Synopses & Reviews
Everyone talks about the weather but no one ever does anything about it. Sadly, that old joke is no longer true. A large body of increasingly compelling scientific evidence is telling us that many things we do - from the kinds of cars we drive to how we heat our homes - are directly affecting our global climate in unprecedented and alarming ways. But what can any one person do about this vast, global problem? Help fix it! And it doesn't have to be a do-it-yourself project; we citizens and stewards of the earth can unite in greater numbers and power than ever before.
In The Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair, Earth Day leader and renewable energy expert Denis Hayes tells us how changes in individual, local, and national energy choices can slow or even stop the dangerous build-up of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, while at the same time saving us money, helping the economy, creating new jobs, and enhancing human health. A how-to home improvement guide for the planet, the book:
- describes the problem of global warming today as well as its likely effects in the future
- considers the sources of energy available to us, and explains why one of them is the Earth's best hope
- offers dozens of ways to painlessly reduce your own energy use
- provides action steps to affect the world's energy use and help change policy
- tells where to go for further help and more information
The first Earth Day in 1970 helped launch the modern environmental movement. Rather than waiting for elected officials to take action to address environmental abuses, environmental maverick Denis Hayes and his compatriots took the lead in bringing the subject to the forefront of American consciousness. Through three decades, the idea of Earth Day has flourished, and now more than ever, individuals need to take matters into their own hands and create change from the ground up and from the whole earth down. As citizens and consumers, we hold a vast capacity for improving our environment and leaving a bright legacy for our children. For seasoned green veterans and environmental newcomers alike, The Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair is the must-have book for the next century.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-168) and index.
Table of Contents
Contents
Limited Warranty
Global Warnings
The Gathering Storm
Extreme Weather
Baked Alaska
Breathing Less is Not an Option
A Feverish Forecast
Refueling: Clean Energy
The Need to Refuel
Nineteenth-Century Energy: Carbon Fuels
Nuclear Power Play
Rays of Hope: Solar Energy
Turning to the Wind
Earth Friendly Fuel Cells
Biofuels
Operating Basics: Clean Living
Clean Transportation
Start Your Engines: Choosing the Best Car
The Safety Question
Urban Assault Vehicles
Electric Cars
Hybrid Cars: Today's Best Choice
Down the Road: Tomorrow's Cars
Beyond the Lonesome Driver:Transportation Alternatives
Move Closer to Work
Work Where You Live
Trains and Airplanes
Clean Homes
Shelter From the Storm:Efficient Buildings
Heating and Cooling
Clean Energy Checklist
Hot Water
Smart Lights
Chill: Refrigerators
Ways to Cook a Planet: Stoves and Ovens
Clean Plates: Dishwashers
Clean Clothes: Laundry
Power Shift
The Three Green Rs
Troubleshooting: Clean Power
America, The Skeptical
Programs, Not Promises
Ban Coal
Here Comes the Sun
Make That a Grande: CAFE Standards
Strengthen Appliance Efficiency Standards
Kyoto, or Bust
Nine Ways to Kyoto
Extended Warranty: Resources and Activism
A Brief History of Earth Day
Boycott Global Climate Coalition Companies
Elect Green Candidates
Earth Day Sponsors
The Earth Day Clean Energy Agenda
Join Earth Day Network
Support the Earth Day Foundation
Bibliography
Index