How Europe can save the World

Main summary
The EU countries are trying to reduce the carbon emissions by 20% by 2020. They will do that by using renewable energy such as water tidal power and biofuels . However, renewable energy is expensive and it poses environmental dilemmas, for example wind farms disturb natural habitats. By 2010 cars’ carbon emissions should be reduced and power stations should eliminate it. Britain is introducing a climate change bill which will reduce the emissions by 60% by year 2050. In December the UN will convene the key meeting in Indonesia that will involve most of the world’s countries to address this matter because the world is at risk and work should be done about it. Other countries will only have to follow if the EU countries succeed, and if that happens the EU has promised to lift its targets by another 10 %.

Main idea
EU countries are some of the leading countries in the world. They are trying to reduce the carbon emissions in the coming years by using renewable energy such as water and air; many other solutions are also given and they need to be addressed soon so they can work on them. Other countries in the world are following the EU countries’ lead by reducing carbon emissions too.

My opinion
In my opinion I think the world should react to this matter because it is a critical matter and we all should work together so we can provide a better life for our next generation. I also support the EU’s hard work in reducing the carbon emissions. Their hard work will be shown in the next years when other countries will be acting like them. However to have the effect by 2020 all countries should work as soon as possible.

Carbon footprint

I measured my carbon footprint at http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/ and it was 3.60 planets.

Carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gases caused by individuals, organizations and products. My carbon footprint is average compared to the classmates; the class ranged from a lowest of 2.80 planets to a highest of 5.10 planets. The process of measuring our carbon footprint was simple; we had to answer some questions that reflect our life. Whether we live a healthy life or an unhealthy life we still produce carbon. The questions included the type of food we eat, the way we travel and how we live and types of our houses. The main way I have contributed to greenhouse gases are travel.

We can reduce our carbon footprint by changing our lifestyle, First we need to change the way we travel. Since the UAE has a weak public transportation system everyone uses his own car to go to work or travel around town. However I don’t think changing one person’s life style will have a different effect and we all need to change our life style to have a slight change in the effect.

An Inconvenient Truth

Patrick,(http://www.threemoviebuffs.com/review.php?movieID=inconvenienttruth), said that the movie is not good because he thinks that Al Gore is a self-important windbag and that he wants to be remembered as an environmentalist. He also refers to the movie as being more personal than discussing environmental issues. Moreover he says that Al Gore is a hypocrite because he is talking about people’s carbon foot print and he is flying around with a private jet giving his lectures. Last but not least he says that this movie is forgotten after 2 - 3 years and he thinks it will be interesting if the years to come can prove whether the movie is true or not.

Dave Calhoun,(http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/83696/An_Inconvenient_Truth.html), said that the movie is good because the information he presents like graphs, pictures and movies are true and can't be denied. He also says that American people should start working on this problem; nevertheless he also mentions that one of the two countries that still didn’t sign the Kyoto treaty is the USA and that they should start thinking about it. Last but not least he says that the DVD should be used in classrooms across the USA.

In my opinion I agree with Dave Calhoun that people should start to think about this problem and work on it not only in the USA but all around the world. I also agree with him that the DVD should be used in classrooms around the world to help the new generation to think about this issue.