The world is wracked by flash floods, fires, droughts, freak storms and mud slides. Global warming is a reality. How can we prepare for the future if we don’t address now the biggest threat our planet has ever faced? Well, each of us can make our own contribution in an effort to decrease global warming and you don’t have to be superman to do it.
In Ireland, the change in our economy has seen prosperity bring us in from the cold to the warmth of gas and oil heated homes. Where once we walked or bicycled everywhere, we now hop into the car for the two-minute drive to the shops or the school.
Gone are the days of recycling clothes as our children wear designer clothes as part of their ever-increasing wardrobe, no longer dependent on hand-me-downs from siblings or cousins. In manicured, paved and patio-perfect gardens, washing lines are becoming extinct, with tumble dryers busily airing the clothes.
If you have the time to cook a family meal, the dishwasher takes care of the dirty crockery. The results of our lifestyle speak for themselves. Ireland is now the seventh most oil-dependent economy in the world. We are the fifth-highest producer of greenhouse gases per capita. These are not statistics to be proud of.
With increasing oil shortages and gas price increases, we will soon be switching to renewable energy forms. But if solar panels, geothermal or aerothermal systems and wood pellet energy don’t mean a lot to you now, they soon will be, as they are the key to conserving the precious resources of our planet.
Oil and gas are no longer a viable long-term energy option. We will see the cost spiralling in the next few years. These systems may not sound familiar to you but with the introduction of the Government’s Greener Homes Scheme you soon will be able to tell the difference between your heat pumps and your wood chips.
Check out these technologies with Sustainable Energy Ireland, the government agency that administers the grants to find a system that suits you.
We can all play our part in our daily lives to save the planet. Though it may not seem much, everything we do regarding reducing, reusing and recycling helps in being environmentally-friendly. See what you are already doing in the list below. Here are a few tips:
In The Home
* Separate your waste that can be recycled into different bins
* Get a compost bin which can reduce the amount of waste by one third
* Try to repair items when they break down rather than replace them
* When buying appliances check the energy labels and buy ‘A’ rated appliances
* Use glass, plastic bottles and jam jars again for storage instead of cling film or tin foil
* Use resealable containers for lunch boxes
* Keep a shopping bag with you when you go shopping
* Buy products made from recycled materials
* Buy loose fruit and vegetables
* Avoid disposable products such as face wipes, kitchen towels, cameras, paper and plastic plates, cups and cutlery
* Give unwanted books, clothes, furniture, bed linen and gifts to relatives, friends or to charity shops
* Use rechargeable batteries particularly for high-use products
* Tick boxes in questionnaires to request no unsolicited mail
* Avoid over-buying, it only leads to clutter and waste
* Take a shower instead of a bath
* Use compact fluorescent light bulbs where possible, these use a fraction of the energy
* Switch off lights that are not being used
* Turn off your computer and television at night
* Don’t let frost build up in the freezer as this uses up more energy
* Don’t put warm or hot food in the fridge
* Put lids on pots and at a certain point in cooking turn off the rings to use residual heat that will continue cooking food such as rice or pasta
* Use energy-saving devices for cooking such as microwaves, slow cookers and toasters
On The Road
* Avoid using your car for short journeys
* Use one trip for shopping, school run etc
* Drive at lower speed to consume less energy and reduce pollution
* If you are waiting in the car it is more economical to turn off your engine and start again
* Keep your windows closed on journeys
* When you open your sunroof your fuel consumption increases
* Use air conditioning sparingly– using air conditioning increases fuel consumption significantly
* Keep your car regularly serviced
For more information on renewable energy visit www.sei.ie
For information on recycling visit www.dublinwaste.ie
To combat climate change in Ireland www.combatclimatechange.ie