal warming and can affect society as a whole.Make it a habit to use environmentally-friendlyproducts in your daily lives. This shows that you arecommitted to making a change and eventually, withenough voices, this may give manufacturers ofenvironmentally unfriendly products a reason to putMother Nature first instead of their profit margins.As individuals, there are ways you can contribute tothe preservation of the environment. Buy organic stuff. Inthe United States, clothes are also made of eco-friendlyproducts i.e. organic clothes. Take your own bag when youshop. Some billions of plastic bags are manufacturedaround the world each year and an equal number isthrown away. Imagine the amount of petroleum used toproduce these items that are eventually discarded in a veryenvironmentally unfriendly manner. So the next time yougo shopping, take your own organic cotton grocery bag.You could also opt for recyclable plastics.Try not to purchase conventional toxic householdproducts instead opt for products that do not contain toxicchemicals. The latter when they find their way into ourdrains will eventually find their way into our waterwaysand can harm wildlife.When many of us were young weren’t we often toldby our parents not to leave the lights on indiscriminately?That was sound advice. Nowadays, we can opt for energysaver lights. They may cost more but they use less energyand they last for years; they also generate less heat. Byusing less energy, your electricity bill will be considerablylower. In Europe there are plans to stop production ofincandescent bulbs and only have energy saver bulbsbefore the end of the decade.Other simple things, that we can implement on adaily basis is to conserve water; turn off the tap while youbrush your teeth and while soaping in the shower.Ultimately, the best thing you can do for MotherNature is to ‘go green’ everywhere including your homeand workplace. It is not as difficult as it may appear.The United Nations General Assembly, in its efforts topreserve the environment, in 1972, established the WorldEnvironment Day which is commemorated annually on 5June. This auspicious day is celebrated in hopes of creatingan awareness of the environment through appropriatechannels and action.In the end, all said and done, whether, we want to ornot, we have to start thinking about the consequences ofangering Mother Nature. We need to ensure that byconserving the environment, we leave a lasting legacy forthe future generations.This article was written by Kavalyn Kreer, who writes lifestylearticles for publication on the web and print.60 | The Malaysian Accountant | June/August 2007 www.micpa.com.my