Friday, October 3, 2008

Big changes can come in small packages

A study released today suggests that Americans consumers have direct or indirect control of 65 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. To name two examples: Passenger vehicles make up 17 percent of the country's emissions, and residential homes make up another 17 percent.

While we often blame large corporations for their disinterest in the global warming problem, individuals can have a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our country by doing little things. Taking transit whenever possible, finding a co-worker to carpool with, and walking or riding a bicycle on short trips are a few simple things you can do that add up. In fact, for those of you reading whose company is one of our clients, your company offers you a number of incentives and/or benefits to encourage you to do something besides drive alone to work.

As this article points out, when gas prices shot up, Americans started driving less, which had a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions. If Americans put their mind to it, then we can have a major effect on these emissions—one person or one trip at a time.