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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
For parents taken with Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," there's now a book for children by one of the film's producers.
Laurie David, along with Cambria Gordon, has written "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming." The book features kid-friendly science, explaining the warming of the earth, and tips for kids who want to do something about it. One chapter heading reads: How many concerned kids does it take to change a light bulb? A compact fluorescent light bulb, that is - says Laurie David.
Ms. LAURIE DAVID (Co-author, "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming"): Well, the light bulb is a huge one. The CFL is, you know, there's a new light bulb now, and it's 75 percent more energy efficient than the old bulb, and we have to change all these light bulbs. They have to change the light bulbs in their houses, in their schools. And it's a very simple thing to do.
And, you know, it's our theory that if you change one thing, you're likely to change, you know, two or three things. And it's a, really, it's a shifting consciousness to start thinking about, well, am I using the best product to get the best efficiency?
Ms. CAMBRIA GORDON (Co-author, "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming"): Another thing we try to tell the kids is whenever you're doing something, think about how is that contributing to global warming pollutions? So, okay, you go to the mall. You get a plastic bag. You go to five stores. You get five plastic bags. Take a canvas bag. That plastic is made from petroleum. We want kids to think about what they're doing.
Ms. DAVID: You know, all these habits start when you're young. And if you just look at the water bottle problem that we have right now, we want kids to start thinking about the water bottle. Okay, plastic's made from petroleum. Do I need to take, you know, an individual water bottle every time I need a sip of water? Two point five million water bottles are thrown away every hour.
MONTAGNE: Well, what about school? You have some suggestions for what kids can do at school?
Ms. GORDON: Oh, yeah. One thing we want kids to do is start a green team at their school. I know that my son's school is doing it. I was a parent sponsor, and our first project was getting the recycling program up and running, and our next project's going to be getting rid of all the water bottles. Another thing kids can do is they can create a no-idle rule in the car pool lane. If you are idling for more than 30 seconds, you're actually using up more gas, putting more greenhouse gas pollution into the air than if you turned it off.
Something else kids can do is they can start a no-waste policy in their cafeterias. They can bring Tupperware. They can try to get their hot lunch distributor to use recyclable cartons. They can bring reusable water bottles. We want kids to only leave the warmth of their butt on the bench. Do not leave any trash in that school.
Ms. DAVID: And another goal is also, we - you know, the best way to reach parents, really, is through kids. And we all know if you're a mom out there or a dad, you know how powerful a kid with a cause can be.
Ms. GORDON: Yeah, kids can be real tyrants when they get on to something.
Ms. DAVID: Exactly. And we want kids asking their parents questions, like why are the paper towels in our house not made from recycled materials? Why aren't we driving a hybrid car? Why haven't we changed all our light bulbs, you know? And the list goes on and on and on.
MONTAGNE: You know, kids can come up with some pretty ingenious things. Have your own kids come up with some ideas for all of this that surprised you?
Ms. GORDON: Not yet. I hope they do. I do know of one kid, when I went to speak to my daughter's fifth grade class, she went home and unplugged everything. Like, we talk about in the book unplug your chargers because it's draining from the grid. But she went and unplugged the toaster and the - just everything in the house, the TV the - I mean, the mom was…
MONTAGNE: Not the refrigerator.
Ms. GORDON: Not the refrigerator.
MONTAGNE: And the mom was happy?
Ms. GORDON: The mom was telling me she was slightly annoyed, but it was a funny annoyance. She was so happy that her child was passionate about it, and she was really willing to indulge that and also listen and do what her child wanted.
MONTAGNE: Okay. Cambria Gordon and Laurie David wrote "The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming."
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