This clip shows you how to draw Gantt chart in project management by using Microsoft Excel!
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project. Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the work breakdown structure of the project. Some Gantt charts also show the dependency (i.e, precedence network) relationships between activities. Gantt charts can be used to show current schedule status using percent-complete shadings and a vertical "TODAY" line as shown here.
Although now regarded as a common charting technique, Gantt charts were considered revolutionary when they were introduced. In recognition of Henry Gantt's contributions, the Henry Laurence Gantt Medal is awarded for distinguished achievement in management and in community service. This chart is used also in Information Technology to represent data that has been collected.
Now we will see the advantages of the Gantt chart!
Gantt charts have become a common technique for representing the phases and activities of a project work breakdown structure (WBS), so they can be understood by a wide audience.
A common error made by those who equate Gantt chart design with project design is that they attempt to define the project work breakdown structure at the same time that they define schedule activities. This practice makes it very difficult to follow the 100% Rule. Instead the WBS should be fully defined to follow the 100% Rule, then the project schedule can be designed.[citation needed]
Although a Gantt chart is useful and valuable for small projects that fit on a single sheet or screen, they can become quite unwieldy for projects with more than about 30 activities. Larger Gantt charts may not be suitable for most computer displays. A related criticism is that Gantt charts communicate relatively little information per unit area of display. That is, projects are often considerably more complex than can be communicated effectively with a Gantt chart.
Gantt charts only represent part of the triple constraints of projects, because they focus primarily on schedule management. Moreover, Gantt charts do not represent the size of a project or the relative size of work elements, therefore the magnitude of a behind-schedule condition is easily miscommunicated. If two projects are the same number of days behind schedule, the larger project has a larger impact on resource utilization, yet the Gantt does not represent this difference.
Although project management software can show schedule dependencies as lines between activities, displaying a large number of dependencies may result in a cluttered or unreadable chart.
Because the horizontal bars of a Gantt chart have a fixed height, they can misrepresent the time-phased workload (resource requirements) of a project, which may cause confusion especially in large projects. In the example shown in this article, Activities E and G appear to be the same size, but in reality they may be orders of magnitude different. A related criticism is that all activities of a Gantt chart show planned workload as constant. In practice, many activities (especially summary elements) have front-loaded or back-loaded work plans, so a Gantt chart with percent-complete shading may actually miscommunicate the true schedule performance status.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
For Future Leaders
Guys you all are the future leaders. so you all should know about the things that are happening in this 21st century. so for that you all have to brush up your mind with the latest technologies. so for all these requirements you all need a good foundation. so the ever lasting foundation will be our Lord God. So trust in him. He will bless You.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
(Psalm 34:10)
The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
(Psalm 34:10)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Traditional SDLC
What is meant by Traditional System Development Life Cycle?
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) adheres to important phases that are essential for developers, such as planning, analysis, design, and implementation, and are explained in the section below. There are several Systems Development Life Cycle Models in existence. The oldest model, that was originally regarded as "the Systems Development Life Cycle" is the waterfall model: a sequence of stages in which the output of each stage becomes the input for the next. These stages generally follow the same basic steps but many different waterfall methodologies give the steps different names and the number of steps seems to vary between 4 and 7. There is no definitively correct Systems Development Life Cycle model, but the steps can be characterized and divided in several steps.
Phase1.Initiation/Planning
To generate a high-level view of the intended project and determine the goals of the project. The feasibility study is sometimes used to present the project to upper management in an attempt to gain funding. Projects are typically evaluated in three areas of feasibility: economical, operational, and technical. Furthermore, it is also used as a reference to keep the project on track and to evaluate the progress of the MIS team. The MIS is also a complement of those phases. This phase is also called the analysis phase.
As software is always of a large system (or business), work begins by establishing the requirements for all system elements and then allocating some subset of these requirements to software. This system view is essential when the software must interface with other elements such as hardware, people and other resources. System is the basic and very critical requirement for the existence of software in any entity. So if the system is not in place, the system should be engineered and put in place. In some cases, to extract the maximum output, the system should be re-engineered and spruced up. Once the ideal system is engineered or tuned, the development team studies the software requirement for the system.
Phase2.Requirements Gatherings and Analysis
The goal of systems analysis is to determine where the problem is in attempt to fix the system. This step involves breaking down the system in different pieces and drawing diagrams to analyze the situation. Analysts project goals, breaking down functions that need to be created, and attempt to engage users so that definite requirements can be defined.This process is also known as feasibility study. In this phase, the development team visits the customer and studies their system. They investigate the need for possible software automation in the given system. By the end of the feasibility study, the team furnishes a document that holds the different specific recommendations for the candidate system.
It also includes the personnel assignments, costs, project schedule, target dates etc.... The requirement gathering process is intensified and focused specially on software. To understand the nature of the program(s) to be built, the system engineer or "Analyst" must understand the information domain for the software, as well as required function, behavior, performance and interfacing. The essential purpose of this phase is to find the need and to define the problem that needs to be solved.
Phase3.Design
In systems design functions and operations are described in detail, including screen layouts, business rules, process diagrams and other documentation. The output of this stage will describe the new system as a collection of modules or subsystems.In this phase, the software development process, the software's overall structure and its nuances are defined. In terms of the client/server technology, the number of tiers needed for the package architecture, the database design, the data structure design etc... Are all defined in this phase. A software development model is thus created. Analysis and Design are very crucial in the whole development cycle. Any glitch in the design phase could be very expensive to solve in the later stage of the software development. Much care is taken during this phase. The logical system of the product is developed in this phase.
Phase4.Build or Coding
Modular and subsystem programming code will be accomplished during this stage. This stage is intermingled with the next in that individual modules will need testing before integration to the main project. Planning in software life cycle involves setting goals, defining targets, establishing schedules, and estimating budgets for an entire software project.
The design must be translated into a machine-readable form. The code generation step performs this task. If the design is performed in a detailed manner, code generation can be accomplished without much complication. Programming tools like compilers, interpreters, debuggers etc... Are used to generate the code. Different high level programming languages like C, C++, Pascal, and Java are used for coding. With respect to the type of application, the right programming language is chosen.
