2007 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

αντε γεια !

By LOULA'S ARGYRIS

I recently had the chance to research the effects of Global Warming and I was simply terrified by all the data I discovered. There are already some changes happening because of global warming. For instance, sea level is rising and some animals are already moving to new homes. Unfortunately, it's already too late to stop global warming completely.

If the warming gets worse, as scientists expect, there may be some kinds of plants and animals that disappear completely because they are unable move to new homes. There may be more storms and floods. Sea level may rise so much that people have to move away from the coasts. Some areas may become too dry for farming.

There are parts of many islands that will be under water in less than fifty years, Manhattan, for instance, scientists predict that the entire area where the Twin Towers once stood will be underwater in less than forty years if the destruction stays at the same rate it is today. That frightens me. That means that my grandchildren may not even be able to see Manhattan, the place where I was born.

The biggest conversation subject amongst everyone these days is New Year's resolution. Losing weight, quitting smoking, renovating the house, hitting higher sales at work to get that big fat bonus. AnteGeia!!! Yet in order to enjoy all the above we need a planet to live on people!!!

Today is January 5^th and it is 66 degrees Fahrenheit. I bumped into a neighbor this morning and he told me with a smile on his face… "Can you believe it's going to be 71 degrees tomorrow?" Yes I replied, but do you know why? And why you are smiling? You are not scared at all? Not a very friendly good morning obviously but I shared my thoughts with him and he seemed very understanding, even worried himself. At the end of our conversation he said the most magical words… "How can I help?

Let's make this our New Year's resolution. Get educated about Global Warming and educate everyone around you about the very simple things we can do all together to help stop global warming! For Example:

§ Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
§ Use fluorescent bulbs in your room.
§ Turn off your computer or the TV when you're not using it.
§ Unplug chargers when not in use.
§ Wait until you have a lot of clothes to wash before using the washing machine.
§ Don't use the machine for one item just because it's your favorite shirt.
§ Take shorter showers. Heating water uses energy.
§ Close the blinds on a hot day if the sun is shining in.
§ Dress more lightly instead of asking for the air conditioning to be turned up, or use a fan.
§ Dress more warmly when it's cold, instead of asking for the heat to be turned up.
§ Offer to help your parents keep the air filters on your AC and furnace clean.
§ Walk short distances instead of asking for a ride in a car.
§ Plant a tree.
§ Learn more about global warming so you can talk to people about it.