Why do you care about climate change and what are you doing to reduce your impact on the environment?

Question

Hi, my name is Cate Blanchett and I’m working with the Australian Conservation Foundation to promote Who On Earth Cares, a new campaign bringing together all who are concerned about climate change.

If you care about climate change, I urge you visit http://www.whoonearthcares.com and put yourself on the map.

I am looking forward to reading your responses.

Additional Details

For more information about the Who on Earth Cares campaign and to see me asking this question on video visit the Yahoo!7 Answers blog - http://au.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-txN._0…

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Hello! I just put myself on the map! That's cool!

My answer is I care about Climate Change because I don't want it to keep getting hotter every year! If recent weather patterns aren't enough of an indicator that we need to address this issue then I don't know what is!

Ok so what am I doing? Well we wear jumpers at home instead of turning the heater on and I hang my laundry on the line whenever I can. My husband and I also try to buy organic because the farming processes are generally better for the environment.

Bye!

Answer 2

Try to conserve energy,shut off ceiling fans when not home, raise a/c to 82 also, changed lightbulbs,try to carpool to work,recycle,

Answer 3

We should all care about climate change because this is our planet, and it's the only one we have.
At my house we recycle newspaper, plastic grocery bags, and aluminum cans. We use a clothesline, the new energy saver bulbs, and we try to save on gas as much as possible.

Answer 4

i worry much about global warming and sudden cooling... i wanna stay with nature....living its beauty and wonder...,

Answer 5

Hi Cate. It's great to see you on Answers!

Given that Sydney is buzzing with all the APEC leaders here and climate change is on the agenda, this question is really appropriate.

I care about climate change for many reasons, but I guess the biggest reason is quite selfish - I don't want my quality of life to decrease. Of course, I care about generations to come, but I am only human and self-survival is instinct.

I am an animal lover and I can see how climate change is affecting their natural habitats, especially the sea life around Australia. We have been seeing coral bleaching occuring for some time now in the Great Barrier Reef.

On a less selfish note, I actually DO care about the footprint I leave. I don't want my actions (along with others') to be responsible for the degredation of our planet. Life is reasonably easy for us, especially in Australia, so I wouldn't want to make it so difficult for others in years to come. I guess the addage "Do unto others as you would have them do unto yourself" rings true.

To reduce my impact I make little changes such as:
- turn off lights when not in the room
- drive as little as possible
- catch public transport wherever possible
- plant trees to help with soil erosion and co2 balance
- abide the water restriction rules
- shorter showers (it was a bad habit of mine!)
- re-use and if not possible recycle
- use biodegradable detergent, soap and shampoo
- minimise my meat eating
- support local fresh food suppliers

Answer 6

I care about the bad effects of climate change but the evidence that it's caused by humans is pretty weak and speculative. Average global temperature was was warmer in the year 1000 than in the year 2000. Certainly saying "I care" on some web site won't help, in fact it consumes energy to do it. But if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy I guess it's worth it.

Answer 7

Hello, i'm Nina and I'm 15 years old, i care about climate change because this is my only home and i don't want people to trash and pollute it for the rest of us to live in. I want everyone to treat it well, and love it as i do. To reduce my impact i recycle EVERYTHING! i also only buy food products that are healthy and made in the u.s, and that are recyclable. I also tell my peers at school to recycle and not waste water and paper and hope to encourage them to influence others to also. I CARE BECAUSE I LOVE THE OCEAN!!! :)

Source(s):

my momma, she helps me w/ everything.

Answer 8

I care about climate change as you see everyday the hardships it creates. Consider for example the length of the drought in Australia, the severity of hurricanes in the US, the melting of the polar ice caps and as a restult the rising of the oceans. Obviouly the earth is struggling against the changes humans are imposing on it.
I care about climate change because I believe the earth needs to maintain a happy balance in order to support all life on earth.

