November 1, 2007

50 ways to save the planet

The UK's Environment Agency has drawn up a list of 50 priorities in saving our planet, ranging from the tiny things (#49: put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat) to major changes in industry practices and government regulation (#4: Secure a meaningful post-Kyoto treaty on reducing the emissions that contribute to global warming).

Of particular interest is #2: Religious leaders to make the environment a priority for their followers -- a shift we have also been seeing recently in the US, as the NYT covered in an extended feature last Sunday. In the Bush disillusionment years, it seems evangelicals and liberals have finally found several issues in common, leading to some promising alliances...

Without further ado, here are the top 20, from the Guardian UK:
1 Dramatically improve the energy efficiency of electrical goods
2 Religious leaders to make the environment a priority for their followers
3 Encourage the widespread use of solar power throughout the world
4 Secure a meaningful post-Kyoto treaty on reducing the emissions that contribute to global warming
5 Encourage households to generate much more of their own power
6 Introduce tax incentives to "buy green"
7 Tackle the rapid growth in aviation emissions
8 Wean ourselves off dependency on petroleum
9 Encourage individuals to buy less non-essential "stuff "
10 Dramatically improve public transport
11 Aim for a "zero waste" culture
12 Install "smart energy" meters in all homes
13 Introduce a measure of economic success that includes the environment
14 Fully harness Britain's huge potential for generating renewable energy
15 Seek alternative, less damaging sources for biofuels
16 Bury carbon dioxide from power stations underground
17 Encourage hydrogen fuel cell technology in cars
18 Implement government policies to control global population growth
19 Reach international agreement on preserving rainforests
20 Create better incentives to improve energy efficiency in the home

(Full list available here in pdf form)

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