by margaret hillcroft

Created on: October 24, 2008

Who is the best 2008 candidate to fight global warming.

The simple answer to the question is, we all are. Each and every single one of us is the very best candidate to reduce carbon emissions, save energy and end the rampant consumerism wich now threatens our planet.

"Souldn't we leave it up to the politicians? " I hear you say. It is true that in terms of international policy, politicians do have a big role to play in setting targets, achieving goals and choosing policies but as individuals we all have tremendous power and the opportunity to create massive changes.

"How can we effect any change?" It is easy to feel like a small and unimportant entitiy when faced with such a massive. global problem. Yet isn't it always the little things that count? There are so many articles written about ways of saving energy and recycling that it is unneccessary to reel them offf here. Some of the obvious ones are common sense like use the car less, turn off lights more, buy fresh food each day so you can get rid of the freezer. These are small but essential moves which, if universally applied, will dramatically cut energy use across the world. Can you live without TV a few days a week and sacrifice some air travel each year? Give your imagination a chance to breath and you will find that through guided meditations, fantasy , music and pictures and food you can take off to anywhere in the world without ever setting foot in an airport.

Choose your political represntative with care and don't hold back! Use your person power to write and insist on energy saving, carbon reducing changes. Do we need street lights on all night? Can neighbourood schemes be set up to walk children to school instead of everyone using individual cars? Can schemes be set up to support local convenience stores so we do not need to drive to thhe supermarket so often?

Let your political representative know that you care about these issues. write to your local paper and add your voice to the growing number of people who are seriously concerened about these matters.

Learn to love re-using things you might normally throw away. There was a best seller published once called "101 Things to do with a Dead Cat"! We now need to think of a 101 things to do with an old pair of jeans or an empty jam jar! Because even though there are now recycling plants which will take these items for you, there are still transport miles and processing energy use involved. Far better if you can think of ways to recycle at home!

Our world leaders have a lot on their plates right now with credit crunches, wars, poverty and environmental catatstrophes to deal with.

Far better that we all, as individuals and communities, take the power and the responsibility for dealing with our own carbon footprints and energy use ourselves. How much time, energy, paper, travel and so forth does it cost for our governments to implement legislation because we are too lazy or irresponsible to take matters into our own hands. How much more empowered are we as individuals if we DO initiate our own changes and plan of action.

You, I and everyone else with whom we share this wonderful planet are all the best candidates to fight global warming in 2008. Lets start now!

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