What can I do to Help Global Warming?

Global warming is the steady increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface and ocean waters. There are several things that you can do to help global warming. Most of them can be easily incorporated into daily life without significant change.

Research suggests that global warming is caused by excess greenhouse gases that are trapped in the atmosphere. These gases absorb infrared radiation in the atmosphere and are necessary to create the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (C02), ozone (O3), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Having too many of them in the atmosphere will cause harmful changes to the Earth.

Excess greenhouse gas can be generated by a number of different things. The main cause is human activities. Heating a home with oil and using electricity that is generated from a coal fired plant are two things that release excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Doing something as simple as driving a vehicle powered with gasoline has an effect on global warming.

To help global warming, you can start by changing your lights. Replace the incandescent bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs. This type of light bulb uses 75 percent less energy and lasts up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs.

Change the way you shower. Showers account for more than half of the energy used in your home to heat water. Installing a low flow shower head and taking shorter showers can help you prevent the release of excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which will help global warming.

Lower the thermostat. Try turning the thermostat in your home up by two degrees during the summer and down two degrees in the winter. This will not only help global warming, it will also help to lower the cost of your energy bill.

Start carpooling to work. Riding to work with friends or co-workers is a great way to help global warming. The amount of carbon dioxide released from just one vehicle is minimal when compared to each person driving separately.

Make sure your car is properly maintained. Check your tires each month and ensure that they are properly inflated. Also check the air filter in your vehicle on a regular basis, replacing it when needed. Doing these two things to your vehicle will help you to have better gas mileage, which means less carbon dioxide.

These are only a few of the things that you can do to help global warming. Choosing only one will help you to cause less harm to the atmosphere. It may also save you money.