Saving energy takes patience

One of Al Gore’s recent statements hits the nail on the head: “Climate change is not your fault, but it is our problem.”

We have raised the average temperature of the earth one degree Celsius — about two degrees Fahrenheit — by using fossil fuels. Doesn’t sound like much? One degree already has had far-reaching effects from the melting of the polar caps to the melting of glaciers worldwide to more extreme weather we have all seen lately.

But we are heading up one more degree by no later than 2050 and four degrees (Celsius, that is) by 2100, per a top intelligence agency, the Office of National Assessments. This is the result of greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere.

We have many things we can do together to lessen the effects. Saving energy is a top priority. When we save energy, we reduce greenhouse gases, the byproducts of using fossil fuels.

Fossil fuel energy works great and is the cheapest, but now we have to turn to non-fossil fuels for energy: wind power, solar power, even nuclear power, geothermal, and thermal solar to stop storing greenhouse gases.

When you look into all this your first and easiest, most cost effective way to go is energy efficiency. Turn the lights off, shut down any electronics not being used all the way off. I’ve been learning patience doing this. It takes two to three minutes to fire up my TV now.

Unplug stuff with clocks and lights that you don’t use all the time (except for your alarm clock.) Seal up leaks in the wintertime, get an energy audit or buy an infrared light and find your own air leaks. There are thousands of ways to reduce energy use. Raise and lower your thermostat.

It’s up to us.

Sandy Kaptain

Elgin Climate Change Organization