The Environment and climate change

[idmadmin]

Hi Guys,
Just to let you know, we have moved server and our new hosting is Carbon neutral. We've done this because we believe the environment is the most important issue in the world today as it effects us all.

We want to know how climate change is affecting you, in your part of the world and what you think are the best ideas for coping with the change

IDMAdmin

[seddon69]

Well in britain there has been flooding all over the country due all the rain we have had. End of June beginning of July is wet and always has been and is jokingly referred to as the british monsoon season. Its a normal part of world weather and is the reason why america often gets a bit of a tropical storm hiatus due to the moisture from the atlantic being driven north which starves alot of the storms which move west towards america and with cold artic air coming down meeting the warm air over britain producing huge rainclouds. Now the trouble with global warming is that this increases the amount of moisture brought up from the tropics which in turn increases the amount of rainfall dumped over britain :(

[Sweetpea]

Talk about weather going haywire!!! We've had snow in Johannesburg :eek:
That is totally unheard of. The cold snap we had a few weeks ago broke 54 weather records for South Africa. All is certainly not well ...

[Sweetpea]

Talk about weather going haywire!!! We've had snow in Johannesburg :eek:
That is totally unheard of. The cold snap we had a few weeks ago broke 54 weather records for South Africa. All is certainly not well ... Thanks to IDM for being aware of the havoc humankind is creating.

[Reeeljiggy]

Our weather in the states is very unnatural too. We've got a lot of flooding in many areas, drought in others, record high temps, warm winters, just all kinds of weirdness. We also had tornados way out of season. Then last year they predicted the worst hurricane season ever, and we didn't have any that hit the mainland and did any damage to speak of. It's all just really strange. I don't know what we can do to fix it. Quit poluting, quit cutting down rain forests, quit messing things up like we do, but no one's going to do those things.

[Nion Ash]

"Do not wait for other people to change the world" people shouldn't say "they should" but rather "WE should" or "what can I do." That's the jumpstart that people need to get things done. THANK YOU IDM FOR THIS THE ENVIRONMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! It's good to know that others feel the same way as I do about this issue. I'm making a few changes to my daily life to help out. We also need to contact our congressmen to do something politically as well.

Ok so here's the strange weather on my end. A few months ago it snowed in Malibu that's very strange since over here in So. Cal. it never snows only in the mountains! Right now we're going through a drought. We only got about 2-3" of rain this year when we normally get about 14". During the winter it wasn't cold at all it was like constant spring then went into overdrive this summer!

[Colz]

Me and Reel Jiggy have been chatting about this alot. Mainly coz we've been tlking bout the weather, but I really truely believe that some countries need a wake up call and sort things out!

[seddon69]

china, america and europe need to do sumfin about it soon. then we can help out the developing countries with it

[Colz]

Yes exactly. How can they do things about it when developed countries are too stubborn and selfish to try?

[Nion Ash]

You guys are so right. We need to be the leaders in this fight. Some people here get really mad at me for wanting to change things. Is it so wrong wanting to keep the environment clean? I mean I live near L.A. and I can literally see the smog everyday :mad: ! That's just plain ridiculous when people care more about what Paris Hilton is doing than something really important.

[hopback23]

The weather here is changing every 5 seconds-oh wait, that's not unusual in Michigan! Oh well, there has been a very warm winter-it came later than usual and was shorter too, which is very strange for MI. People have their pools open even before memorial day here. There has been quite a bit of rain (here we have a body of water within 7 miles in every point so that means a lot of rain though). Still, if global warming is truly happening, like I don't think it is, it has been very beneficial to us who seem stuck in the ice age still!

[SnowShine]

I'm really glad to hear that the server is now carbon neutral, makes me incredibly happy- I know too many people who deny that there are problems with the environment. Where I live, the weather is shockingly cooler than usual for this time of year, which surprises me- we had practically no rain this winter and now the temperature is high, but low for this area. Last year was all rain and even snow, and last summer we had up to 115 at one point.

[TonythegreatsDad]

I think it is great that you were forward thinking and got a carbon nuetral server. I did not even know there was a problem with servers. YEA! IDM!!
I do know we all need to make changes. I changed all the light bulbs in my home to engergy saving bulbs.
As far as being a leader in change...as soon as the current administration leaves the White House I am sure the US eviromental policy will improve.

[Nion Ash]

Here are some tips that I picked up on a profile on myspace. I know it's long but it's worth it.