Phase5.Testing
The code is tested at various levels in software testing. Unit, system and user acceptance testing are often performed. This is a grey area as many different opinions exist as to what the stages of testing are and how much if any iteration occurs. Iteration is not generally part of the waterfall model, but usually some occurs at this stage. These are the types of testing:
· Data set testing
· Unit testing
· System testing
· Integration testing
· Black box testing
· White box testing
· Module testing
· Regression testing
· Automation testing
· User acceptance testing
Once the code is generated, the software program testing begins. Different testing methodologies are available to unravel the bugs that were committed during the previous phases. Different testing tools and methodologies are already available. Some companies build their own testing tools that are tailor made for their own development operations.
Phase6.Operations and Maintenance
The deployment of the system includes changes and enhancements before the decommissioning or sunset of the system. Maintaining the system is an important aspect of SDLC. As key personnel change positions in the organization, new changes will be implemented, which will require system updates.The software will definitely undergo change once it is delivered to the customer. There can be many reasons for this change to occur. Change could happen because of some unexpected input values into the system. In addition, the changes in the system could directly affect the software operations. The software should be developed to accommodate changes that could happen during the post implementation period.
Features of the Traditional SDLC.
· Consulting in all phases of SDLC: Requirements Definition, Analysis, Design, Construction, Testing, Training, and Implementation
· Provide advice on certain methods and approaches to systems development (e.g. Waterfall, Iterative, Rapid Application Development, Structured, Object-Oriented, etc.)
· Teach how and when to integrate techniques to minimize risk
· Make best use of modeling and diagramming techniques
· Integration of project management techniques
· Increase likelihood that end-product matches requirements and meets goals
· Help establish SDLC best practices
· Help select software tools that fit in with practices and methods
What Are criticisms with the Traditional SDLC?
There are many criticisms put forward against SDLC, and those criticisms are being given in point forms.
· The SDLC Waterfall: Due to the waterfall nature of the SDLC, on some projects, the team has to go back and forth between requirements and design so many times that the project seems to be out of control.
· Increased development time in the whole system.
· Increased development cost in the whole system.
· Systems must be defined up front.
· Rigidity (Inflexibility).
· Hard to estimate costs, project overruns.
· User input is sometimes limited.
· Requirements Documentation Difficulty: Another problem, especially on complicated systems, is the difficulty of documentation requirements in a usable way.
· Scheduling and budgeting difficulties: For large-scale system, schedule and budgeting estimates are so approximate as to become nearly laughable.
· In the SDLC Model, while we are in the process of the system, we cannot go to the previous stage or phase.
· The main drawback that we can find in this type of SDLC, Lacking of time. In the sense, until the previous stage completes, the balance entire team has to wait for the completion of current stage. This will cause a waste in human resource.
· This type of SDLC is not flexible as in completion of a stage if we need we cannot come to a completed stage.
· Real projects rarely follow the sequential flow that the model proposes.
· At the beginning of most projects there is often a great deal of uncertainty about requirements and goals, and it is therefore difficult for customers to identify these criteria on a detailed level. The model doesn’t accommodate this natural uncertainty very well.
· Assumptions made in the early phases no longer hold.
· Some of the early work is incomplete
· Something was overlooked or not completely understood.
· The customer satisfaction will get less as the competitive organizations outputs will be in high standards and when this organization cannot compete. Due to this the customers will lose the trust which they had on this organization and this will damage the organization’s reputation.
· If an organization has to invest money to create a System in the SDLC by borrowing or by using the money they had to invest in another firm they will be loosing that income or they will be paying interest without getting the output from this system due to the time frame.
· To overcome these problems we can use alternative methods on the development of a particular system.
Global Warming
Hi Guys this section tell about how the world is facing vast problems because of Global Warming.and also how we can restrict the harmfulness that are happening by the Global warming. As a sixth sense people what can we do to avoid these type of problems.
What Is Global Warming?
Earth is naturally insulated by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere. When the sun shines on the Earth, some of that heat is absorbed, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.
The problem is that over the last century, we humans have been releasing more and more carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere when we burn fuels and cut down forests. These additional gases have upset the natural balance of our atmosphere, trapping more heat than is healthy for the Earth.
The result is human-caused global warming, which brings serious threats from increased flooding to the spread of disease to the disruption of agriculture in many parts of the world.
Scientists tell us that stopping global warming is urgent -- we have just a few years to turn around the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst effects. The good news is that we can achieve these emissions reductions with effective national policies and international treaties. We must insist that businesses and governments join individuals around the world to greatly increase energy efficiency, widely adopt renewable energy, and commit to stopping climate change. Success is possible, but we need your help.
Climate crisis
No human challenge is so potentially uniting as the climate crisis. Our human drive to invent and build has led to extraordinary advances and great technological promise. It's also had grave, unintended consequences. And unless we face the climate crisis with ingenuity, resolve, and a sense of urgency, much of the world as we know it will begin to unravel before our eyes. The warning signs are plain to see. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Mountain glaciers are fading on every continent and the sea ice is melting. The seas have begun a slow but menacing rise.
The science behind global warming is often portrayed as enormously complex, but some of it is quite simple. It begins with a ray of light, shot through space from the staggering inferno of our sun. That sunbeam delivers energy to earth, giving us light and warmth and life.
As some of this energy radiates back toward space as heat, a portion is absorbed by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere that create an insulating layer. Without the temperature control of this greenhouse effect, the Earth's average surface temperature would be 0°F (-18°C), a temperature so low that the Earth would be frozen and could not sustain human life as we know it.
The most abundant of the greenhouse gases is water vapor. In addition, there are other powerful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide. Each of these is a natural part of the never-ending cycle of life, death, and decomposition on Earth. But since the onset of the Industrial Revolution humans have been pumping out more and more of these and other greenhouse gases. Scientists are clear: human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases. Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air. The second most important addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is related to deforestation, mainly in the tropics, as well as other land-use changes.
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is now 380 parts-per-million (ppm), 100 ppm higher than at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. But we can look back even further. By drilling into the deepest glacial ice we can measure CO2 deep into time. And this ice library shows more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than at any time in last 650,000 years.
