In the last year or two we have all become aware of the global warming issue. Words and phrases like 'climate change', 'rising sea levels', 'Kyoto Protocol', 'devastating' and 'irreversible' are bandied about by politicians, lecturers and experts, which makes the issue seem unfathomable, confusing and totally foreign! In fact, there are many, many unknown factors to do with the idea of Global Warming, with some people even suggesting it doesn't exist and cannot be proven. Whatever your take on the issue, surely it is too big of a 'What if?' to ignore.

From the snippets we see on the six o'clock news, it would be reasonable to think that if big business simply committed to lowering their carbon dioxide emission levels, the problem would go away. Whilst there's no denying it would certainly help matters, it wouldn't solve them. Every one of us (including you and I) need to do our part to help ensure the environment stays healthy for future generations.

For all the indefinites around Global Warming, there are some things we do know…and frankly, it ain't pretty- rather it's a downright worry!

• Climatic changes will alter natural vegetation, wildlife habitats, crop growing seasons, and the distribution of pests and diseases.
• Detailed climate models suggest that a doubling of greenhouse gas concentrations will lead to a 30% reduction in the tundra available to Arctic species.
• 
  Many of the world's most distinctive mammals are found only in the Arctic, including walrus, several species of seals, arctic foxes, collared lemmings, arctic and tundra hares, musk oxen, polar bears, marwhals and bowhead whales.
• By the year 2050, up to one million additional deaths from malaria may be occurring annually as a result of climate change.
• Global warming will expose millions of people to new health risks. Infectious diseases are emerging, resurging and undergoing redistribution on a global scale.
• About 30 new infectious diseases have emerged in the past 20 years.
• A one-meter rise in sea level would threaten half of the world's coastal wetlands of international importance for their biodiversity.

(source: http://www.gdrc.org/uem/warming.html)

Pretty freaky, huh? Well, it's not all bad news. If everybody did their little bit to stop global warming, a lot of these impacts on the environment could be lessened, or in some cases, reversed. I think it's just about time we all pitched in to help the environment we not only live in, but also rely on, don't you? Here are some great ideas from www.stopglobalwarming.org, a great site with realistic and too easy tips for you and the whole family!

• Run your dishwasher only with a full load.
• Use recycled paper in your printer and buy 100% recycled exercise books.
• Keep the air conditioner set at 24° C in summer. Your house will be just as cool as it is when set to 18° C, but it will be cheaper to run, and is much more environmentally friendly!
• Install water saving shower heads and take shorter showers. Do you really need to soak for 20 minutes?
• Buy products with less packaging where possible – after all, most of it winds up in the bin!
• Plant a tree and help clean up the air you breathe!
• Unplug devices when not in use. This saves a lot of energy, and money too!
• Buy organic foods. The chemicals used in modern agriculture are some of the biggest causes of pollution.

Hmm, so these tips are easy as pie and cheap too! What are you waiting for? Tell your friends and family about them and help to change the world today!

If you're still craving more info, head down to your local video store and rent 'An Inconvenient Truth', a fabulous doco by ex U.S Presidential candidate Al Gore - it's not only interesting but a real eye opener too!