You're a Green One, Mr. Grinch

I've longed to post a blog on the enviroment, but I really wanted this to be good, so for the past few years between WoW, beer, and Family Guy, I have researched our problem with the enviroment.

Scientists say that without change in our current state, the Earth will suffer irrecovable damage to the Enviroment. Now, as I know this is a global problem and I hope people of other nations do read this blog and help change things in their communities, this blog will focus primarily on the United States because it is not only my community, but in a way a place to where the world looks to toward innovation. But we have a fatal flaw in this country to how we do business. We as a nation are a reactive bunch, we don't do anything until it's already too late. We as a nation need to become more proactive. Let me just give you an example:

If a doctor told you that if you did not change your diet, you will have diabetes. I'm sure you would follow his advice. You would not however ask how long and when it will happen.

Or if you hear a clicking noise coming from your vehicle, you would have it checked out. The mechanic tells you he needs to do a small, inexpensive adjustment and it will be fine, but if you don't your axle could bust. I'm sure you would get the adjustment.

Now, are government is asking the opposite, how long until it becomes a serious issue. That is bad for everyone. We need to be proactive. So, I have found a few nuggets of information and a few tips on how we can all become, if only a little, more green.

The Obama Administration has already offered plenty of incentives towards the American people in regards to enviromentally safe/energy efficiency products. The Cash for Clunkers program, while now defunct, was a very excellent program. Trade your old vehicle in for up $4500 toward a new fuel efficient vehicle. My only criticism is that a larger incentive should have been put more towards individuals wanting to purchase hybrid vehicles.

Also, if you add an energy saving upgrade towards your house, the government gives you a 30% tax break of up to $1500 per upgrade, but not to exceed $5000. Just think that if you install energy efficient windows, solar panels, energy saving light fixtures, and green switches, you could have $5000 taken off your taxes.

Now, speaking of enviromentally sound dwellings, the amount you save on your energy bill far more pays for the upgrades themselves. Solar panels on the roof, while a bit pricey, would pay for itself within the first two years. And you can supplement your solar panels with a rooftop wind turbine. Those two upgrades in itself help out in a lot of ways.

Now, we all know to shut off a light when not in use, but remember appliances on standby still draw electricity. Your best bet is to unplug the appliance from the socket. Now, don't be stupid and unplug your refrigerator. Remember common sense, if you can not unplug due to specific individual needs, then by all means keep it plugged in, but you can unplug your TV when not in use.

Also, now I am not one for nutrition, for those who know me, know that I can be hedonistic when it comes to my foods. However, if you buy your produce from local farmers, it saves on energy. How, you ask? When food is locally grown (organic is better for the enviroment, but regular produce is just as good) you cut down on the shipping, which means less trucks travelling to the market, which saves on gas. Plus, local money going to local farmers helps out the community as a whole.

Also, short distances can be used for walking or biking. Use a backpack when going to the store or a reusable shopping bag for your purchases to save on plastic bag consumption. And speaking of plastic consumption, you know all you people walking around with bottled water, (which I don't understand why you buy it when it falls from the clouds for free.) use one bottle and purchase a home water purification device (i.e. Brita, Pur, etc.). That would save millions of bottles ending up in landfills.

As we are the subject of plastic and landfills, recycling helps out a lot. Now, in my hometown community you have to pay extra if you wish to recycle. Which obviously means nobody around here really does it. Now, the UK on the other hand, it is mandatory to recycle and it is include in you refuse bill or tax.

Another way to help out and cutdown on landfill pollution other than recycling, is to make a compost pile or bin in your yard. Anything that is biodegradable can be thrown in the bin. Most common items would be discarded produce items such as vegetable trimmings and uneaten food.
Compost can then be used to fertilize your garden and lawn.

Just remember a little goes a long way. Now, below I'm listing a few things that we can lobby the government for and which in a sense also help out on the current economic crisis. I find that Obama can make Green Jobs like Eisenhower's Interstates.

1) Provide more incentives for energy efficiency/enviromentally sound upgrades to homeowners.
2) Education incentives for anyone willing to make the enviroment their career in terms of earth sciences or enviromental business.
3) Provide an incentive for people wishing to purchase hybrid vehicles. However, there is Bio-diesel so we can provide tax incentives to automotive manufacturers to provide more vehicles with FlexFuel fuel systems or hybrids themselves.
4) Apply tax incentives to Construction and Contracting companies to make energy efficient homes and to have energy efficiency while doing their job.
5) Design communities where everyone's excess energy is recycled throughout the community which could lead to local governments getting an incentive. Also, if their is a public works program, the city needs to see the contractors energy policies and only award city money if the company meets the standards. (Kudos to Portland, OR for doing it like that)
6) Incentives to people who wish to recycle or make it a government mandate, which would include fines for people who do not recycle.
7) Introduce a national deposit for aluminium cans and plastic bottles (some states, including mine, do have a deposit program in which we get a dime back for each can).
8) Provide an incentive to landfills in which they can siphon the methane out of the ground (which they need to do anyway or else you have an explosive landfill) and convert it to energy, which can help out the energy grid

Now, those are small things that can easily be done from the government and from the regular folks in this country. So to make a conclusion, let me use an example mentioned earlier in this post, how about we as a nation listen to our doctor because if we continue to behave this way, we will lose a foot or both. And that my friends, is not a future I want.