Not without sacrifice

George Monbiot has a comment piece in the Guardian which touches on some themes that I've been trying to assemble into post for while. The piece is entitled The threat is from those who accept climate change, not those who deny it. What I have been working on is more broadly themed and whilst it includes the subject of climate change it also touches on globalisation and immigration in the West.

Monbiot makes two salient points in his article:

The battle against climate change will not be won or lost by those whose deny or attempt to refute its existence but by those who believe it is happening but refuse to adjust their lifestyle. We cannot continue to blame the Exxons and Shells if we do nothing ourselves.

The battle against climate change will not be won, despite the assurances of Bush and his legions, by technology alone and not without sacrifices, both financial and in lifestyle

Everyone on this planet is going to have to make adjustments, however minor, to stem the onset of dramatic and disastrous climactic changes, but it is those of us in the West who have go the furthest, as we have gone the furthest in inflicting the damage thus far.

The adjustments we have to make will touch on all areas of our lives. So what can we do now to impact what is happening around us? Here is a (less than complete) list of things to consider:


HABITATION:

Insulate walls, lofts and water heaters. Upgrade your windows. It will save energy and money.

Think twice about using the AC in less than extreme weather. Fans and open windows are often just as effective.

Set the thermostat down (or up in summer) a couple of degrees during the day. In the
winter turn the heat off or very low whilst sleeping.

Consider renewable energy options for water heating or energy generation. Wind for energy generation and solar for water heating and/or energy generation.

Lobby your local government for minimum standards for insulation, energy efficiency of boilers and heaters et al for new construction and for planning permission for additions to existing properties.

Press local government to demand appropriate measures for new developments: pavements / sidewalks available for all journeys, bike lanes or paths, including shops in residential developments, public transport options etc.

TRANSPORTATION:

Walk when practical. Bike as a second option.

Use public transport if you've got it and pressure you local government if you don't. Only use a car when absolutely necessary. Have an objective such as never using the car of a journey less than a mile (15 - 20 minute walk). When you throw in traffic and parking you'll probably find you don't save much time with a motor!

Car pool and / or car pool. (Despite what the HOV lane signs around US cities may
tell you a HIGH occupancy vehicle doesn't contain just one over the minimum!)

Trade in the SUV for a fuel efficient vehicle (and be aware of CO2 emission levels as well). If you need a large vehicle on occasionally (SUV or people carrier) think about hiring one only when you need it.

Think before you fly. We all like to go on holiday to new and different places but
cheap air travel is an ever increasing source of CO2 emissions. Take a train
instead if you've the option. For middle distances it's often nearly as quick
(door to door) and a much better way to travel (no airports - you can take all
the hand cream you want).

FOOD:

Buy local produce - it tastes better, is fresher and is often cheaper. Think about food miles when you shop. Do we really need Chilean asparagus in November?

Eat less meat. Meat is a terribly inefficient source of calories and protein. We grow grain to feed to animals and then eat the animals. There is an awful lot of wasted energy, largely in the form of fossil fuel, in this process. You don't have to give it up. Just think about it.

LIFESTYLE:

Don't leave TVs, computers, stereos and the like on standby. Turn them off instead. So it takes 30 seconds more when you turn the telly on. Are you in that
much of a hurry?

Use energy efficient light bulbs (they will save you money) and don't leave them on when not needed. Get motion switches for outdoor lights rather than leaving them on.

Open the garage by hand! It won't kill you. Save the door opener for February when it's -10 outside.

Look at the energy consumption before you buy that new HD plasma telly. There are
some fairly efficient options available.

Patronise local shops rather than driving all the way to the out of town mall. It's nicer to buy from people you know anyway.

So before we start blaming others we also need to take a hard look at ourselves. Once we are satisfied with our own actions we can move on.

Monbiot ends his article with the following:

"So the question which now confronts everyone - politicians, campaign groups, scientists, readers of the Guardian as well as the Economist and the Sun - is this: how much reality can you take? Do you really want to stop climate chaos, or do you just want to feel better about yourself?"

Just think about it.