Saving the planet

Presenter: Good morning and welcome to the programme. Did you know that today is Earth Day? Well, in case you didn't, I'm here to tell you what you can do to save the planet. According to a new book published recently, called 51 Easy Ways to Save the Planet, each household in the USA could save as much as $2,000 on annual bill; and help the Earth at the same time. Most people seem to think that there's nothing they can do on a local level - that it's something for governments to tackle. Well, according to the authors of this book, they couldn't be more wrong. And those of you who don't live in the USA - stay with us, there's plenty you can do too!

The book focuses on conserving energy, and the authors say that if 35 percent of the US population can be persuaded to follow their suggestions, US carbon-dioxide emissions can be reduced t< the level targeted in the Kyoto Protocol, signed by a number of countries, but not the USA, in 2001.

Did you know, for example, that making a contribution to reducing the use of fossil fuels can be as simple as changing the type of light bulb you use? The new kind of bulb lasts ten times longer, uses one-fourth of the energy and produces more light per watt than tin old type. Although they initially cost more they quickly pay for themselves and will save you money in the long term.

Another way the authors suggest you can save the planet is to place your refrigerator somewhere out of the sun and away from the oven or radiator. So simple! Now, do you leave the water running when you clean your teeth? Well, many of us do and it's wasting precious resources. Apparently, if your faucet is leaky and drips every three seconds, it can waste 29 gallons or 110 litres of water a month. Scary or what? Also, if you take an eight-minute shower instead of a ten-minute one, you will save about 290 gallons, or 1,100 litres, of water a month, so start timing yourself today!

Now, do you use the remote control for your TV? Do you realise that, according to the book, one-fourth of the energy consumed each year by the TV is used when it's actually turned off? Most people don't know about this, but the only way to stop wasting energy is to unplug it, not leave it on standby.

Your car is the next target. Your car is responsible for emitting as much carbon dioxide per year as your whole house. So choose your car with care. Tuning your engine will improve its efficiency by 15 to 50% and just pumping up the tyres regularly will save you $24 in gas.

Food next. The average American eats 265 pounds, or 120 kilos, of beef per year. By reducing your intake by just one pound, or half a kilo, each week, you can save $109 over the year. Did you know that the electricity used to water, feed and package just a pound of beef is the equivalent of burning one gallon of gas in your car's engine?

Now, finally, when you go shopping, why don't you buy your groceries in bulk rather than in small sizes? This will result in annual savings of up to $293, but, of course the problem is: where to put all those bulk buys? Would you need to build an extra room, buy extra refrigerators and use more electricity, thus defeating the object of saving energy? Well, that's a question I can't answer, but I do think there are some good ideas in this book. Why don't you try some out and let me know how you get on? There'll be a prize for the best email on the subject. So, …

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29