Below is a link to a great article from The NY Times titled “Beyond Fossil Fuels” by Robert B. Semple Jr. The piece acknowledges that while stopping global warming is an overwhelming and daunting task, everyone has the power to make a difference by making simple, conscious decisions in their every day lives. The Streisand Foundation supports the non-profit group Earth Day Network, and they have compiled a list of a few easy ways you can conserve energy and help protect the environment from further deterioration:

1) Change old, incandescent lights to newer energy-saving models (compact fluorescent lights), turn off lights when not in use and dim lights when in use.
2) Update your heating/cooling system to a more efficient model
3) Tune up old heating/cooling systems, clean out the vents, buy a programmable thermostat
4) Make sure windows are sealed and doors are closed when running air conditioners and heaters
5) Turn on the energy saver switch near your refrigerator’s thermostat
6) Make sure that your refrigerator door seals properly
7) Clean out the condenser coil on your refrigerator (can improve the efficiency of your refrigerator by one third)
8) Wait until you have a full load before running your dishwasher
9) Invest in green stocks and renewable energy companies through socially responsible funds
10) Eat locally grown food and fruits and vegetables that are in season (if the food doesn’t have to travel far, there’s less carbon dioxide from the trucks that ship it)
11) Eat organic (the pesticides used on crops releases carbon contained in soil into the atmosphere)
12) Buy recycled

“Beyond Fossil Fuel” by Robert B. Semple Jr., The New York Times