sensible ronmenlalist

By Dr. Patrick Moore

Dear Dr. Moore:

What do you consider the most important thing we can all do to protect the environment?

It's an impossible question because no single environmental issue takes absolute priority and many are in fact linked. But I think the most important

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thing we can do is understand that even small efforts-from turning off unnecessary lights to using non-toxic cleaning products-add up to a meaningfulimpact.

For example. there are lots of ways to save energy. In addition to the obvious (such as fixing leaks or adding insulation), try switching from incandescent lights to fluorescent.

Or plant a tree. According to the U.S. Forest Service. well-positioned trees outside a home can reduce air conditioning needs by 2OVc and save 20Vc to 5OVo of the energy used for heating.

I also try to reduce my own environmental footprint by:

Turning off the tap. Water shortages are becoming increasingly frequent. yet North Americans use more water per capita than everyone except the Japanese: about 90 gallons a day, compared to the European average of 53 gallons. Wasteful practices (such as leaving the tap on when we shave or clean the counters) comprise 14% of that amount. That's more than 12 gallons a day, per person, treated to drinking quality standards and often heated-that's lost down the drain.

Avoiding quick starts. Driving a fuel-efficient car is a simple way to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which (in addition to being nonrenewable) are enorrnously polluting. But did you know that rapid acceleration and braking can lower your gas mileage by as much as33%?

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Using renewable materials and energ)- whenever I can.Tltis can be as simple as using wood instead of other, non-renervable materials-or, if you own your home, choosing non-polluting alternatives to oil and natural gas, such as a geothermal heat pump, which captures solar energy that's been absorbed into the earth.

Of course, there's also the "reduce. re-use and recycle" philosophywhich incorporates some of the ideas above. But doing our part to protect the environment is really as simple as being mindful of our actions and choosing a responsible path.

- Dr. Moore, a co-founder and former president of Greenpeace, holds a PhD in ecology and q BSc in forest biolog_r. Send questions to patrick@ s e n si ble e nt' i ronme nta li st.com.

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