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A guide to online actions you can take to protect wildlife, curb greenhouse gas emissions and create a healthier planet.
What will it take to create a greener world? The number of changes required can seem so mind-bogglingly huge -- better agricultural practices, more fuel-efficient cars, less reliance on fossil fuels, more reliable public transportation, etc. -- that it's sometimes tempting to just give up, take refuge in your living room and hope for the best. But, let's face it: we all know nothing will change that way ... and we all know we should be doing more ourselves. So here are a few suggestions beyond the usual "reduce, reuse, recycle" strategies, actions you can take today that will add your little bit of influence to the weight of many others struggling to create a more sustainable future for us all: Urge car-makers to join the fight against global warming. The organization Environmental Defense has an online petition encouraging automakers to join the United States Action Partnership in calling for mandatory, across-the-board caps on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Help save North America's wolves. Defenders of Wildlife is leading two campaigns to help save North America's wolf populations: one asking U.S. officials not to eliminate Endangered Species protection status for gray wolves in Idaho and Wyoming, the other urging Alaksan officials not to reinstate a program that allows hunters to gun down wolves from the air. Promote wind energy. The American Wind Energy Association is asking supporters to sign and send letters urging U.S. legislators to create an investment tax credit for small wind systems. The easy-to-fill-in form letter can be found at http://capwiz.com/windenergy/issues/alert/?alertid=9415791&type=CO. Encourage healthy eating. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is collecting signatures on an online form letter asking U.S. legislators to provide enough funding so the Centers for Disease Control can provide healthy eating, exercise and obesity-fighting education in all 50 states. Say no to cloned food. The Union of Concerned Scientists is asking people to sign a letter urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration not to allow the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals in the U.S. Help find out what's in bottled water. The Environmental Working Group has launched a study on bottled-water safety, and is asking people to help it compile its data by answering a few questions about the bottled water they buy or see in stores. The online form can be found at http://www.ewg.org/issues/bottledwater/index.php.
The copyright of the article Working for a Greener World in Green/Simple Living is owned by Shirley Siluk Gregory. Permission to republish Working for a Greener World in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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