As a result of the build up of gases, the temperature is beginning to rise. Adults today have already felt the average global temperature rise more than a full degree Fahrenheit (0.8°C) during our lifetimes. We expect another degree F by 2020 due to past emissions. Based on modeling by an international body of experts studying the climate crisis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the temperature could increase by more than 7°F (4°C) by the end of the century in the absence of meaningful efforts to rein in global warming pollution.
Things we can do.....
01. Spread the Word
Encourage your friends to join the movement by sharing videos
Get your friends and family excited about solving the climate crisis. You can send them our latest ad or one of our other cool videos. You can also show your support by posting a "We" logo on your MySpace page or blog. Your actions help build support around this critical issue. Start reaching out!
Talk to People
When it comes to educating people about global warming, television advertisements and speeches by famous people can go a long way. But your voice is much more powerful. Really.
This is true because your friends, co-workers, and relatives are more likely to trust information coming from you than from someone they don't know. We often go to a movie, read a book, or visit a restaurant based on a friend's recommendation. The same can be true with the climate crisis: Our friends and family are more likely to get involved when we ask them to. By showing others that you care about the climate crisis, you can inspire them to learn more and get involved.
We'll stop global warming and move toward a cleaner economy when more of us chat with a friend over lunch about renewable energy, talk to a neighbor about the need for action, or urge a relative to get involved. It's not someone else's job -- it's our job -- and these personal connections will shift the tide. We're a million strong, and, if we each take time to spread the word, our combined impact will be incredible.
In addition to talking to your friends who are likely to "get it" on global warming, don't be afraid to talk to people who might be skeptical. Many times, these people are relying on outdated assumptions or have never had the opportunity to talk seriously about the issue. So take a moment and take a chance -- bring them into a conversation or invite them to an event. You might be surprised to find how easily they can be persuaded when you share your views and provide them with the correct information.
You should talk about climate change in a way you feel is compelling, but here are some useful tips and resources:
1. Invite people to be part of the solution. Don't attack them for not being fully informed or not being involved.
2. Try to address your friend's particular needs and interests. We are not all moved by the same arguments or ideas, so consider arguments best suited to your friend's particular situation. For example, some people might be motivated to protect natural habitats, but others might be worried about the national security implications of climate change (severe droughts or floods could cause mass migrations of refugees, destabilize governments, and cause military conflict).
3. Talk about the urgency of the issue -- the scientific evidence around global warming and its likely future impacts is staggering:
Thousands of the world's top scientists have reached a consensus that human activities are causing the climate to change.
The rise in global temperature will pose serious threats around the world, including rising sea levels, increased drought, and disruption of agriculture. Hundreds of millions of people may be forced from their homelands as the climate shifts.
Many scientists are now warning that we are moving closer to a "tipping point" that could -- within 10 years -- make many of the worst effects unavoidable. But, they tell us that we still have time to stop global warming if we start to act now.
4. Talk about solutions. We already have the technologies and know-how to solve it. And the solutions that move us toward a clean and efficient economy are good for America -- jobs and American innovation are compelling even if you can't convince a friend about the scientific consensus. You can read up on solutions to the climate crisis here and send links to your friends.
5. Talk about what they can do. Each of us can take meaningful action to help stop global warming. Click here to encourage them to visit our Action Center.
6. Use pictures and video -- We have a collection of useful pictures and videos that you can send to your friends. Click here to view our videos and other resources.
7. Provide resources for friends who have the wrong information -- Sometimes our friends unwittingly pass on misconceptions or old information about global warming, but you can help change their tune. A number of sites do a good job of debunking myths and misconceptions, such as "How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic".
8. Respect that we all learn about issues in different ways and at different paces. Our different backgrounds lead us to view similar information in different ways. Let's not let our differences -- one of America's great strengths -- ever get in the way of respectful and thoughtful communication.
9. Be patient -- Many times someone will say something with such little basis that you don't know how to respond. Take a breath and remember the scientific consensus is on your side. You're not going to be able to convince everyone. At some point, you might simply need to redirect your energies towards friends who are ready to listen.
02.
Attend or Host an Event
Go to an event or host an event to spread the word about solutions to climate change.
Attend or Host an Event
Whether you are a party animal or a wallflower, prefer lectures or cocktails, you can help promote solutions to climate change by supporting or hosting an event in your community. Get some friends together for a viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth." Or, whip up some classy invitations and host a dinner party.
You can even invite a trained presenter to speak about the climate crisis in your town, school, work, or neighborhood. Through his initiative, The Climate Project (TCP), Al Gore has personally trained over 2,000 volunteers around the US and internationally to give a version of his slideshow that formed the basis of his Academy Award winning film, An Inconvenient Truth. TCP presenters have already reached over 2 million people. You can request a presentation with a TCP Presenter by filling out this form.
Be creative and invite people even if you aren't sure how much they know about climate change. The climate crisis affects everyone, and your event may create some new climate champions
03.
Advocate for Change
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, meet with an elected official, or call a community leader today
Writing
Elected Officials
Write a letter to an elected official and let them know where you stand on climate change.
Regardless of how you voted, once in office, elected officials need to know that you are depending on them to solve the climate challenge. Write and tell them what's at stake.
Letter Writing Tips:
Mention upfront that you are a constituent (i.e., you live in their district).
Be specific. Discuss specific legislation or steps your elected official can take to combat climate change and let them know you are watching their actions.
Keep it short.
Use a collaborative, rather than accusatory, tone. We must build partnerships to create change.
Look beyond just state or national elected leaders. Your list of officials could include:
Mayor
City council representatives
Religious leaders
PTA/school leaders
Leaders of professional associations
If your elected official writes back, please let us know here.
A letter to your mayor might look like this:
Dear [mayor]:
As an active resident of Everytown, I am eager to see our city lead the way in combating the climate crisis. The stakes are high and the opportunities great. It is time for us to act to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and begin living more sustainably.
The following are some ways we as a city can do our part in the coming year:
• Use green building techniques for new construction.
• Require all public buildings to use compact fluorescent lightbulbs and energy efficient appliances.
• Encourage residents to use bicycles for short trips around town by expanding secure bike parking and adding bike lanes to new roads.