Personally I know I am not doing enough. What I do is I:

Turn appliances off at the power point
Have bought water saving appliances
I have a good quailty pool blanket (pool was already installed at the house)
I have quick showers
I drive a low emission car
I drive as little as possible
I make use of thermal mass in the home to minimise heating and cooling
Utilise cross breezes rather than turning on a fan
I put on extra clothes if I am cold rather than a heater

When we build our house I want to;

Have a design that has solar eaves, blocking sun in summer, letting it in in winter.
Have solar panels (hotwater and more)
Use large amounts in thermal mass where it will be hit by the sun (eg tiles or polished concrete)
Have good cross ventilation in the home
If heating is needed then it will be natural gas
Have a grey water system
Have large water tanks connected to the house
Use lighter coloured materials (I live in Perth, better in summer for sol air temperature)
Consider orientation of the house so nature does the heating and cooling
Build in reverse brick veneer (the best for thermal comfort in a Perth climate)
Have minimal glazing (weak point in heat/cold transfer)
Have drought resistant plants in the garden.

And if they bring them to Australia I will buy the ZAP X.

http://www.zapworld.com/electric-vehicle…

I should also mention that doing all these things will help the environment, but will also help my bank account as the majority (after initial set up) are cost free. I like the idea of helping the environment and having no utility bills.

Answer 9

Well, I care about the environment as a whole, not just climate change. I was raised with the belief that people should take care of the earth. It seems to me though, that climate change has been a catalyst to get people involved with the environmental movement. However, I have also seen some people take it a little too far, exaggerating facts and ultimately turning many people - intelligent people who realized that some things didn't add up - off of the movement. I think we need to get back to what is important and be good stewards of the earth, whether we believe that people are contributing to climate change or not.

What am I doing to reduce my impact on the environment? I think the biggest thing I am doing is living a vegan lifestyle. Factory farming of livestock IS one of the main pollutants that exists today. If everyone would cut back their meat consumption to just once per week, we could make huge strides for the environment. I also do other things, like walk and take public transportation as often as I can. The city I live in helps with that, since traffic can be a nitemare. We also have wonderful public transportation here, as well as great bikepaths and walkways.

I do realize I could be doing a lot more. I could not drive at all, for one, but I happen to love road trips and camping so I opted for the most efficient car that fits my needs and budget. I think that there comes a point when one needs to factor in quality of life. It doesn't make much sense to deny oneself the experience of life for the sake of making such a small impact. Our individual lifestyle efforts in the way of saving gas, electricity, water, etc are dwarfed by the pollution that comes from companies, especially the overseas factories cropping up in China - factories that make cheap goods for OUR consumption. This is why I think buying American made goods is very important for the future of the environment. China has now surpassed the US in harmful emissions because while we have become more and more environmentally friendly here, we have been shipping our polluting factories over to China.

So, in summary, I believe that the things we buy make more of an impact than what we do in our daily lives. By not supporting industries like factory farming and pollution-heavy overseas production we are making a huge step in turing things around.

Answer 10

Browse through this list of simple solutions designed to save energy and reduce carbon emissions for the planet, and at the same time save you money.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: 10 Tips to Save Energy (and Money) in Your Home
A whopping 46 percent of home energy use is, umm, energy loss! In other words, no productive energy use at all! Here are simple ways of reversing this, mostly by changes of habit. Thanks to climatecrisis.net and The Home Energy Diet (New Society Publishers, 2005), for many of the carbon savings figures.
1. Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent of heating costs, while each degree you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves 3-4 percent of cooling costs. By changing the temperature by two degrees all year you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 a year.

2. Cook with a slow cooker or a toaster oven (or even a solar oven!) to reduce electrical use from kitchen appliances. For a meal that requires 1 hour to cook in an electric oven, and which uses 2.7 pounds of C02, a crockpot uses 0.9 pounds of C02 for seven hours, a toaster oven takes 1.3 pounds of C02 for 50 minutes, and a microwave only 0.5 pounds of C02 for 15 minutes of cooking. A solar cooker requires NO C02!

3. Switch to a laptop instead of using a desktop computer and cut three-quarters off your electrical use. Turn off the laptop at the end of the day.

4. Switch to cold water washing and save 80 percent on energy used for laundry and save an estimated $60 a year. Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and save 700 pounds of C02 a year.

5. Plug anything that can be powered by a remote control or that has a power cube transformer (little black box) into a power strip, and turn it off, and/or unplug, when not in use. (Power cubes are 60-80 percent inefficient.)

6. Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them and reduce your direct lighting energy use by 45 percent. Stop using heat-producing halogen lamps (they can also be fire hazards). Install occupancy or motion sensors on outdoor lights.

7. Switch to compact fluorescent from regular incandescent bulbs and use 60 percent less energy per bulb and save 300 pounds of C02 a year.

8. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket and save 1,000 pounds of C02 a year. Insulate your hot water pipes.

9. Use public transportation whenever possible, carpool, shop locally, and ideally switch to a hybrid or energy-efficient car (if you haven’t already).

10. Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by three percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.


For many more ideas go to Care2.com.
Heres the link for the rest of this article...
PEACE
GG

Source(s):

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-simp…

Answer 11

Climate change is not about now it's about what the world will be like for future generations after the current one has done with it. If the Government is really sincere about our impact on the climate then they need to be more pro-active by subsidising solar power to all households making it virtually free to convert. Improve public transport by making it safe, convenient and a pleasure to use. Likewise industry needs to be held more accountable for the waste created from the products they produce. As a father of two I'm concerned about what the world will be like for my children's children ad infinitum

Answer 12

There are many reasons I care about climate change but by far the biggest reason is that I have a 2 year old daughter and I care that she will be able to live in this world in peace and safety and this will simply not be the case if the planets climate goes out of control.
I will look at the site you have posted.
BTW. Just saw the trailer for your new Elizabeth film Golden Age. Looks fantastic! I cannot wait to see it!

Answer 13

I want life to be so damn easy i can relax forever so if you stop pumping out all that stuff i can sit back and relax without becoming totally roasted!!!!!!!!

Answer 14

I care, because climate change does not only affect us individually, but for us and the many generations to come. We can reduce the terrible effect of climatic change if we take extra care of our forests and to use energy-saving appliances etc.

Here are some important basic examples that will help:
-use public transportation whenever possible
-save water
-use energy saving appliances
-use fluorescent light bulbs
-reduce the use of electricity
-recycle, recycle, recycle (sounds like an exercise!)
-raise awareness, especially to young kids- so that they will understand the importance at a young age

:)

Answer 15

I care about climate change because I should. As human beings it's our responsibility to take care of our planet... nobody else will.
Even people on a tight budget such as myself can help the earth. I am a Greenpeace rainbow warrior - I donate to them monthly. It's not expensive and it's tax deductible.
We don't own a car - that's less pollution for the planet and more money for us.
We also use energy saving appliances and light bulbs and earth friendly everyday products.

Answer 16

Here is why I care-
These are just a few of the problems climate change could cause for you:
Higher summer temperatures and more sunshine can lead to breathing problems, skin cancers and cataracts.
Warmer winters will allow bacteria to survive and thrive, leading to more disease.
10,000 more cases of food poisoning every year.
Diseases which are now rare in Australia - such as malaria - could become common within 50 years.
More rain and damp weather may lead to more pneumonia and other lung diseases.
More flooding is likely to lead to more water-borne diseases.
Climate change is not something which will only affect other people. It will affect all of us. It will affect yo
My tips to reduce climate change.
Recycle – I recycle everything I can . Utilize curbside services if you have them, or seek out the nearest recycling center. It’s worth every ounce of effort it takes.
Buy Recycled. Complete the circle. Choose recycled copy paper, napkins and other paper products and even computer disks. There are many home décor products made from recycled material that are both functional and beautiful.
When possible, choose items in glass jars/containers. Glass is one of the few items that can be recycled over and over again.
End the siege of junk mail in your mailbox. Go to www.newdream.org/junkmail/ to download a form that you simply fill out, sign and mail (addresses are provided). This will remove your name from the majority of mailing lists. You will be amazed at the amount of trash you won’t have. Call the companies that you do want catalogs or mailings from and tell them NOT to sell, trade or give away your name. Usually they comply.
Walk or bike when possible. You’ve heard this time and time again and we’ll say it again. It’s better for the environment and for your health.
Take advantage of automating your salary deposits. Just think of all the lunch hours you’ll have free! On the same note, utilize online services to pay bills such as utilities and car payments – even your mortgage. It will save you time, energy and postage. Plus, your payments won’t be late.
Buy organic. Organic products are typically 30% more than conventional products and many products, such as bread, eggs, produce and even some dairy items, are right in line with their conventional counterparts. AND – scientific research proves that organic foods taste better and that they contain higher nutritional values.
Support local farmers. You’ll get fresher, higher quality foods at fantastic prices. Check out www.csa.org and enter your state to find a participating farm in your city. For a set price, you’ll get a box delivered to your home every week during growing season. It’s a great way to support small, local farms, ensure fresh produce and reduce pollution by excessive transportation.
Opt for organic gardening measures when it comes to fertilizing and pest control. Buy or make a compost bin and explore the amazing world of beneficial insects for pest control. It’s better for the environment, your health (no nasty chemicals) and its’ fun! Check out www.greenfire.com for a great choice of organic alternative gardening products.
Properly dispose of hazardous material. Call your city hall and ask for the date of the next hazardous material drop off. They’re free and usually are sprinkled throughout the year in various areas of your community. You don’t even get out of your car. You simply bring them all of your left over paints, chemicals, oil, old smoke alarms (yes, they have radiation in them) and they will remove them from your car and ensure that they are disposed of properly. To make it even easier, coordinate with your neighbors and take turns collecting and dropping off the items.
Here’s a bright idea (couldn’t resist that). As your existing light bulbs burn out, replace with compact fluorescent. They are highly energy efficient and last an average of 8000 hours. The amount of time, energy and resources they save is enormous.

