You are not helpless in the fight against global warming
Gore goes inside a Lowe's Home Improvement store outside Nashville, Tennessee, to show you the five things you can buy that will help solve the climate crisis…and save you a few bucks!
Compact fluorescent light bulbs: These energy-efficient bulbs cost less than $4 and are produced by major corporations like GE. If every household in America switched five regular light bulbs for five fluorescent bulbs, it would be the equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the highways for a full year.
Outdoor solar lighting: These yard or patio lights cost less than $20, and they don't burn any electricity or produce any CO2.
Programmable thermostats: Though these thermostats cost from $50 to $100, they can actually cut your heating and cooling costs. Set the setting so it's a little bit cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer when you're not in the house. A difference of 2 degrees can reduce a home's CO2 emissions by up to 9 percent over the course of a year.
Air filters: Changing the air filters in your heating and cooling systems regularly can knock 2 percent off of your CO2 output each year.
Electric hot water heater blanket: Hot water heaters use a lot of energy and generate a lot of CO2. A blanket costs less than $18 and can cut your home's CO2 emissions by almost 4 1/2 percent.
Gore says that when you're shopping for major home appliances, look for the Energy Star label. "This is a signal that you're getting an environmentally efficient appliance that's going to save you money at the same time," he says
Become the change you want to see in others
Kindness is a language that everyone can speak.
Even the deaf can hear it and the blind can see it.
Mother Theresa
One person can make a difference.
Why buy junk?
This year, pick up something warm and fuzzy AND unexpectd...like a sheep.
No need to feel sheepish
about this gift!
Oxfam America Unwrapped has unexpected gifts that do good – like raising these fleecy critters, allowing women to create their own income while using the wool to make local textiles.
Oxfam America Unwrapped: Unexpected gifts that do good.
For the nature lover: Plant a garden and plant the seeds for a better future. This gift helps families earn a living by planting fruits and vegetables they can sell in local markets, and puts food on their tables.
For the teacher: School supplies – rulers, notebooks, erasers, pencils, and pens mean that a child will have the necessary tools for class. Everyone involved with this gift deserves a gold star!
And don't forget the sheep. You'll know your gift is helping others, so there's no need to count sheep – you're sure to sleep well!