In your acceptance speech last year, you talked about how important it is to you that Everytown residents are proud of their city. By taking these measures to combat global warming, we can all be proud of the leadership role Everytown is taking to create a more sustainable planet for everyone.
I look forward to seeing action on these issues in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Meeting With Your Elected Representative
Scheduling a meeting with your elected representative is easier than
Meeting With Your Elected Representative
A great way to urge your elected representatives to get serious about climate change is to tell them in person!
You don't need to travel to Washington, DC to visit with your senators or representative. Every member of Congress has at least one office in their congressional district. If you make an appointment, you will usually be given about 20 minutes with a staff member.
During this time, tell your representative about the importance of addressing climate change to you, personally. It is not necessary to bring a large stack of facts with you. What is important is to speak about your own passion for protecting the planet and give ideas of how your representative can help.
Visiting your representative is a great activity to do with others who share your view on the importance of solving the climate crisis. Consider going with a Bible study group or your Girl Scout troop, for example.
You can talk about your general concerns, such as lack of public transportation in your region or polluting industries. Be yourself and remember that your elected representatives work for you. They use feedback from concerned citizens like you to decide which issues they should spend their time on.
Here's what to do before your visit:
Write the representative's scheduler for an appointment. Give him or her specific days and times you are available and tell the scheduler of any specific legislation you would like to discuss. Click here to find contact information for congressional offices.
Plan your meeting. Write an outline and some brief talking points. If you'd like your representative to support a certain bill, be sure you know its exact name and number. Bring examples of how action on your issues -- whether energy-efficient buildings or green energy -- could benefit your community. Remember that you are coming there to have a conversation with the staff member or official. Plan time to discuss the issues rather than just read off of a sheet of paper.
Do your homework. You should arrive knowing something about your representative's position on your issues. Did he or she already sign on a sponsor of the bill you support? If so, it's still helpful to thank the representative for his or her support and reiterate the importance of climate protection to you.
What to do during your visit:
Be on-time and polite. Thank the staff member or representative for meeting with you and introduce yourself.
Stay focused. Remember what topics you came there to discuss and make the most of your limited amount of time.
Make plans to follow-up. Thank the staff member or representative for the meeting and ask if there is any follow-up information you can send.
What to do after your visit:
Send a thank-you note. As soon after your visit as possible, each person in your group should handwrite a thank-you note to the person you met with. Remind him or her of your concerns and mention that you look forward to seeing your representative take action. Also send any follow-up information you promised during your meeting.
Keep up the relationship! Keep track of your representative's actions on your issues. When he or she sponsors a piece of legislation you agree with, send a thank-you email. If you don't see your representative taking action on the issues you discussed during your meeting, make a follow-up call or writea note reminding him or her of the issues' importance to you.
04.
Letters to the Editor
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and let him or her know what can be done to solve the climate crisis.
Letters to the Editor
Sports magazines, community newspapers, church newsletters . . . chances are, all of them accept letters to the editor. These publications are in business because of their readers, and they want to hear from you! Writing a letter to the editor is not difficult and can be more influential than you think. You can see examples of how We Campaign members helped set the record straight when talk of offshore drilling was draining the attention of the media.
Think of a publication that you read regularly and find a recent article that you can tie into the climate crisis.
Here are some examples of ways you might begin a letter:
"Your newspaper's article highlighting the need for more renewable energy in our city was right-on [article title, date]. . ."
"My family and I were encouraged to read that Senator Roberts will introduce a bill to increase fuel efficiency in our state [article title, date] . . ."
"I was saddened to learn of the Board's decision to reduce bus and train service to the airport [article title, date]. . ."
Making Talk Radio Work For You
Call a talk radio show and speak your mind.
Listen to the show to get an idea of topics addressed and the kind of rapport the host has with callers. Does the host challenge callers and cut them off, or is he or she more likely to invite a diversity of opinions? Don't be afraid to call shows with typically argumentative hosts. If you present your point in a clear, non-flustered manner, your call will have been a success.
Write out a couple of clear (and brief!) talking points. Plan on making your point in no more than a few sentences.
If you think you will be nervous, practice stating your point out-loud or with a friend.
When you call:
Try calling early in the show, ideally about five minutes before the show starts.
You will speak to a screener who will ask what you would like to talk about. Keep your point short and avoid going into detail. You might say you are calling to talk about "green energy" or "the importance of good public transportation."
When you get on-air, stay focused and calm. State your point in a few clear and short sentences. Just don't read directly from your notes -- listeners can tell.
If the host challenges you or tries to re-direct the conversation, bring listeners back to your central point.
Avoid sounding flustered, obstinate, or argumentative. Instead, work to come across as calm and authoritative.
05.
Minimize Your Own Impact
Learn about how you can save money and reduce your own contribution to global warming by making climate-friendly choices each day.
The most important thing you can do to help fight climate change is call on your elected officials to enact policies that will help solve it. However, you can save money and reduce your own contribution to global warming by making climate-friendly choices each day. Here are a few simple tips for living a more climate-friendly life:
At Home
Turn down the heat and air conditioning when you aren't home. Try using a programmable thermostat or setting your thermostat yourself to 68 degrees while you are awake and lower it to 60 degrees while you are asleep or away from home. In the summer, keep the thermostat at 78 degrees while you are at home, but give your air conditioning a rest when you are away. This will allow you to save about 10% a year on your home energy costs. If every house in America did this, our total greenhouse gas production would drop by about 35 million tons of CO2. This is about the same as taking 6 million cars off of the road.
Choose energy efficient appliances. Because they use less energy, EnergyStar appliances like refrigerators can reduce carbon pollution, and have a big impact on your energy bill. Plus, choosing energy efficient products is easy -- just look for the EnergyStar logo. EnergyStar products typically exceed the federal energy standards by at least fifteen percent. When buying appliances that use the most energy in your home, like heaters, air conditioners, water heaters and refrigerators, also use the Energy Guide card posted on the appliance to help you choose the one with the lowest annual energy consumption. To learn more about your home's contribution to global warming, view our famous Black Balloons video (be sure to share it with your friends!).
