Regarding single-use plastic bags, France banned those some while ago. It is now possible to buy only long-use, sturdy shopping bags which can changed for free at the issuing supermarket when they reach the end of their life (with the old ones being recycled). If France could introduce this measure with little difficulty - why not other countries?
LED light bulbs here are available widely. Those on low incomes can actually get a pack of five free if they sign up on a website! I see no reason why other countries could not do the same. The cost would be recovered quickly in terms of less consumption and also less waste collection (as LED bulbs last longer, too).
But excessive car use remains one of the biggest problems. In the USA, many people apparently use their car even for the shortest of journeys:
https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita....ravel.html
In the UK, many parents take their children to school in the car, even though the walk is less than half a mile! See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_run
(When I was a boy, I had to walk a mile and a half to school and didn't complain! O tempora, O mores!)
In rural areas cars are often necessary, even for shopping. But in towns where everything is close by, there is scant excuse. It may be a coincidence that obesity is rising at the same time as car use for very short journeys, but I suspect a link there, too.
As for global warming and sea levels, apparently the sun will cool between 2020 and 2070 - but this will give us but a brief window to get our act together and save our planet from ultimate disaster. It will give a breathing space to bring in new technologies - but also we, the human race, need to change our habits - and quickly. This will be a one-off chance to get things right before global warming continues apace:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/scienc...bd97b8d97b
LED light bulbs here are available widely. Those on low incomes can actually get a pack of five free if they sign up on a website! I see no reason why other countries could not do the same. The cost would be recovered quickly in terms of less consumption and also less waste collection (as LED bulbs last longer, too).
But excessive car use remains one of the biggest problems. In the USA, many people apparently use their car even for the shortest of journeys:
https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita....ravel.html
In the UK, many parents take their children to school in the car, even though the walk is less than half a mile! See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_run
(When I was a boy, I had to walk a mile and a half to school and didn't complain! O tempora, O mores!)
In rural areas cars are often necessary, even for shopping. But in towns where everything is close by, there is scant excuse. It may be a coincidence that obesity is rising at the same time as car use for very short journeys, but I suspect a link there, too.
As for global warming and sea levels, apparently the sun will cool between 2020 and 2070 - but this will give us but a brief window to get our act together and save our planet from ultimate disaster. It will give a breathing space to bring in new technologies - but also we, the human race, need to change our habits - and quickly. This will be a one-off chance to get things right before global warming continues apace:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/scienc...bd97b8d97b
