Blog Action Day Climate Change

The world without ice? There's a new book asking us to imagine it. Today is Blog Action Day on Climate Change. 7,000 bloggers around the world are writing about global warming today. I'm one of them.

October 24th is global action day when people all over the world are taking action on global climate warming issues. Write a letter. Park your car. Take a bus. Make it a habit.

Think global climate change isn't your problem? Check this out.

Think there's nothing you can do?

Yes, you can.

A few thoughts:

Eat fewer corn chips and don't buy stuff with high fructose corn syrup. Scientific American tells us, "Corn grown in the U.S. requires barrels of oil for the fertilizer to grow it and the diesel fuel to harvest and transport it."

Eat less meat, or possibly none at all. Start small, give up a little beef. Beef requires tons of corn to grow, see above.

My neighbor, Wan-ru, is showing me how to eat more rice, more ways. When she adds meat, it's in small pieces. I now make "green bean soup" from dried beans--a healthful meal that's filling, nutritious, low fat and easy on the environment. And it doesn't give me gas! Ben and I already eat lots of noodles, and we can do even better.

Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Wear a sweater. (Thank you, Jimmy Carter, for these lessons we have forgotten.)

Drive less. Shop with a neighbor to combine trips and have more fun.

Buy less stuff. This is s tough one for me, but I am trying.

Remember, a world without ice also means no pinot noir, as the thin-skinned grapes that give it its luscious flavor are already "baking away" in the best Oregon vineyards.

And, since wine makes mummy clever, this would be a big loss.