1. Switch to CFL- Replace 3 frequently used conventional light bulbs and save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year.
2. Turn it Off & Unplug- Plugged-in appliances use energy even when they're not on. Save over 1,000lbs. of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.
3. Eat Fresh, Local, Oraganic- Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce than fresh food. Eating local and organic foods reduces emissions associated with transport and production of chemicals.
4. Shorten Your Shower- Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs; shorter showers and a low-flow showerhead can save you 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide an d$250 per year.
5. Move the Dial 2 Degrees- Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter an dup two degrees in the summer. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $98 per year. Even better, instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year.
6. Go Paperless- If all Americans opt for a credit card e-statement, shop and pay bills online, and eliminate junk mail, we'll save over 100 million trees each year.
7. Drive Smart, Drive Less- Reduce your carbon footprint by 1 pound for every mile you don't drive. Regular tire/air filter maintenance, walking/biking more and carpooling can save you 1,790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and over $1,000 per year. Double your gas mileage and you cut the emissions by half. Driving a hybrid can save you 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year.
8. Buy Energy-Star- Energy-Star rated appliances meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy. Americans, with the help of ENERY STAR, saved enough energy in 2006 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars -- all while saving $14 billion on their utility bills.
9. Plant a Tree, Offset Emissions- Sometimes carbon-emitting actions can't be avoided - offset these by contributing to activities and industries which remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The average American family needs to plant 30 trees to offset the CO2 produced by ther daily enery use.
10. Spread the Word- Lead by example, and encourage family and friends to follow. Support policies that make it easier to live an emissions-free life.
11. Re-Use- Use cloth bags instead of plastic at the grocery store. Use refillable water bottles instead of purchasing a new bottled water. Shop for clothing and home furnishings at secondhand stores.
12. Get Dirty- Plant your own garden. Start your own composting system.
13. Green Your School- Establish a Green Team and make a plan - visit www.greenschools.net for ideas on how to make your school (or your child's school) greener.
14. Make Every Dollar Count- Maney talks! Be a conscious consumer and put your money towards products and compaines that are doing the right thing. For a list of companies who dedicate at least 1% of their sales to environmental causes visit 1% for the Planet www.onepercentfortheplanet.org for more information on companies and how they rate on climate change check out Climate Counts www.climatecounts.org

[Reeeljiggy]

Great tips! I"m going to print them out. Thanks for posting them!

[juicygirle506]

Nice tips! BTW, today was the concert for this awareness. It is such an important cause.

[Nion Ash]

You're welcome. I was watching some of it only the bands that I liked. It's amazing how different people from all over the world unite for a good cause.

[Joanna Ferris]

Those are really good ideas, i'll try to use them:)

I didn't go to the Live Earth concert. actually the funny thing is, most ways of getting other people to help the environment are bad for the environment. Like there's people ruining the environment to get to the concert with their cars, there's the electricity for lighting and anything else that needs electricity at environmentalist functions, and there's even us talking about the environment using up electricity on the computers:confused::confused: strange how the world works, isn't it?

[seddon69]

Your right in that there was alot of polllution generated but i suppose every person in the world needs to knw about wht they are fighting against not just the few. This was one way of doing it.

[Nion Ash]

True but I still think that it was a good idea. I mean it brought awareness to many people and it's good to know that so many people from all over the world want to fight for the environment. Knowing that we are not alone in the fight gives me hope for the future!

[seddon69]

i suppose it one of these grand idea that just wasnt really thought about well. It could have been done in such a better way that would have made it more ecologically viable. The glastonbury festival is an example where they have put alot of effort into trying to make it eco friendly with solar power and wind generated electricity and recycling almost everything. That should have been sumfin they thought about when it comes to the LIVE Earth concerts. They wernt well planned and as a result one or 2 got cancelled.

[idancer58]

Where i live there is a small drought (stage 1) and the grass is all crunchy and hard... It sucks, but when i am in Hamilton and Toronto i can see the smog it is soo creepy. :mad:

[kels]

For ppl who havent already WATCH AN INCONVIENT TRUTH!!!
It really bugs me how some ppl just think that global warming is some stupid myth and nothings going to happen if it isnt stopped!! :mad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLW2T3QgJc0
heres a clip from an inconvient truth that explains global warming in a simpsons comic
lol

Just reading this thread reminded me 2 turn off the lights that i dont need and unplug anything that isnt being used

~kels

[seddon69]

Where i live there is a small drought (stage 1) and the grass is all crunchy and hard... It sucks, but when i am in Hamilton and Toronto i can see the smog it is soo creepy. :mad:

what do you mean by stage one?

[Nion Ash]

For ppl who havent already WATCH AN INCONVIENT TRUTH!!!
It really bugs me how some ppl just think that global warming is some stupid myth and nothings going to happen if it isnt stopped!! :mad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLW2T3QgJc0
heres a clip from an inconvient truth that explains global warming in a simpsons comic
lol

Just reading this thread reminded me 2 turn off the lights that i dont need and unplug anything that isnt being used

~kels

I love that part on the documentary. I know what you mean. I say that we should look into trying to find an alternate fuel and energy source to help stop global warming and cleaning up our environment. Some people acted like I just said the dumbest thing in history. Ok let's just say that global warming doesn't exist shouldn't we at least stop burning fossil fuels since IT'S A NONRENEWABLE RESOURCE!!! Think about it it would leave us more independent and not have to fight wars or suck out the oil out of the earth. I believe that global warming is happening and I think that we need to move into the future! Wind, solar, and tidal is a good start for a cleaner source of energy :cool: .