Going Green Is Not Rocket Science

Even at this day and age when climate change is an accepted fact in the scientific community and the world at large, resistance seems to prevail. Climate change has been continuously declared the most serious challenge mankind is facing, surpassing the likes of the current financial meltdown and global terrorism. Possible consequences include drastic rise of sea levels, massive flooding, increased turbulence in climate and temperatures (look at hurricane Katrina or El Niño), and increased famine due to soil erosion and spreading of deserts, just to name a few. We are talking major threats directly related to climate change, yet there is still great reluctance towards ecological sustainability, or going green.

Climate change is not even the only threat linked to pollution, emissions and exploiting natural resources beyond their ability to reproduce. Things that some people take for granted such as clean water, arable soil, and a functioning ecosystem are all being threatened by the ever-increasing population of this planet. Take a look at China, where the great rivers Yangtze, Pearl river and the Yellow river, once known as the source of life, are becoming so toxic that they in fact poison the land surrounding them. And that is supposed to be the land that feeds the nation.Overfishing of species such as tuna may prove disastrous to marine life, let alone humans with the already growing food prices.

With such dire consequences for excessively damaging the environment, why is it that so relatively little is done to prevent such damage? Why does, say, the current financial crisis get so much attention in the form of direct subsidies, regulations and legislation but not the environmental one? While most people acknowledge that the examples mentioned above are frightening indeed, they still lack the concreteness of the current financial turmoil. The effects of environmental damage are very hard for the average individual to grasp due to their relatively slow nature. However, with hurricane Katrina and the melting of the polar ice caps for example it has been made painstakingly clear that the damage done to environment not only causes economic damage, but also casualties.

Probably the most common misconception, when discussing ecological sustainability and environmental protection, is that it is extremely expensive and takes a lot of effort. The fact however is, going green is not rocket science. Not by a long shot. Many of the most environmental actions can be taken by the average Joe at any time. For instance, not many people realize that the bulk of energy consumption in the world comes from housing and construction that's related to it (estimates vary, at least 40% in most countries).

So what is it in housing that causes so much energy consumption? Warming and cooling would be one. There's lighting. Then you have refrigerators, ovens and other necessary appliances. And of course there is a plethora of random gadgets such as the computer, TV, radio, cell phone charger, vacuum cleaner and so on. Not to mention office buildings full of computers, printers, copy machines etc. Construction of housing requires a whole lot of energy too.

Massive energy savings can be achieved through concentrating on just the examples mentioned above. Turn off the computer when you don't use it. Same with TV, radio etc. Plug off the cell phone charger when you're done charging. Don't have the lights on when it's sunny outside; open the curtains instead. Remember to turn the lights off when you leave the room. Don't print everything you get in your email, and if you absolutely need to print something, print it two-sided. When buying appliances, buy energy-efficient ones. Use renewable energy. These are just some very simple measures anyone can do. Also, when building and designing housing and office buildings, keep energy efficiency in mind: keep natural lighting in mind, have proper insulation etc. A study conducted by World Business Council for Sustainable Development asserts that building sustainably increases building costs by merely 5%; a sum, which very quickly pays itself back through energy savings.

I've only covered housing above. There are tons of other measures to reduce your personal energy consumption without compromising your quality of living, such as switching to biking or public transportation when commuting to work, or getting a fuel-efficient car. One thing almost all of these simple steps I've mentioned have one important thing in common: they actually save money! If going green means less money spent, why not do it? The savings may not kick in immediately, but they will in the long run.

It is important to remember that while the simplest of measures mean a lot to the environment, they are still only the first ones. After those steps are taken, it is time to consider other, more time- and resource consuming affairs such as infrastructure or energy grids. Regardless, the first steps can be taken by anyone at any time, and there is no reason not to take them.