"Green" doesn't appear in this article...so its OK to read it

It's amazing to me that there are still people out there who believe we are no longer facing a worldwide global warming catastrophe. I know that some of this is because the economy has taken center stage. When the economy goes south, everything else tends to take a back seat, including the war, education, health care and of course, the environment. But, there is so much science available to confirm that global warming is occurring; that humans are causing it; that glaciers are melting; that sea levels are rising; that CO2 is the major contributing factor. But let's say you don't believe any of that. Can we at least agree on the following? * Our energy supply is primarily based on burning fossil fuels which have a negative impact on our planet. * Our dependence on foreign oil puts us at tremendous risk and at the mercy of countries we would rather not depend on for our safety or financial stability. * There are serious risks in developing new oil fields and that oil companies themselves cannot be trusted to safeguard the environment. * Clean water and clean air are finite resources and we are not doing nearly enough to protect them. These aren't someone else's problems. Don't expect this to get fixed without everybody doing their part. And there are so many easy things to do that don't cost money (in fact some of them save money) and they make life a little more pleasant too. Next time you are sitting in traffic on the Long Island Expressway, have a look around you at all the cars and huge SUVs that have one passenger in them. I know that we all can't car pool, but surely some of us can. And do we all really need those huge four-wheel-drive vehicles? How many times a year do you actually need to plow through huge snow drifts on Long Island? Don't you usually stay home on those days anyway? I'm like an annoying ex-smoker on this one. We used to be a two SUV family and we now find that we are managing just fine with none. I've saved thousands of dollars on gas, more than enough money to rent a bigger vehicle occasionally, if needed. Can't we print on both sides of the page; drink from reusable containers instead of plastic bottles; shut down a monitor or computer at night; take a walk instead of a drive; turn off a light in your office when you're not in it? These are easy things to do. If you were waiting for one giant solution, like everybody switching to solar or wind power, you are going to wait a very long time. It may happen, but big wheels turn slowly. In the meantime, do the little things that make a difference. You can also help by joining an organization that supports your beliefs. Your local USGBC chapter is a great place to start. Ralph Benzakein LEED AP, SIOR, is a vice president at CresaPartners, Melville, N.Y,