Warm up your home with insulation. Was your house constructed before 1980? If so, it could be one of the 80% of American homes built without enough insulation. This means your home heating costs could be going through the roof, literally. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association has tips for both finding and getting the most out of a contractor to fix this problem and for doing it yourself.
Change your home's air filters. Heating and cooling uses about half of the energy in a typical home and can account for about $1,500 a year in annual costs. Click here to read about how you can conserve energy by doing some basic home maintenance like replacing air filters and insulating your heating ducts.
Make the switch to compact florescent bulbs. According to the government's EnergyStar program, if every American home replaced their five most-used light fixtures with EnergyStar rated compact fluorescent the savings would add up to $8 billion annually in energy costs. That's like taking almost ten million cars off the road. CFL's are widely available, affordable, and they last ten times longer than traditional bulbs.
Wash your clothes with cold water. If you usually use hot water for your laundry you can cut your energy consumption in half by choosing warm water, and up to ninety percent if you choose cold. Your current liquid laundry detergent should work fine. If not, special cold water detergents are available. Your shirts and pants should be just as clean, and you'll thank yourself when the electricity bill arrives.
Switch to green power. It is likely that most of the electricity you use comes from non-renewable sources like coal. However, there are some utilities that will sell you climate-friendly electricity like wind, biomass, or solar if you ask for it. More than 750 utilities in 37 states offer green power products and signing up can be very easy. To find out what your options are, check out the US Department of Energy map or contact your local energy company directly. And, when you sign up for green power, ask your utility when everyone will be getting clean energy, even those who don't request it. Read more about green power here. For more ways to save energy at home, visit EPA's Energy Star @ home tips.
On the Go
Take public transportation. One of the best ways to reduce your impact on the climate is to take a public bus, subway or train instead of driving. Since you don't have to keep your eyes on the road, you can read, talk with friends or listen to music while you travel. If just 10% of US passenger car travel were instead on mass transit, we would save 75 million tons of CO2. Give public transit a try for one trip a week to start. You may be surprised by how convenient reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be. If your community doesn't have many public transportation options, ask for it! Go to a city council meeting or write your city officials and tell them that good public transportation options are important to you, and good for the community.
Find a carpool buddy at least once a week. Sharing a ride to work is one of the most efficient ways to cut down on drive-time emissions. Ask around -- odds are someone else is heading in the same direction already. Click here for a step-by-step guide on finding a carpool group.
Pump up your tires. Eager to save money at the pump? According to AAA, driving with under-inflated tires can hurt your vehicle's gas mileage by two to three percent. Over a year, this could be like wasting an entire tank of gas. To check your tires' pressure:
Check the inside of the driver's side door or owner's manual and jot down the double-digit number followed by the letters "PSI," which stands for Pounds per Square Inch. This is how much air your tires were designed to hold.
Pick up a tire gauge (for about $5) and use it to measure the air in your tires.
If it turns out your tires are under-inflated, visit a gas station for an air touch-up and you'll enjoy an easier (and more energy-efficient) ride. Click here to watch Pump Your Ride -- a fun video guide to proper tire inflation.
Go ride a bike -- or take a walk. Not only is riding a bike or walking a climate-friendly way to commute, it's good for your health, too. Ride your bike to work, or use it for short errands. Your local bike shop is an excellent resource for information on bicycle commuting, the latest bike gadgets and safety tools, and it can even help you fix up that old three-speeder for trips around town.
At Work
Use the sleep settings and the power switch for computers and monitors. These common pieces of home and office equipment consume a lot of electricity. The single most powerful climate change tool on these machines is the OFF switch. Forget what you've heard about how powering up equipment repeatedly wears it out. That's old information, dating back decades. Equipment can be safely switched off and powered back on when it's needed again. Also, make sure the hibernation and sleep settings are enabled (download a handy free tool for PCs that makes the settings super easy or click here for instructions to do it yourself).
Ask for motion sensors in low-traffic areas. In commercial buildings lighting accounts for more than 40% of electrical energy use, a huge cause of greenhouse gas production. Using motion and occupancy sensors can cut this use by 10%. Ask your employer to consider installing motion sensors in lesser traveled hallways, restrooms, conference rooms, and storage areas.
Use a power strip. Office equipment from faxes to toaster ovens draw energy just by being plugged in. Save energy by plugging all office equipment into a power strip. When you leave the office, just flip the off switch on the power strip. You can also use a power strip at home and save even more.
Call maintenance if it's cold. If it's too hot or too cold, call the maintenance department since this probably means that the system needs to be adjusted (and energy is being wasted).
Be creative -- anyone can be a climate champion at work. Don't work in an office? There is still plenty you can do to protect the climate at your workplace. Finding ways to save energy offers an opportunity for creativity and true American out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, and the rewards can be huge. Click here to learn more about what you can do at your place of work.
Want more? You can calculate your personal contribution to global warming by using a carbon calculator, such as those offered by EarthLab, The Nature Conservancy, Carbon Footprint and the EPA.
What Is Global Warming?
Earth is naturally insulated by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere. When the sun shines on the Earth, some of that heat is absorbed, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.
The problem is that over the last century, we humans have been releasing more and more carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere when we burn fuels and cut down forests. These additional gases have upset the natural balance of our atmosphere, trapping more heat than is healthy for the Earth.
The result is human-caused global warming, which brings serious threats from increased flooding to the spread of disease to the disruption of agriculture in many parts of the world.
Scientists tell us that stopping global warming is urgent -- we have just a few years to turn around the growth of greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the worst effects. The good news is that we can achieve these emissions reductions with effective national policies and international treaties. We must insist that businesses and governments join individuals around the world to greatly increase energy efficiency, widely adopt renewable energy, and commit to stopping climate change. Success is possible, but we need your help.
Climate crisis
No human challenge is so potentially uniting as the climate crisis. Our human drive to invent and build has led to extraordinary advances and great technological promise. It's also had grave, unintended consequences. And unless we face the climate crisis with ingenuity, resolve, and a sense of urgency, much of the world as we know it will begin to unravel before our eyes. The warning signs are plain to see. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Mountain glaciers are fading on every continent and the sea ice is melting. The seas have begun a slow but menacing rise.
