ARTICLE

GLOBAL WARMING, we have all heard the term and with increasing frequency in recent years. As we sit in our kitchens in rural Ontario looking out at the snow covered landscape, the cold north wind blowing and our household thermometers registering -10 Celsius, we wonder... warming?... I'm freezing!

Global warming refers to the gas emissions all human beings produce by using energy. Driving our cars for example produces greenhouse gas emissions that accumulate in the atmosphere and cause temperatures to rise around the world.

But I'm only one person. Can I actually have an impact on this global warming problem? Absolutely! In fact, when it comes to climate change solutions, YOU are literally in the drivers seat. Your conscious decision to begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will not only help save the environment, but lessen your fuel consumption bill by hundreds of dollars a year.

While ideally, public transportation, car pooling, bicycle riding and walking are some of the most effective ways of reducing emissions, those of us who live rurally face increased challenges in this respect. The distance we travel is usually greater, and we all seem to be going in different directions and at different times of the day.

Here are a few fuel efficient tips that we rural citizens of Walkerton and surrounding areas can do to aid us in keeping our commitment to the environment.

* Avoid aggressive driving, rapid starts and hard braking increase fuel consumption by close to 40%. Drive steadily, observing posted speed limits. Reducing your speed from 120kms/hr to 90km/hr will give you a 20% savings in consumption.

* Avoid idling, it wastes fuel, produces unnecessary greenhouse gases and gets you nowhere. If you're going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds, except in traffic, turn off the engine.

* Plan your trip, this will avoid backtracking and save you both time and money.

* Ensuring vehicle tires are properly inflated prevents increased rolling resistance. Check your tires once a month with a reliable tire gauge...yours.

* Use your vehicle air conditioner sparingly, air conditioners increase fuel consumption 20%.

* Regular tune ups, a poorly tuned engine uses up to 50% more fuel and produces 50% more emissions.

* Make a commitment to walk to nearby destinations, it's good for your health and it will make mother nature smile.

These are just a few simple ways to reduce your environmental foot print on the planet, so start small, but start today. Let's all "walk softly" By doing so we will empower ourselves through direct responsible action to ensure our world is "human friendly" and remains that way for generations to come.