It seems today is October 15th. That, in itself, isn’t surprising. That it turns out to be “Blog Action Day” is, at least to me. The topic of discussion today is ‘Climate Change,’ something we should all be concerned with.
Living in Hawaii I guess we have a special relationship with the environment many places do not have. We live on islands and any change to the climate that raises or lowers sea levels is of immediate concern. We aren’t in the dire straits some places are, but it will be a major concern if levels keep rising.
So what do I do?
Well I ride a bike everywhere. Is it that much? Let’s see…here’s an article from the League of American Bicyclists on the topic. It points out:
Motor vehicle emissions represent 31 percent of total carbon dioxide, 81 percent of carbon monoxide, and 49 percent of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S. (The Green Commuter, a publication of the Clean Air Council). A short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe. (WorldWatch Institute).
Am I especially virtuous? No. I’ve just never owned a car. Do I do this because I want to be especially green? Actually no. I’d just rather spend my money on things besides a car. But don’t get me wrong, I’m quite pleased that I am part of the solution. But again, it doesn’t make me especially virtuous. I’m from New York City originally and not owning a car just makes sense in some places. That’s one, Honolulu is another, at least for me.
Anyway, that’s my contribution for the day!
Aloha!