Climate 411

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

Yesterday, the New York Times ran a story about light bulbs. If you only read the beginning of the article, you might think it was saying that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have poor quality light. But in fact, its conclusion – after testing a wide array of bulbs – was that some are better than others.

It’s true – some are better than others. For information on CFLs and how they differ, check out our online guide, How to Pick a Better Bulb.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

When you save water, you save energy – and vice versa. Carbon calculators can give you some idea of your carbon footprint, but most don’t take into account your water usage. How much water do you use? Now you can find out.

A new Web site, H₂O Conserve, offers an H₂O Calculator. I tried it, and it said I used 479.88 gallons per day (I do?). The average American uses 1189.3 gallons of water per day, so I guess it’s not as bad as it sounds.

The site also includes a comprehensive tips section for learning how to use less water.

This post is by James Wang, Ph.D., a climate scientist at Environmental Defense.

Climate change denier and U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla) published a report just before Christmas with the headline: "Over 400 Prominent Scientists Disputed Man-Made Global Warming Claims in 2007." Does that leave you surprised and wondering? It shouldn’t. It’s a shocker of a headline, but the report itself doesn’t back up the claim.

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This post is by Eric Holst, Manager, Center for Conservation Incentives, Environmental Defense.

Everyone can do something to help stop global warming. Here’s an example…

When California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), California rice growers wanted to explore ways to lower their net emissions. But exactly how to go about doing this wasn’t clear, so Environmental Defense teamed up with the California Rice Commission to work on the challenge.

As in other sectors of agriculture, rice farms both produce greenhouse gas emissions (mainly in the form of methane) and sequester carbon in field vegetation and soils. Our two-year project, launched in October, seeks to develop precise techniques – voluntarily implemented – to reduce emissions and increase sequestration, and to quantify emission benefits.

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This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

Are you thinking about climate-related New Year’s resolutions? In addition to this list of ideas from our Web site, here are some articles we’ve posted on green living that can give you some ideas.

Your Home:

• Personal Impact: Does It Really Matter What You Do? (easy-to-do tips)
• Making the Invisible Visible (energy usage feedback devices)
• The Next Big (Light bulb) Idea (LEDs)
• Why Switch to Compact Fluorescents?
• Heating with Lightbulbs: A Bad Idea
• Food Miles: Is Local Always Better?
• Energy-Efficient Mortgages: It Pays to Go Green

Your Car:

• Turn Off Your Engine!  
• Tips for Cleaner Driving
• To Drive Less, Live Closer to Work

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an Online Writer and Editorial Manager at Environmental Defense.

As 2007 draws to a close, we also approach the end of our blog’s first year. Well, okay, it started in February, but it’s close. We’ve tried to bring you a blend of the science and policy of climate change, and be a resource for you in explaining these issues to others. How’ve we been doing? We want your feedback!

We also need your help in another quarter. The end of the year means fundraising for non-profits like ours. We rely on you to fund the important work we do.

Please donate now, and here’s wishing for a cool, green New Year for us all!