From FB status updates and tweets in Twitterverse, many seem to share similar sentiments about the rather punishing and unpredictable weather we’ve been having in Southeast Asia. It’s either super hot or we keep getting unusually heavy rain that suddenly stops with the sun beating down to make things super humid.
I’ve been sleeping without the air-conditioning in KL for a year now and I’ve been doing so in SG until recently. Now without the air-con cooling the room till 2-3am, its almost impossible for me to get to sleep with the sheets usually getting damp making it even more difficult to sleep comfortably.
That all this is a result of global warming is rather obvious and I wonder if there’s anything that we as a region can do to reverse things.
In TIME’s article in 2007 about “Why Asia is ignoring global warming?”, it shared that faced with getting out of poverty through the cutting of trees, adding of cars + factories and worrying about carbon emissions, the choice was obvious for developing countries and their people.
Global Warming: Early Signs shares this:
Rapid population growth and development in countries like China and India will put additional pressures on natural ecosystems and will lead to a rapid rise in the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere unless steps are taken to curtail emissions.
REUTERS has a recent article in April 2009 entitled “Global warming threatens economic chaos in SE Asia” warning that if nothing is done globally to fight climate change, Southeast Asia could suffer a decline in rice output potential of about 50 percent on average by 2100 against 1990 levels.
We are all suffering as is evident from the crazy weather many of us have been complaining about.
I believe any effort made is a step towards reversing global warming so here’s my effort at raising awareness and encouraging people I can reach out to to do something too.
Many of us have participated in Earth Hour. Here are some more things we can do on a regular basis:
Since I’m a vegetarian I’ll start with this as it was partly responsible for my decision to stop eating meat.
Choose food thoughtfully. Raising meat contributes more global warming emissions than raising crops. Cutting back on meat even once a week can make a difference.
Other tips:
1. Switch to green power
2. Seal and insulate duct system
3. Drive a fuel-efficient car
4. Replace an old hot water heater
5. Control heating temperatures
6. Choose an energy-efficient central air conditioner
7. Reduce driving speed and drive evenly
8. Control your hot water heater temperature
9. Tune up and maintain your car
10. Put your computer to sleep
11. Replace 5 regular bulbs with compact fluorescents
12. Carpool or telecommute to work
13. Control air conditioning temperatures
14. Choose an energy-efficient washing machine
15. Combine errands or ride your bike instead of driving
16. Pump up your tires
17. Choose an energy-efficient room air conditioner
18. Choose an energy-efficient refrigerator
Full article here: http://www.greenerchoices.org/globalwarmingsavecarbon.cfm
For more solutions:
PDF of 10 Things To Do: http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/pdf/10things.pdf
http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/
http://www.fightglobalwarming.com/page.cfm?tagID=135
http://www.globalwarmingsolutions.org/category/personal-action
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