Whether any of us want to admit it or not, it is in our collective best interest to be kind to the environment. Although it may seem overwhelming to think of changing the world yourself, it's amazing how much difference a couple of minor changes will make.



I was like many people; I didn't think there was much point in changing many of my habits, because how much can one person help? I stopped using aerosol hairspray, I let my mother take my recycling, and I spent evenings following my family through the house, turning off lights. I knew that these things didn't add up to much, but I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it, really. My major contribution to the world in recent months has been to exchange every light bulb in the house that I could to the energy-saving variety. My real reason was to avoid constantly changing light bulbs; I didn't consider that it helped the environment.
Then I discovered this great website, www.terrapass.com. On the homepage, you are given many user-friendly options: how it works, how to calculate your emissions both for the home and car, and how to reduce emissions.

THE HOUSE

I decided to check what kind of emissions my house produced. The questionnaire asked how much my last electric and gas bills were (this was one month). I cringed, because we had our highest electric bill ever in August, when our average temperature outside was 102 degrees.

The frowning cartoon girl who popped up on the results screen confirmed my trepidation. We stood accused of producing 60,316 pounds of carbon dioxide per year the same as 3,083 gallons of gasoline! I was mortified and ready to prove her wrong, so I went back and entered my bill averages for the entire year (much lower, and more comprehensive, I knew).

This time I got a semi-smile. The refigured number was 50,254 pounds of carbon dioxide (2,569 gallons of gasoline). I had no idea how high Missouri's average was compared to other states (see averages, end of article).

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

Luckily, there was a sidebar listing things a person could do to reduce emissions without expending too much effort. The first was buying Energy Star products, (identified by a sticker) which reduced emissions, for our house, by an average of 1809 pounds of CO2. We have an Energy Star washer and water heater one point for us.

The second recommendation was to wash clothes in cold water rather than warm. Vindication was mine, as I had been doing that for years, to the chagrin of my mother. I was right for once, not to mention another 1509 pounds lighter.

I continued along to the third tip, replacing five regular light bulbs with compact fluorescents. I was three for three! Save for one room with can lighting, I had switched out all of our light bulbs. My family doesn't like the delay when flipping the switch, but that's a small price to pay in exchange for shedding 1495 pounds.

Upon reading the last suggestion, keeping lights in unused rooms turned off, I believed I was saving the world. If I had to be honest, though, sometimes I would be in another room and not realize that lights were blazing throughout the house. I always find the toaster and electric can opener plugged in when not in use. Our ceiling fans run nonstop. To fully commit to this, I had to have the help of my family, but how often do children listen to their parents, and how many parents enforce the rules? I knew I could dole out increasingly severe punishments for each offense, but that might create resentment. I would also need my husband's cooperation to present a united front.

WHAT DO YOU DRIVE?

Another obvious offender, also covered by Terrapass, is the automobile.

My car, a six-year-old Dodge Neon that I drive about 10,000 miles per year, rated a smile from Muppet girl, but my statistics were still 6,984 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If my little car is doing that to the environment, what about the average SUV? What about the Hummer?

After a quick check, I pulled up that the Hummer uses 13,421 pounds of CO2 per year. Not great, and other SUVs all rated in the same area.

It seems so simple: why aren't all the automakers developing more cars that run on alternate sources of fuel? Why aren't they researching hybrid after hybrid? How could we still be so dependent on oil?

I don't know the answer to those questions; it's frustrating that not even one
American automaker is taking a public, firm stance on the matter. It could be a huge moneymaker, because people are tired of the uncertainty of the oil industry. People are prepared to make a change.

What do you drive? Maybe a large SUV? Ask yourself why you need it. Do you have a large family? Do you bus people around? Do you coach sports that involve lots of equipment? Be honest with yourself. Think of future generations, and what they will inherit. The time to act is now.

If you aren't able to find a hybrid (they are pretty scarce in a lot of areas), then at least try a more economical car. Do your homework. Research! Consumer Reports is a great, unbiased, straightforward publication that thoroughly tests cars, trucks, and SUVs, right down to the true gas mileage, not what it says on the sticker. They have a great deal of honest information, and it's easy to access, either on their website for a nominal fee or by subscribing to their magazine. Remember the formula: little changes equal big results.

Granted, I know that it's not easy to go buy a new car. With bills to pay, insurance costs skyrocketing and raises on the endangered list, staying ahead is already difficult. If that's the case, just remember the formula. Plugged-in appliances use energy whether they're being used or not. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator and save energy while getting exercise in the bargain. Turn off lights, televisions, or radios when you leave a room. If recycling is too much of a hassle, but you know someone else who does it, give them your stuff. No matter how minor your contribution, it's helping. If someone sees you doing it and wants to emulate you, so much the better!

The more mindful you are of ways to help, the easier it will be. Turning off the sink when you brush your teeth, or the shower while you shave, are other energy- (and water-) savers. It will probably take awhile to adjust to your new routine, but your planet will thank you.

OUR FUTURE

There is a way to get through to our children. It is well-documented that children's brains absorb and retain information faster and more easily than do adult brains. If we could somehow mandate an environmental awareness course in our public schools, we could reach new generations, instilling values that will remain with them. If we do this while they're young, they will be far more likely to follow the basic rules -- even if it's just turning off a light or television when they leave a room -- for the rest of their lives.

If, for example, teachers distributed charts listing assorted carbon dioxide emitters, followed by columns labeled with the number of each in the house and how many were kept on in a typical day and night, the class could then start charting their own homes. When they start noting these things, they start becoming more aware of their own actions and possibly correcting them. After all, future generations are the ones that will really pay for our mistakes. The time to teach them is now.

It's not just the responsibility of the teachers, though. If you have any younger person in your life, any child who observes you, consider it your duty to lead by example. The problem extends beyond our homes, though.
Annual home emission averages (CO2 gallons) in four states: New York, Missouri, Texas and California.

o New York: 18,137
o Missouri: 40,777
o Texas: 24,872
o California: 12,659

CO2 emissions for four randomly-chosen 2005 models (automatic transmissions).

o Ford Escape: 11,445
o Toyota Prius: 4,226
o Honda Civic: 6,260
o Chevrolet Venture: 10,428

Check YOUR numbers at . Once you're done leave your score in the comments section below, we'd love to hear from you.