Fri, October 16, 2009 - 4:16:29

Small Repairs Could Save the Planet

There are few problems in the world that are greater, or seem more imposing, than the threat of global warming on our environment.  Scientific research, newspapers, and even films like Al Gore’s award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, have all shown us the grave danger climate change poses, but such an enormous problem could only call for one giant fix, right?  Well, according to an article in yesterday’s New York Times, it appears that making just one small change can have a significant impact.

We all know that over the course of a lifetime, proper maintenance of your car or home can help it last longer, perform better, and save you money.  And by applying this very same principle to the world’s largest natural gas facilities, we could actually eliminate more than 30 per cent of the carbon emissions currently clogging our atmosphere.

Because natural gas, which consists almost entirely of methane, is invisible to the naked eye, natural gas leaks from industrial wells go largely unnoticed, but when viewed through an infrared lens, the emissions can be staggering.  And just by taking this small step and sealing up the leaks, natural gas companies will not only save energy and money, they can help to reduce the contributing factors to global warming by a third. For Southern Methodist University engineer Al Armendaris, who studies oil and gas field pollutants, it’s “an absolute no-brainer, even more so than putting compact fluorescent bulbs in your house.”

Whether you’re an environmentalist or not, this story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes it’s the practically undetectable things that can have a huge impact on your life.  From eagerly listening to the latest office gossip, to neglecting to send a thank you note after an interview, always showing up late, or failing to offer your help, the little, seemingly innocuous things you do (or don’t do) help to form other people’s perceptions of you.  But, the key to discovering those invisible life polluters is to put on your imaginary infrared goggles and take a closer look.  Once you discover the true power these tiny negative actions have, you can take the small steps forward to fix them once and for all.

Posted by Linda and Robin