save the world?

after a hellishly hot night of rolling around in bed trying not to sweat, I'VE HAD IT.


i'm gonna save the world from climate change!

are you one of the bushies who don't believe in it? well, here's the proof:

• Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.
• Most of (>50% of) the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely (confidence level >90%) due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (human) greenhouse gas concentrations.
• Hotter temperatures and rises in sea level "would continue for centuries" even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized, although the likely amount of temperature and sea level rise varies greatly depending on the fossil intensity of human activity during the next century.
• The probability that this is caused by natural climatic processes alone is less than 5%.
• World temperatures could rise by between 1.1 and 6.4°C (2.0 and 11.5°F) during the 21st century and that:
• Sea levels will probably rise by 18 to 59 cm.
• There is a confidence level >90% that there will be more frequent warm spells, heat waves and heavy rainfall.
• There is a confidence level >66% that there will be an increase in droughts, tropical cyclones and extreme high tides.
• Both past and future anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions will continue to contribute to warming and sea level rise for more than a millennium.
• Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values over the last 650,000 years.

[more or less verbatim from the wikipedia article on IPCC.]

anyway, back to saving the world. here's my little manifesto:
- switch off ALL appliances when i'm not using them or around them for 2 minutes or more. i.e. if i'm taking a shower, i turn off all the lights and fans in my room until i get back. in fact, i will also AT LEAST switch the laptop to low power mode. if not i can't bathe in peace.

- save water. i don't have the figures now, but i do know that water purification is probably a very energy intensive process. maybe i'm saving 10kWh for every 10 litres i save, which would translate into maybe 10 moles less pollutants? it's worth it to me.

- buy less. of EVERYTHING. you know what's consumption? that's eating the world away, one small piece at a time. i will not purchase anything for pure fickle pleasure until the capitalist mode of production is able to at least recycle >50% of its products. i will also try to read up on each manufacturer's history to determine if they are eco-friendly or not, and avoid products from companies who have a bad history. this INCLUDES FOOD. they are consumables.

- i will enjoy my public transport. damn, singapore is so small, public transport is barely an hour from anywhere to anywhere! AND you save the world too... what's not to enjoy man? the tv-mobile? heh... maybe.

- i will preach relentlessly about this. i know that my own efforts can barely make a dent on climate change... unless i also do my part in promoting MENTALITY CHANGE. will you change your mentality about saving the world and walk with me?

now... if anyone is free, please help me check up on the power usage ratings of the common daily household appliances... is there a way to tally how much we're saving the world? i think this is quite do-able and might actually be fun!