...that all countries will
commit to tackling climate change and that richer, developed countries will
take responsibility and cut emissions quickly. Let us pray for governments and
world leaders as they seek climate change agreements.
Day 20 - Don't eat any meat today.
See if you can cut down on
the amount of meat you eat each week. Meat production has a large carbon
footprint, with 2.2 pounds of beef producing the equivalent amount of CO2
as an average European car driving 155 miles. It takes 2500 gallons of water
and many pounds of grain to make one pound of beef for your table. It's
been estimated that if Americans were to reduce our meat consumption by 20%, it
would be the equivalent of all Americans switching from a standard sedan to a
Prius. (See "Re-Thinking the Meat Guzzler," by Mark
Bittman, New York Times, 1/27/08.) For hundreds of free vegetarian
recipes, visit http://www.bestveg.com/. Also, see Anna
Lappé's Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at
the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do about It.
Day 21 -Save paper
today.
Don't print unless you need to, and when you do, print
double-sided onto recycled paper. Use paper, tissue, toilet paper and
wood that is recycled or has been accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council. This ensures
it has come from responsibly managed sustainable forests or confirms that it is
recycled.
Day 22 - Defrost your freezer to reduce ice buildup and
maintain efficiency.
Allowing space for air to circulate will also help it run more
efficiently. Place jugs of water in your fridge to help retain cold
temperatures and scrub down the coils on the back of your fridge for higher
efficiency.
Day 23 -Reduce your use
of household cleaning products.
Also soaps, shampoos, hair care products and other items which
contain chemicals. Replace them with products which are biodegradable.
Carcinogenic chemicals in deodorants, soaps, shampoos, and body sprays persist
in the environment, build up in the food chain and return to haunt us long
after they've gone down the drain. See http://www.greenlisted.org/personal-care.htm,
www.originalmoxie.com and http://www.greenlisted.org/cleaning-products.htm
to learn about eco-friendly products.
Day 24 -Consider the carbon
impact of having a fire in your fireplace.
Think about adding a fireplace fan, insert, or high-efficiency
wood or pellet stove. Clean your chimney at least once a year. The EPA
compared emissions from real logs and five brand name artificial logs and found
that fake logs had 75 percent less emissions than real wood. They also warm
your house more efficiently since they burn longer and hotter.
Tell them what you're doing through the Carbon Fast. Urge them to
create and implement strong national and international laws to stop climate
chaos. Find out what energy saving or climate change activities are going
on in your local area by contacting local community groups such as MICAN (www.massclimateaction.org/) or
Vermont Natural Resources Council (www.vnrc.org).