The science behind global warming is often portrayed as enormously complex, but some of it is quite simple. It begins with a ray of light, shot through space from the staggering inferno of our sun. That sunbeam delivers energy to earth, giving us light and warmth and life.
As some of this energy radiates back toward space as heat, a portion is absorbed by a delicate balance of heat-trapping (or "greenhouse") gases in the atmosphere that create an insulating layer. Without the temperature control of this greenhouse effect, the Earth's average surface temperature would be 0°F (-18°C), a temperature so low that the Earth would be frozen and could not sustain human life as we know it.
The most abundant of the greenhouse gases is water vapor. In addition, there are other powerful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide. Each of these is a natural part of the never-ending cycle of life, death, and decomposition on Earth. But since the onset of the Industrial Revolution humans have been pumping out more and more of these and other greenhouse gases. Scientists are clear: human activities are contributing to global warming by adding large amounts of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Our fossil fuel use is the main source of these gases. Every time we drive a car, use electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heat our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the air. The second most important addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere is related to deforestation, mainly in the tropics, as well as other land-use changes.
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is now 380 parts-per-million (ppm), 100 ppm higher than at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. But we can look back even further. By drilling into the deepest glacial ice we can measure CO2 deep into time. And this ice library shows more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than at any time in last 650,000 years.
As a result of the build up of gases, the temperature is beginning to rise. Adults today have already felt the average global temperature rise more than a full degree Fahrenheit (0.8°C) during our lifetimes. We expect another degree F by 2020 due to past emissions. Based on modeling by an international body of experts studying the climate crisis, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the temperature could increase by more than 7°F (4°C) by the end of the century in the absence of meaningful efforts to rein in global warming pollution.
Things we can do.....
01. Spread the Word
Encourage your friends to join the movement by sharing videos
Get your friends and family excited about solving the climate crisis. You can send them our latest ad or one of our other cool videos. You can also show your support by posting a "We" logo on your MySpace page or blog. Your actions help build support around this critical issue. Start reaching out!
Talk to People
When it comes to educating people about global warming, television advertisements and speeches by famous people can go a long way. But your voice is much more powerful. Really.
This is true because your friends, co-workers, and relatives are more likely to trust information coming from you than from someone they don't know. We often go to a movie, read a book, or visit a restaurant based on a friend's recommendation. The same can be true with the climate crisis: Our friends and family are more likely to get involved when we ask them to. By showing others that you care about the climate crisis, you can inspire them to learn more and get involved.
We'll stop global warming and move toward a cleaner economy when more of us chat with a friend over lunch about renewable energy, talk to a neighbor about the need for action, or urge a relative to get involved. It's not someone else's job -- it's our job -- and these personal connections will shift the tide. We're a million strong, and, if we each take time to spread the word, our combined impact will be incredible.
In addition to talking to your friends who are likely to "get it" on global warming, don't be afraid to talk to people who might be skeptical. Many times, these people are relying on outdated assumptions or have never had the opportunity to talk seriously about the issue. So take a moment and take a chance -- bring them into a conversation or invite them to an event. You might be surprised to find how easily they can be persuaded when you share your views and provide them with the correct information.
You should talk about climate change in a way you feel is compelling, but here are some useful tips and resources:
1. Invite people to be part of the solution. Don't attack them for not being fully informed or not being involved.
2. Try to address your friend's particular needs and interests. We are not all moved by the same arguments or ideas, so consider arguments best suited to your friend's particular situation. For example, some people might be motivated to protect natural habitats, but others might be worried about the national security implications of climate change (severe droughts or floods could cause mass migrations of refugees, destabilize governments, and cause military conflict).
3. Talk about the urgency of the issue -- the scientific evidence around global warming and its likely future impacts is staggering:
Thousands of the world's top scientists have reached a consensus that human activities are causing the climate to change.
The rise in global temperature will pose serious threats around the world, including rising sea levels, increased drought, and disruption of agriculture. Hundreds of millions of people may be forced from their homelands as the climate shifts.
Many scientists are now warning that we are moving closer to a "tipping point" that could -- within 10 years -- make many of the worst effects unavoidable. But, they tell us that we still have time to stop global warming if we start to act now.
4. Talk about solutions. We already have the technologies and know-how to solve it. And the solutions that move us toward a clean and efficient economy are good for America -- jobs and American innovation are compelling even if you can't convince a friend about the scientific consensus. You can read up on solutions to the climate crisis here and send links to your friends.
5. Talk about what they can do. Each of us can take meaningful action to help stop global warming. Click here to encourage them to visit our Action Center.
6. Use pictures and video -- We have a collection of useful pictures and videos that you can send to your friends. Click here to view our videos and other resources.
7. Provide resources for friends who have the wrong information -- Sometimes our friends unwittingly pass on misconceptions or old information about global warming, but you can help change their tune. A number of sites do a good job of debunking myths and misconceptions, such as "How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic".
8. Respect that we all learn about issues in different ways and at different paces. Our different backgrounds lead us to view similar information in different ways. Let's not let our differences -- one of America's great strengths -- ever get in the way of respectful and thoughtful communication.
9. Be patient -- Many times someone will say something with such little basis that you don't know how to respond. Take a breath and remember the scientific consensus is on your side. You're not going to be able to convince everyone. At some point, you might simply need to redirect your energies towards friends who are ready to listen.
02.
Attend or Host an Event
Go to an event or host an event to spread the word about solutions to climate change.
Attend or Host an Event
Whether you are a party animal or a wallflower, prefer lectures or cocktails, you can help promote solutions to climate change by supporting or hosting an event in your community. Get some friends together for a viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth." Or, whip up some classy invitations and host a dinner party.
You can even invite a trained presenter to speak about the climate crisis in your town, school, work, or neighborhood. Through his initiative, The Climate Project (TCP), Al Gore has personally trained over 2,000 volunteers around the US and internationally to give a version of his slideshow that formed the basis of his Academy Award winning film, An Inconvenient Truth. TCP presenters have already reached over 2 million people. You can request a presentation with a TCP Presenter by filling out this form.
Be creative and invite people even if you aren't sure how much they know about climate change. The climate crisis affects everyone, and your event may create some new climate champions
03.
