Ummmm.

I am watching Al Gore on Oprah and feeling terrified for our planet. Seriously, terrified. I had no idea how bad things are, nor how many sources of evidence there were that we are causing the problem. Polar bears are drwoning! We need an intervention! So, everyone should buy An Inconvenient Truth and if you can afford it over time, these five things:

1. compact florescent light bulbs (they last longer and you can get them cheaper at Costco)
If every American swapped out five regular light bulbs for five of these, it would be the equivalent of taking 1 millions cars off the highway.

2. solar outdoor lights (for those of you who know people who have yards and lights in them)

3. Programmable thermostats
reducing the temp in winter and raising it in summer by just 2 degrees when you're not in the house can lower home emissions of CO2 by 9% (This is not for you, Stephanie)

4. regularly chaging your air filter in you air conditioner can knowck of another 2%

5. Get a blanky for your water heater, and you'll cut CO2 emmissions by over 4% (weird)

6. Buy energy star appliances and save 3% on average

Total CO2 savings: 20%!!! Yeah!

Also, on yesterday's Oprah I learned about a cool new place you can donate money for gifts or for yourself. It's called the Grameen Foundation, and its founder just won the Nobel Peace Price. They make micro loans, mostly to women, and this allows them to get out of poverty and away from corrupted money lenders in thir countries. 58% of the people they've lent to have gotten out of poverty, and 100% of their children go to school. It's pretty amazing stuff.