- Kermit was wrong, it is easy being green.
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Climate change is a huge, heavy topic.
It affects the whole world
but sometimes it feels like there's nothing we can do
on an individual level to help things.
But I'm here to tell you that's not the case.
There're a lot of little decisions that you and I can make
that might seem small or maybe even insignificant
on their own but collectively this adds up.
It has a huge impact.
For example, driving.
Here in the United States, driving contributes
1.7 billion tons of greenhouse gas every year.
In fact, just consuming one gallon of gasoline
will generate 20 pounds of greenhouse gasses.
So one way we can help is by making smart choices
when we're choosing our vehicles.
Go with something that has a lower dependence on gasoline.
Hybrids are a great start.
They don't depend as much on gasoline.
They have fewer greenhouse gas emissions than normal cars.
Or how about an electric vehicle?
That has practically no greenhouse gas emissions
associated with it.
And our improvements in battery technology
mean you can travel further
and recharge faster than ever before.
Or how about Toyota's fuel cell vehicle?
It runs on hydrogen and the only byproduct is water.
It's pretty incredible.
If you can get around without using a car,
that's even better.
Bicycles are a great mode of transportation.
They're nimble, they help you get exercise,
and they don't emit greenhouse gasses.
But you might live in a place with a lot of hills,
thus making it hard to ride a bike.
Enter the Copenhagen Wheel.
Developed by MIT and Senseable City Lab,
this wheel actually has a motor in it
that kicks into gear and helps you pedal.
So if you encounter a steep hill,
it'll help you get up the rest of the way.
You can even set it so that you pedal at a steady rate
no matter what terrain you might encounter.
And here is the best part.
You don't have to buy a new bike to use it.
You can literally remove the rear wheel
off your existing bike and install a Copenhagen Wheel.
Walking is another great way to get around.
It gets you outside, it gets you exercise,
it doesn't put stress on the existing infrastructure
and you don't emit greenhouse gasses.
Now the problem is making our cities more walkable.
That's why people like Jeff Speck have been advocating
for pedestrian-friendly cities.
He argues that not only does it
give us great health benefits,
it actually makes a city thrive.
Now granted this is a bigger problem,
but here's a way that you and I can help.
We can get involved in our local communities
and make sure that we're making decisions
to make those communities pedestrian-friendly.
Being green isn't just about getting from place to place,
it's also about making good decisions about appliances
so that they gulp, or preferably sip, electricity
at the right rate.
The ENERGY STAR program has really helped here,
informing consumers so they can make good decisions
on their appliances, including things like dishwashers
and washing machines that use less water than other models.
And it isn't just environmentally-friendly,
this affects your wallet.
Because you're going to be using less electricity
and less water, your utility bills go down.
Everybody wins.
Now I'm not saying that these little choices
are going to magically change the world tomorrow.
But I am saying is that if people like you and me
make these decisions, collectively we can really impact
a huge change on the world.
All it takes is effort
and just a little effort at the individual level.
And the willpower to do it.
Now me, I'm an optimist.
I believe in people.
So prove me right.
Now that leads me to a question for you guys this week.
If you could make a small change that you believe
would lead to a big positive impact, what would it be
and explain your answer.
I wanna hear your best ideas in the comments below.
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and then to learn more about green tech
and environmental science, check out these videos over here.
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