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Introduction
Global warming almost certainly represents humanity's biggest threat to the earths environment. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the group of scientists charged with advising the worlds governments on the problem, think in their report
'Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis' that the earths temperature is likely to rise by up to 4 degrees Celsius on 1990 levels by 2100. They predict more extreme weather world-wide, including much more flooding, and the death of forests and other ecosystems as climates change more rapidly than plants and animals can adapt.
Governments are arguing as to how levels of greenhouse gas emissions should be slowed - many scientists think cuts of at least 90% are necessary to keep climate change under control. The most important of these gases, carbon dioxide, is created by burning anything carbon-based - such fossil fuels, like oil and gas, on which the industrialised world currently relies.
Although the worlds biggest polluters are the Americans - accounting for about a quarter of all the emissions blamed for global warming - everyone in the developed world is part of the problem too. The good news is that by cleaning up your act, you can actually save money
Saving energy at home
Using less power makes you richer. You can start by turning down the thermostat, and turning off lights and equipment pointlessly on stand-by - see the governments energy-saving web-site for more ideas.
But you can also invest to save. If appropriate, better insulation or windows should save you money over time. Low energy light bulbs cost more to buy than ordinary ones, yet they last for years, produce a warmer quality of light than disposable bulbs - and best of all, they use about a fifth of the power, thus saving their extra cost.
However much you save, you will still need to buy power. Many electricity suppliers now provide a non fossil fuel option. These schemes do not require any physical change to your electricity supply, meter or appliances. Neither do they mean your power only comes from windmills: the nature of the National Grid means your supply is mixed as it was before. However, for every kilowatt of electricity you use, green electricty suppliers purchase an equivalent kilowatt from a renewable supply - often wind, hydroelectric power or landfill gas.
Another schemes use the money to invest funding research into renewable power.
Either type of scheme helps boost the growth of renewable sources of power, which are at an early stage of development and subsequently cost more per unit than sources where heavy research costs are no longer required. If the fifth of the UKs householders were willing to enter such agreements - as a Mori poll found - then this would boost renewable power enormously. This makes particular sense, as this country has enormous potential for such power - with its long coastline, the UK could get the majority of its electricity from the winds - a completely clean source of energy that will never run out, and requires only the cost of the turbines.
If you need to switch supplier to find a fossil fuel free source, or you just want the greenest possible option, then look at The Green Electricity Marketplace which lists most of them. Here all the current suppliers of green electrons in the UK are compared, with a down-to-earth assessment of which ones have the most environmental benefits.
Coal powered fossil fuel
or
renewable wind ?
The best way to travel is under your own power, on foot or by wheel - with the added benefit that you get fitter. Sustrans can tell you about the 5,000-mile
National Cycle Network, and the
Ramblers' Association has more information about walking in the UK.
When choosing how to travel further afield, shared transport is nearly always the most efficient way. Trains, coaches and shared car-trips are far more efficient than a car-trip for one person. Tickets for any train, and for National Express coaches, can be purchased conveniently online - in the case of trains, with a 1-per-journey discount.
The one exception is flying - a jet uses amounts of fossil fuel per mile comparable to each person on the plane driving the same distance in a car. If its practical, its worth avoiding flights.
For some people, driving is sometimes unavoidable - and non fossil fuel vehicles, running on electricity or bio-diesel, are hard to come by. But if you have to buy petrol or diesel, you can still make something of an ethical choice.
The two oil firms based or co-located in the UK - BP, and Anglo-Dutch group Shell - have the best records on investing in solar power and in looking towards a future Beyond Petroleum, as BP likes to put it. BP has also said it will reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 10%, between 1990 and 2010. Compared with some of the US-based oil giants, which still dispute the existence of global warming, BP and Shell should be the green drivers choice.
Soaking it up
The United Nations scientists are not sure as to what extent plant life can absorb surplus greenhouse gases - the best way to combat global warming is almost certainly to produce fewer emissions.
However, more trees can't hurt, especially if they are carefully chosen for their environment. Trees for Life is working to recreate the forests that once covered much of the Highlands of Scotland. Online payments are accepted. The charity also welcomes volunteers to help with its replanting programmes.