Climate change has entered almost every aspect of human life, representing great economical and environmental threats. Even though countries are working towards controlling the serious impact of rising carbon footprint, a lot still needs to be done. Experts are observing the rapid increase in the ocean temperature and global air. Artic sea ice is melting and global sea level is rising. On an average, the surface temperature has increased by 0.76 degree Celsius and human activities are to be blamed for it. Ever since the beginning of industrial revolution 150 years ago, activities such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels have contributed to climate change by increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
It is being projected that the global surface temperature might increase to 4 degree Celsius if the current greenhouse emission is not controlled. But such projections are not sufficient to reach to a conclusion as there is no uniformity in the change in temperature over different lower atmosphere layers.
At a time when countries are trying to combat global warming (See: http://www.justmeans.com/editorials/climatechange/5.html) with effective collaboration and companies are taking a strong stand, how can the common man contribute to this cause? Active participation will cost nothing; in fact it can help an individual save money. Anyone can make a difference by just turning off the tap while shampooing or brushing or switching off lights when there is no requirement. Using a bicycle or walking to the local store will help an individual save the expenditure on gas, curb CO2 emission in the air and even stay in shape. It also helps to choose energy saving bulbs instead of the old light bulbs that consume a lot of power. This will not only prove effective in saving on high electricity bills but also conserve energy for the coming generations. With such small and simple contributions the global problem of climate change can be reduced to some extent. We may not get to see instant results, but millions of small steps clubbed together will certainly add to the cause of making the planet a safer place to stay.
