I applaud “Living the green life” (Home & Garden, Jan. 14), which suggests simple steps we can all take to protect the future of our planet. The steps range from planting a tree to turning the thermostat down in wintertime. Most of the steps lead to saving energy in one form or another.
The primary reason for doing this is that most of our energy comes from fossil fuels and their combustion unavoidably emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Global warming is the unfortunate result.
I wish to add a few more compelling reasons for reducing our use of fossil fuels:
– Oil drilling and coal mining destroy our natural wilderness areas.
– Burning fossil fuels produces air pollution, such as mercury, ozone and acid rain.
– Earth’s oil reserves are being rapidly exhausted. Worldwide oil production will soon decline.
– U.S. dependence on Middle East oil undermines our role in world leadership.
Our dependence on fossil fuels is clearly an addiction that we must overcome. Installing compact fluorescent light bulbs is a good first step, but we should also urge our state and federal governments to act responsibly. The time for mandating energy efficiency and promoting alternative energy sources is now. Our legislators need to know that.