Advocate for Change
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, meet with an elected official, or call a community leader today
Writing
Elected Officials
Write a letter to an elected official and let them know where you stand on climate change.
Regardless of how you voted, once in office, elected officials need to know that you are depending on them to solve the climate challenge. Write and tell them what's at stake.
Letter Writing Tips:
Mention upfront that you are a constituent (i.e., you live in their district).
Be specific. Discuss specific legislation or steps your elected official can take to combat climate change and let them know you are watching their actions.
Keep it short.
Use a collaborative, rather than accusatory, tone. We must build partnerships to create change.
Look beyond just state or national elected leaders. Your list of officials could include:
Mayor
City council representatives
Religious leaders
PTA/school leaders
Leaders of professional associations
If your elected official writes back, please let us know here.
A letter to your mayor might look like this:
Dear [mayor]:
As an active resident of Everytown, I am eager to see our city lead the way in combating the climate crisis. The stakes are high and the opportunities great. It is time for us to act to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and begin living more sustainably.
The following are some ways we as a city can do our part in the coming year:
• Use green building techniques for new construction.
• Require all public buildings to use compact fluorescent lightbulbs and energy efficient appliances.
• Encourage residents to use bicycles for short trips around town by expanding secure bike parking and adding bike lanes to new roads.
In your acceptance speech last year, you talked about how important it is to you that Everytown residents are proud of their city. By taking these measures to combat global warming, we can all be proud of the leadership role Everytown is taking to create a more sustainable planet for everyone.
I look forward to seeing action on these issues in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Meeting With Your Elected Representative
Scheduling a meeting with your elected representative is easier than
Meeting With Your Elected Representative
A great way to urge your elected representatives to get serious about climate change is to tell them in person!
You don't need to travel to Washington, DC to visit with your senators or representative. Every member of Congress has at least one office in their congressional district. If you make an appointment, you will usually be given about 20 minutes with a staff member.
During this time, tell your representative about the importance of addressing climate change to you, personally. It is not necessary to bring a large stack of facts with you. What is important is to speak about your own passion for protecting the planet and give ideas of how your representative can help.
Visiting your representative is a great activity to do with others who share your view on the importance of solving the climate crisis. Consider going with a Bible study group or your Girl Scout troop, for example.
You can talk about your general concerns, such as lack of public transportation in your region or polluting industries. Be yourself and remember that your elected representatives work for you. They use feedback from concerned citizens like you to decide which issues they should spend their time on.
Here's what to do before your visit:
Write the representative's scheduler for an appointment. Give him or her specific days and times you are available and tell the scheduler of any specific legislation you would like to discuss. Click here to find contact information for congressional offices.
Plan your meeting. Write an outline and some brief talking points. If you'd like your representative to support a certain bill, be sure you know its exact name and number. Bring examples of how action on your issues -- whether energy-efficient buildings or green energy -- could benefit your community. Remember that you are coming there to have a conversation with the staff member or official. Plan time to discuss the issues rather than just read off of a sheet of paper.
Do your homework. You should arrive knowing something about your representative's position on your issues. Did he or she already sign on a sponsor of the bill you support? If so, it's still helpful to thank the representative for his or her support and reiterate the importance of climate protection to you.
What to do during your visit:
Be on-time and polite. Thank the staff member or representative for meeting with you and introduce yourself.
Stay focused. Remember what topics you came there to discuss and make the most of your limited amount of time.
Make plans to follow-up. Thank the staff member or representative for the meeting and ask if there is any follow-up information you can send.
What to do after your visit:
Send a thank-you note. As soon after your visit as possible, each person in your group should handwrite a thank-you note to the person you met with. Remind him or her of your concerns and mention that you look forward to seeing your representative take action. Also send any follow-up information you promised during your meeting.
Keep up the relationship! Keep track of your representative's actions on your issues. When he or she sponsors a piece of legislation you agree with, send a thank-you email. If you don't see your representative taking action on the issues you discussed during your meeting, make a follow-up call or writea note reminding him or her of the issues' importance to you.
04.
Letters to the Editor
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and let him or her know what can be done to solve the climate crisis.
Letters to the Editor
Sports magazines, community newspapers, church newsletters . . . chances are, all of them accept letters to the editor. These publications are in business because of their readers, and they want to hear from you! Writing a letter to the editor is not difficult and can be more influential than you think. You can see examples of how We Campaign members helped set the record straight when talk of offshore drilling was draining the attention of the media.
Think of a publication that you read regularly and find a recent article that you can tie into the climate crisis.
Here are some examples of ways you might begin a letter:
"Your newspaper's article highlighting the need for more renewable energy in our city was right-on [article title, date]. . ."
"My family and I were encouraged to read that Senator Roberts will introduce a bill to increase fuel efficiency in our state [article title, date] . . ."
"I was saddened to learn of the Board's decision to reduce bus and train service to the airport [article title, date]. . ."
Making Talk Radio Work For You
Call a talk radio show and speak your mind.
Listen to the show to get an idea of topics addressed and the kind of rapport the host has with callers. Does the host challenge callers and cut them off, or is he or she more likely to invite a diversity of opinions? Don't be afraid to call shows with typically argumentative hosts. If you present your point in a clear, non-flustered manner, your call will have been a success.
Write out a couple of clear (and brief!) talking points. Plan on making your point in no more than a few sentences.
If you think you will be nervous, practice stating your point out-loud or with a friend.
When you call:
Try calling early in the show, ideally about five minutes before the show starts.
You will speak to a screener who will ask what you would like to talk about. Keep your point short and avoid going into detail. You might say you are calling to talk about "green energy" or "the importance of good public transportation."
When you get on-air, stay focused and calm. State your point in a few clear and short sentences. Just don't read directly from your notes -- listeners can tell.
If the host challenges you or tries to re-direct the conversation, bring listeners back to your central point.
Avoid sounding flustered, obstinate, or argumentative. Instead, work to come across as calm and authoritative.
05.
Minimize Your Own Impact
Learn about how you can save money and reduce your own contribution to global warming by making climate-friendly choices each day.