Answer 17

I am the first person in my suburb to sign up for that Caring campaign!

Why do I care about Climate Change?
Because someone has to... because we all have to, because together is the only way we can make a difference.

What am I doing?
Encouraging my friends, riding my bike, spending half an hour every morning trying to get my kitchen tap to stop dripping! Shorter showers, recycling whenever I can, making an effort at work as well as at home to be environmentally friendly. Stopping smokers in the street and asking them to pick up the butt they just threw on the ground. (People don't like that! But it's more embarassing for them to have someone point out how DISGUSTING they are.)
Nice to see you.

Answer 18

let me put it nice and simple, earth temperature rises, ice caps and glaciers melt away and all non captive polar bears die. pretty sad how human greed of economic success can force the rest of the world to collapse. everyone here should watch Al Gore's an inconvenient truth, astounding, very scary. i just submitted an assignment for sustainable development at uni, whew i could go on forever here haha. I'm gonna get one of those extreme cyclists bikes and use that to get to uni instead of going by bus, I'll eventually save money too an added bonus. Hey Cate, could i ask you to send me an email every now and then to keep me up to date with all the rallies and events and other stuff? I really want to get into all of this stuff! if yeh have time email me at [e-mail] well have fun saving the world without me!.... for now

Answer 19

Hi Cate, Guess this becomes another argument that can be resolved if more people would listen. First off, Our Govt. should be doing more to promote it. I know the State Govt's are but the Federal Govt seems reluctant to be involved. Just a little incentive is required on the part of our Leaders. I have bought a smaller car and installed new power saving globes in my home. I use Off Peak power as much as possible. Please keep up the good work. Purple Buggy, get your self a descent spell checker

Answer 20

Hi Cate, I think you are wonderful - We have installed sun lights to the ceilings and 2 huge rainwater tanks with one connected to the washing machine, we have a goat to do our lawns instead of a lawn mower, tore out all of our plants that suck up too much water and only rely on the rain to water our lawns. We walk everywhere and only use the car once every few weeks for the shopping. Plus we have low energy light bulbs, solar lights outside for night time light and a combustion heater that we use sparingly but when we do we use newspaper brickettes (instead of just throwing them out). We also use recycled paper when we can (including toilet paper). We grow our own vegetables and use the peelings to feed the goat and use his droppings in our compost heap to fertilize the garden! As for 1 person not making a difference, thats rubbish - it only takes 1 PERSON to start a movement and another and another - some people think ignorance is bliss!

Answer 21

Of course I care about climate change! I have two young sons and I feel it's partly my responsibility to contribute to a better world for them to grow up in.
I don't own a tumble drier, I hang all of the washing outside. The water heater only goes on when it's needed, and that basically amounts two a couple of hours a night for washing up and bathtimes. Everything that can be is recycled. I don't have a car, we either walk or take public transport everyday. We even do little things that don't make a huge impact, but could do potentially if more people did the same. Things like buying energy efficient lightbulbs, rechargeable batteries, only boiling enough water for whatever you need, that kind of thing.
As I said at the beginning, I have two young children who are going to eventually going to head out into the big wide world, and I, along with every other parent, owe it to them to make sure they have a great world to go out into.

