I have a habit of turning on the TV for background noise while I clean my house. On Saturday, I tuned in to the Bravo network to listen to Live Earth as I moved in and out of my living room. This was a live broadcast with simultaneous concerts on all seven continents to raise awareness about global warming.
     I turned it on for the music but found myself intrigued by its message. The focus was not on the monumental problem of global warming but on how we can all be part of the solution by making small and effortless changes in our daily lives. I learned many of those changes can also save us money, besides saving the environment.
     My family has recycled for many years, and my husband and I carpool many days. I was aware of some of the things I could and should be doing, such as turning off lights when I leave a room, turning off the water while I brush my teeth, turning my thermostat down a degree in colder weather and up in warmer weather.
     But many of the ideas I heard on Saturday were new to me and surprisingly very easy to do, and they really do have an impact. I learned that you don't have to do everything suggested but just choose a few things that fit your lifestyle and make them a habit.
     I think many of us could do some of the following things very easily without being inconvenienced.
     • Unplug phone chargers from the wall when not in use and turn off your computer at the end of the day. Seventy-five percent of electricity used in our homes comes from electronics that are turned off.
     • Buy compact fluorescent bulbs to replace traditional ones as they last up to 10 times longer and use a fraction of the energy.
     • Washing your clothes in cold water could save up to $400 a year.
     • Use reusable shopping bags. Globally, we use as many as one million new plastic bags every minute at a cost of 2.2 billion gallons of oil a year.
     • Cancel junk mail by calling 888-5-OPTOUT and recycle what you do get. Every ton of recycled paper saves enough electricity to power a three-bedroom house for an entire year.
     • Properly inflating your automobile tires saves gas.
     I am sure many people may have missed this broadcast and would be willing to make changes if they just knew about options. I think it would be a great idea to present energy-saving tips on a regular basis right here in our local newspaper.
     It's just a matter of educating ourselves and knowing that each and every one of us can make a difference. Global warming is a subject that affects every person on earth. What we do today will affect our children and all generations to follow.
     I'm going to try to remember to turn off my TV when I'm not in the room.
    Patti Hubbard
    Seward