Burt Rutan - Is Climate Change caused by Mankind?

[Cynette]

Originally Posted by EricH

I saw one issue right away with the plan: How are you going to figure out the amount of carbon being emitted by each person (factory/family/whatever your measuring unit is)? I know there are ways, but it's going to be difficult to implement them without protest.

As an Environmental Engineer, I'm always confounded by the apparent futility of these discussions. I feel very strongly that we should all just take a look at our activities and make a consious decision to reduce our impact on the environment. You don't have to go wild, you don't have to be a major tree-hugger, just make little choices every day.

Two suggestions for today:
1. Unplug chargers (think cell phones and iPods) when not in use. Only 5% of the power drawn by a cell phone charger is used to charge the phone. The other 95% is wasted when it is left plugged into the wall.

2. Cut down on new wrapping paper. Wrap 6 of your holiday gifts in reused material like newspaper. By wrapping 6 gifts with found materials, you will reduce CO2 emissions by a total of 2 lbs and save a few dollars too!

Why bother about a couple of watts or 2 lbs of CO2? Because your watts and my watts will add up! And it's an attitude thing. If you do a few little things, you start looking for more little things and then bigger things. Those can add up. And then no matter the social-political-scientific mumbo-jumble, you'll be part of the solution.