Tips to reduce air pollution and the impacts of climate changes

Go walking in short distances.
Go by bicycle whenever possible and safe. 
Demand the creation of cycling paths and bicycle parking lots.
Carpool with friends and work / class mates.
Rationalize your trips.
Use collective transport. Demand a quality public transport service.
Leave your car at home some days of the week.
If possible, work at home once a week.
Prefer alcohol-fueled cars, or bio-diesel or hybrid/flex models.
Select a more fuel-efficient car model.
Check your car’s tire pressure at least once a month.
Make periodic revisions of your car to reduce emissions of pollutants.
Only fill the tank in reliable gas stations (to avoid adulterated gas).
Encourage your family members to reduce the use of car.
At work, use more videoconference to avoid travel.

Busy traffic and lower average speed substantially increase vehicle emissions.
Leave your long rides for the weekend.

Do not waste electric energy.
Try to purchase more efficient appliances.
Whenever possible, use fans instead of air conditioners.
Use less hot water. A lot of energy is used to heat water. Prefer to wash your clothes in cool water.
Buy fresh, not frozen, food. Prefer those locally produced.
Prefer organic food as the soil for their cultivation absorbs more carbon gas than the soil for conventional cultivation.
Save cooking gas. Reduce flames as food boils, keep pans well centered on the burners, use only the required amount of water, water bathe to soften hard food (beans) before cooking, use a pressure cook and avoid opening the oven many times to check the roast.

Recycle always. Keep a separate waste bin for recyclables. It makes a big difference.
Avoid products with a lot of wrappings.
Prefer recycled paper.
Use only the minimum necessary paper (for instance, paper tissues). Avoid printing unnecessary material.
In public restrooms, avoid using paper to dry your hands if you have other alternatives.
Do not burn domestic garbage.

Plant native trees and take care of them. They are natural absorbers of carbon gas.
Participate in actions against deforestation.
Denounce illegal wildfires.
Do not purchase furniture made of deforestation wood. Require the certificate of origin.
Eat less meat. Cattle raising produces methane (greenhouse effect gas).

Encourage your school or workplace to reduce emissions.
Demand that industries be environmentally responsible.

As a conscious citizen, demand from the government :
- urgent actions to totally halt deforestation and wildfires;
- forest planting and reforestation projects (to protect springs and river banks);
- environmental public policies to limit the emissions of greenhouse effect gases;    
- a larger use of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, little hydroelectric plants);
- creation of incentives to improve efficiency and clean systems in the sectors of energy, industry and transportation;
- promotion of energetic efficiency in the construction sector;
- preparedness to face emergency situations with preventive measures (for example, preventing landslides in residential areas) and assuring timely aid to people suffering from disasters caused by climate changes.

For the production of biofuels, the ideal is the use of technologies that do not employ food as the source of energy, as the world population grows fast and forests are shrinking.

You can calculate your own annual emission of CO₂ and the number of trees that you should plant a year to counteract the greenhouse effect gases you produce in the website www.iniciativaverde.com.br .

www.natureba.com.br On-line Environmental Education for All