Climate Change Education:
Educate Your Clients and Yourself
In Your Home
Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
- Think about ways to reduce use of unnecessary products – an example is bringing a cloth bag to the supermarket instead of having groceries bagged in paper or plastic.
- Reuse products whenever you can – pack lunches in reusable containers instead of in paper and plastic bags, use a steel thermos for your homemade beverages or tap water.
- Use recycled paper – producing new paper, glass, and metal products from recycled materials saves 70 to 90 percent of the energy and pollution, including CO2, that would result if the product came from virgin materials. Recycling a stack of newspapers only four feet high will save a good-sized tree.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Compact fluorescents produce the same amount of light as normal bulbs, but use about a quarter of the electricity and last ten times longer. In addition to making the air cleaner and curbing greenhouse gases, you save money on electricity bills and the cost of replacement bulbs. Look for the Energy Star label.
Save energy at home.
- Turn off lights when you leave an empty room.
- Set computers to use existing features to automatically shift to lower power states or to turn off after extended periods of inactivity.
- Caulk and weather-strip doorways and windows.
- Adjust your thermostat – for each degree lower on your thermostat in the winter, energy bills are cut by 3 percent.
- Close windows when the heat or air conditioner is on.
- Ask your utility company to do a free energy audit of your home.
- Run your dishwasher only when it is full. These steps help the environment and save you money.
Save water
- Installing low-flow showerheads and faucets will save water without decreasing performance.
- Turning down the hot water heater to 120°F will result in hot water costs going down as much as 50%. This has the added benefit of being a safer temperature to prevent accidental hot water burns, especially in infants and young children.
Buy energy-efficient electronics and appliances.
- Replacing an old refrigerator or an air conditioner with an energy-efficient model will save you money on your electricity bill and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances or visit the Energy Star website to find the most energy-efficient products.
Outdoors
- Walk and bike more – these activities have health benefits too.
- Plant greenery - planting trees and other greenery around the house will absorb carbon dioxide, and shade trees can decrease summer air-conditioning bills.
Smart driving
- To burn less gasoline, make sure your car stays well-tuned and has properly inflated tires.
- Turn the engine off when waiting in line longer than one minute – for example, you can get out and talk to other parents waiting for school dismissal.
- If you need a new car, consider buying an energy-efficient hybrid.
- Carpool or take public transportation whenever you can.
On vacation
- Remember your energy saving habits even when you are away from home.
- Many hotels offer the option of not having sheets and towels changed every day.
Get Your Kids Involved
- Our children are the ones who will inherit the planet. Teach your kids about global climate change (and let them teach you!). Get the whole family involved.
- The Great Green Web Game
An interactive web gave developed by the Union of Concerned Scientists, is based on an analysis of the environmental impact of consumer decisions. Air pollution, water pollution, destruction of natural habitats, and global warming are the main forms of environmental damage caused by consumer-related activities today. The Great Green Web Game shows how you can reduce this damage through effective consumer choices. - The Big Green Help
Nickelodeon launched the Big Green Help to engage kids in simple activities to protect the Earth. The Big Green Help includes an interactive website with information, games and activities for young children.
Source: Shea, K.M. & Balk, S. J. (2007). Climate Change and Children’s Health: What Health Professionals Need to Know and What We Can Do About It. GGHC, H2E and CHE Webinar Series, presented November 16, 2007. Retreived October 10, 2008 from http://cf.h2e-online.org/teleconferences/ConferenceDetails.cfm?Date=2007-11-16&teleconfid=375.