Answer 22

I care because the earth is a self contained spinning ball of gas liquid and solid and i like living here and will all spin together.

Cause and effect is all around us common sense tells us to think about our consumption rate based against the earths resources as it's self contained even the invisible stuff needs to be taken into account like the very air we all breath.

But in the consumer world we can transport oil by vast pipelines but we can not transport fresh drinking water to places that need it. Humanity's need to consume out weighs the need to conserve which is a pretty big mistake in anyones logic

I recycle all that i can and purchase items with less packaging, switching off electrical appliances and much more, after all every little bit helps

Answer 23

It is the Duty of each and every person on this earth to recycle ,conserve and protect our planet,our home.
Every individual can make a difference and small changes in our lifestyles can create big changes to the world not just for ourselves but for all our future families and friends.

I would love to help in any further ways.
CHANGE THE WORLD WHILST WE STILL HAVE ONE.

We need a UK WHOINTHEWORLDCARES SITE!

Answer 24

I have young family of three boys, all i would hope will endeavour to have children of their own in the future, i would like the world to be a green and pleasant place for them and their children's children to live in as it is at present. we have responded by recycling all our garden waste to compost including waste food , our house has been insulated and windows replaced, our walls cave been cavity filled to ensure minimal heat loss, paper, tins,glass etc all recycled. our next project is the gas boiler and solar panels to run external items like the pond pump and pir lighting. this all comes at a cost, some of which can be off set with grants. lets hope we can turn around the damage we have done to this wonderful place we call home.

Answer 25

I care A LOT about the effect that humanity is having on the environment. As a Wiccan (Witch), I do everything I can to reduce the impact that I make.
I cycle 5 miles a day, to and from work, 5 times a week. I don't own a car. I recycle everything that I can and compost everything that can be.
I no longer leave electrical items on standby and switch off the lights in the rooms in my house that are empty. I take my holidays in the UK, so I don't go jetting off all over the world.
I have a water butt that I use to water the garden with.
I like to think that I am making a difference to the environment in a positive way. I can only hope that I am.

Answer 26

I care about climate change because, in the year 2022 the peak of the solar maximum, the sun will have entered a dimmer period, and cause the climate to turn very cold. Not generating CO2 will be the last thing on the mind of humanity.

http://www.physorg.com/news66581392.html

Answer 27

i feel the love here!

lots of kool aid flowin' too. good times.

i care about my kids, so i help them.

i bought my oldest a motorcycle and a go-kart.
that way he'll learn to drive big american V8 RWD cars and dirt bikes like his dad!

this global warming stuff is a lie, and you should be ashamed for continuing it.

for 40 years, the experts have not had ONE prediction come true!

NOT ONE!

famine
mass death
shifting of food production regions
climate change
overpopulation
global cooling
mass starvation
massive glaciers
uninhabitable places on earth
running out of fossil fuel

all this was supposed to happen by the year 2000, and if man didn't stop using fossil fuels.

now these SAME "experts" want us to "believe" global warming because it's "real".

Answer 28

I have a very long list of the things that I do to save the earth. I care. Your website is cute (catchy title) but I can't get the zip or area to work nor did I see a list of areas there to choose from. I can't see your video as I have dial-up.

Answer 29

why should i care? China doesnt, the us government doesnt and the uk government rant and rave but do nothing. In my opinion it is an easy way to take peoples minds off the war. Our governments take over countries, kill 1000s all for power and money, then have the cheek to make me feel bad if i leave a light on or boil too much water. MAKES ME SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 30

Read George Monbiot's 'Heat' - it will have a lot of suggestions.

I am doing my bit by walking to work, not supporting nuclear power and not having children.

Answer 31

I care about climate change as it is something that affects us all. We really need to learn to be more in harmony with our mother earth. Some things I am doing to reduce my own impact on the environment are as follows:
I have changed my household bulbs to energy saver ones
I always do my washing on a fast economy wash
I recycle everything possible, from clothes to plastic bottles
I have a compost bin for fruit & veg scraps, cardboard etc
I cycle into town whenever possible rather than use the car
I grow many of my own organic vegetables
I use eco friendly household products when possible such as recycled, bio-degradable bin bags
I use my own reusable bag for shopping rather than the plastic supermarket ones.

I think most of our climate change is due to industry, but every little helps. I do what I can in my own small way, & I encourage others to do the same.