The most important thing you can do to help fight climate change is call on your elected officials to enact policies that will help solve it. However, you can save money and reduce your own contribution to global warming by making climate-friendly choices each day. Here are a few simple tips for living a more climate-friendly life:
At Home
Turn down the heat and air conditioning when you aren't home. Try using a programmable thermostat or setting your thermostat yourself to 68 degrees while you are awake and lower it to 60 degrees while you are asleep or away from home. In the summer, keep the thermostat at 78 degrees while you are at home, but give your air conditioning a rest when you are away. This will allow you to save about 10% a year on your home energy costs. If every house in America did this, our total greenhouse gas production would drop by about 35 million tons of CO2. This is about the same as taking 6 million cars off of the road.
Choose energy efficient appliances. Because they use less energy, EnergyStar appliances like refrigerators can reduce carbon pollution, and have a big impact on your energy bill. Plus, choosing energy efficient products is easy -- just look for the EnergyStar logo. EnergyStar products typically exceed the federal energy standards by at least fifteen percent. When buying appliances that use the most energy in your home, like heaters, air conditioners, water heaters and refrigerators, also use the Energy Guide card posted on the appliance to help you choose the one with the lowest annual energy consumption. To learn more about your home's contribution to global warming, view our famous Black Balloons video (be sure to share it with your friends!).
Warm up your home with insulation. Was your house constructed before 1980? If so, it could be one of the 80% of American homes built without enough insulation. This means your home heating costs could be going through the roof, literally. The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association has tips for both finding and getting the most out of a contractor to fix this problem and for doing it yourself.
Change your home's air filters. Heating and cooling uses about half of the energy in a typical home and can account for about $1,500 a year in annual costs. Click here to read about how you can conserve energy by doing some basic home maintenance like replacing air filters and insulating your heating ducts.
Make the switch to compact florescent bulbs. According to the government's EnergyStar program, if every American home replaced their five most-used light fixtures with EnergyStar rated compact fluorescent the savings would add up to $8 billion annually in energy costs. That's like taking almost ten million cars off the road. CFL's are widely available, affordable, and they last ten times longer than traditional bulbs.
Wash your clothes with cold water. If you usually use hot water for your laundry you can cut your energy consumption in half by choosing warm water, and up to ninety percent if you choose cold. Your current liquid laundry detergent should work fine. If not, special cold water detergents are available. Your shirts and pants should be just as clean, and you'll thank yourself when the electricity bill arrives.
Switch to green power. It is likely that most of the electricity you use comes from non-renewable sources like coal. However, there are some utilities that will sell you climate-friendly electricity like wind, biomass, or solar if you ask for it. More than 750 utilities in 37 states offer green power products and signing up can be very easy. To find out what your options are, check out the US Department of Energy map or contact your local energy company directly. And, when you sign up for green power, ask your utility when everyone will be getting clean energy, even those who don't request it. Read more about green power here. For more ways to save energy at home, visit EPA's Energy Star @ home tips.
On the Go
Take public transportation. One of the best ways to reduce your impact on the climate is to take a public bus, subway or train instead of driving. Since you don't have to keep your eyes on the road, you can read, talk with friends or listen to music while you travel. If just 10% of US passenger car travel were instead on mass transit, we would save 75 million tons of CO2. Give public transit a try for one trip a week to start. You may be surprised by how convenient reducing greenhouse gas emissions can be. If your community doesn't have many public transportation options, ask for it! Go to a city council meeting or write your city officials and tell them that good public transportation options are important to you, and good for the community.
Find a carpool buddy at least once a week. Sharing a ride to work is one of the most efficient ways to cut down on drive-time emissions. Ask around -- odds are someone else is heading in the same direction already. Click here for a step-by-step guide on finding a carpool group.
Pump up your tires. Eager to save money at the pump? According to AAA, driving with under-inflated tires can hurt your vehicle's gas mileage by two to three percent. Over a year, this could be like wasting an entire tank of gas. To check your tires' pressure:
Check the inside of the driver's side door or owner's manual and jot down the double-digit number followed by the letters "PSI," which stands for Pounds per Square Inch. This is how much air your tires were designed to hold.
Pick up a tire gauge (for about $5) and use it to measure the air in your tires.
If it turns out your tires are under-inflated, visit a gas station for an air touch-up and you'll enjoy an easier (and more energy-efficient) ride. Click here to watch Pump Your Ride -- a fun video guide to proper tire inflation.
Go ride a bike -- or take a walk. Not only is riding a bike or walking a climate-friendly way to commute, it's good for your health, too. Ride your bike to work, or use it for short errands. Your local bike shop is an excellent resource for information on bicycle commuting, the latest bike gadgets and safety tools, and it can even help you fix up that old three-speeder for trips around town.
At Work
Use the sleep settings and the power switch for computers and monitors. These common pieces of home and office equipment consume a lot of electricity. The single most powerful climate change tool on these machines is the OFF switch. Forget what you've heard about how powering up equipment repeatedly wears it out. That's old information, dating back decades. Equipment can be safely switched off and powered back on when it's needed again. Also, make sure the hibernation and sleep settings are enabled (download a handy free tool for PCs that makes the settings super easy or click here for instructions to do it yourself).
Ask for motion sensors in low-traffic areas. In commercial buildings lighting accounts for more than 40% of electrical energy use, a huge cause of greenhouse gas production. Using motion and occupancy sensors can cut this use by 10%. Ask your employer to consider installing motion sensors in lesser traveled hallways, restrooms, conference rooms, and storage areas.
Use a power strip. Office equipment from faxes to toaster ovens draw energy just by being plugged in. Save energy by plugging all office equipment into a power strip. When you leave the office, just flip the off switch on the power strip. You can also use a power strip at home and save even more.
Call maintenance if it's cold. If it's too hot or too cold, call the maintenance department since this probably means that the system needs to be adjusted (and energy is being wasted).
Be creative -- anyone can be a climate champion at work. Don't work in an office? There is still plenty you can do to protect the climate at your workplace. Finding ways to save energy offers an opportunity for creativity and true American out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, and the rewards can be huge. Click here to learn more about what you can do at your place of work.
Want more? You can calculate your personal contribution to global warming by using a carbon calculator, such as those offered by EarthLab, The Nature Conservancy, Carbon Footprint and the EPA.
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