Actually, it is easy being green

I missed the chance to say "Happy Opening Day" to you all by 10 minutes. However, the last baseball game isn't finished, so I guess it kind of counts. I've waited for this day for what seems like forever, and it did not disappoint. However, Eric Gagne did.

Anyway, I've dropped by to write something I'm surprised I haven't written about yet. Most anybody that knows me knows that I am very vocal about global warming. Lately, I've been trying to reduce by carbon footprint, and I thought I'd share some ways you can help.

1. Turn off your computers while you're not using them. This is a huge problem with people our age. I admit, that up until a couple weeks ago, I didn't really think about it. It's much more convenient to leave on, but if you think about it, how many hours a day do you spend at a computer? Two? Three? Well, if you turned it off for the time you weren't using it, you'd cut down your computer's carbon emissions by 80-90 %! The away message is a catalyst to this problem. But I have two comments for that: 1) If you are not on at 1:30 at night or so, we will assume you are sleeping. You don't need to leave an away up telling us. 2) Do you really need the away message? Let's be honest, most of us use text messaging. And really, let's try picking up a phone and calling someone. Relationships have gotten so much less intimate because everyone uses a screen to relay their feelings rather than their mouths.

2. I've pounded this one into my friends' skulls. Use CFL bulbs rather than incandescent. CFL stands for carbon-fluorescent lamp. It's a fancy way of saying those spiral light bubs. A CFL bulb uses up to 75% less energy than old fashioned bulbs and can last for ten times as long. This also means saving on your energy bill, so it's as good for your wallet as it is for the environment. There are lots of reasons to not like George W. Bush, but in December 19, 2007 (a day that i celebrated, resulting in people thinking I was a geek) he actually did something right. Starting in 2012, incandescent light bulbs will start to be taken off the shelf. So basically, it makes sense for you to convert to CFL's right now! But here's the one thing about CFL's you must know. They contain mercury, so there are specific places that will dispose of them for you. DO NOT throw them away.

3. There are some very indirect ways you can help, but they have a great impact anyway. GoodSearch is a search engine powered by Yahoo that donates a penny to the organization of your choosing every time you use it. It's my home page, because it's such an easy way to help without really doing anything. Why use Google, who keeps all their profits when you could put the money towards a cause? Another way is to add the "Greenbook" application to Facebook. For every minute you spend on Facebook, CO2 offset is purchased to compensate for the amount of CO2 you've put into the atmosphere while you've been on the computer. Thus, I usually keep my Facebook up on my screen no matter what I'm doing on my computer.

There are so many other ways you can reduce your CO2 output, many of which are really obvious if we stop to think about them. I think you're smart enough to figure them out, so I'll spare you. I'll also spare you from a corny closing statement like "You can make a difference" or something of that nature. Instead, I'll leave you with a link to the new music video for "Better to Be" that Liam Finn released today. Enjoy.

"Better to Be" by Liam Finn at YouTube