10 simple ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

1. Use your vehicle less often. Do you really have to drive to the convenience store, to your friend’s house, or to the office? Try to reach your destination by walking, riding a bike, carpooling or using public transportation. A 10% reduction in vehicle use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 0.2 to 0.8 tonnes per year.
2. Drive more moderately. Accelerating gradually (instead of being heavy-footed) and reducing your driving speed saves fuel and reduces emissions.
3. Keep your vehicle in good operating condition. Proper tire inflation reduces fuel consumption and improves vehicle safety. Well-tuned engines might consume only 50% as much fuel and exhaust only 1/30 the emissions when compared to a similar, poorly tuned engine.
4. Lower your thermostat at home. You can save about 3% on heating costs for every degree you reduce your thermostat setting. After a short while, you probably won’t even notice the temperature difference.
5. Use your microwave oven more often. A typical microwave uses about one-half the energy of a stovetop element.
6. Reduce your computer’s energy consumption. Enable your monitor’s energy saving features when in use. Turn off your computer equipment at night and at other times when it doesn’t have to be left on. An LCD monitor consumes only 20-50% of the energy of a conventional CRT monitor.
7. Use less lighting. Take advantage of natural light when available instead of using electrical lighting. Turn off lights when a room or area is not occupied.
8. Hang your laundry. If time isn’t a concern, try hanging some or all of your laundry to dry instead of using the clothes dryer.
9. Be a smart shopper. When making a purchase, you probably have an opportunity to make an environmentally-wise selection. You can have an impact on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions when buying everything from groceries (which may come in recycled packaging) to household appliances to automobiles. You’ll usually save money in the long run and see other benefits, too.
10. Be open to new ideas. We are continuously being presented with new solutions and opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the saying "old habits die hard" is often true, adopting new ways of going about our everyday activities - even by making small changes to the way we do things - can have a significant impact on the big picture.

Flora conservation of the Mongols: tradition and customs

By Erdenetuya Urtnast

The Mongols had imagined trees, grass and other plants as arms and legs of Etugen mother and avoided cutting plants. They believed in that if anyone cut hundred grasses then he or she would shorten his or her life by one year . Also they had been thinking that anyone would be maimed, provided he or she broke up branches and limbs of trees. Especially our people strictly forbade to cut trees during spring season when plant budded and they never cut young trees. Pulling of roots and stem of plants are prohibited as well. Tree worship custom had been being popular not only among the Mongols but also among other peoples of the world.
During prolonged period ancient people had noticed that a river and its’ surrounding area dry up as a bad result of chopping down single or prominent trees of the river bank. That is why they forbade to prune and chop down single, bushy or prominent trees. It was said that all trees in a forest share a root.
Among venerated trees, shamaness-tree veneration has long tradition. Particularly, shamaness-trees have regularly been worshipped in remotest areas where shamanism is predominant and less influenced by cultural transition. Mostly conifers, as well as bushy, spiral, bunched larches and cedars are shamaness-trees. Some of them grow next to a spring which has perpetual gushing of water. It is said that, shamaness-trees are very ferocious and tempestuous.
Another form of plant veneration is luxuriant (shanshi mod or spreading, bushy tree) tree veneration. A shanshi (luxuriant) tree has not to be a ferocious tree as a shamaness tree. However local people respect such trees, tie ribbons and silk scarves up their branches and offer best of food for the trees. Elderly people say that a shanshi tree grows from deep well which has clean water and cutting it would make water spirits and local deities angry, consequently drought and natural disaster would happen. This saying is on a scientific basis. The reason is that such trees are situated on the confluence of ground water sources and retain ground water. So they have stout limbs and luxuriant branches. If cut a shanshi tree or a single, bushy tree then ground water would evaporate and surrounding area would be deserted because of drought and less vegetation. Shanshi trees mostly were worshipped during the middle month of summer and a head of family or a man who has good reputation in the locality carried out the worship ceremony.

Climbing up shamaness-trees and shanshi (luxuriant) trees, breaking their branches, scrounging off offered foods to these trees, treading down their shadow or root, sleeping, whistling, speaking loudly next to these trees and many other improper actions are strictly prohibited. It is said that, an indiscriminate action and a careless mistake towards shamaness and luxuriant trees sometimes bring misfortunes and death.
People from elite stratum including high rank lamas and officials, nobilities and aristocrats had made their personal examples to the public for protecting and recovering the environment and nature. For instance, it was said that in Western Mongolia Lu gun (a duke) focused his activity on protecting of reedy (reed-like) larches which grow on Khan khokhii mountain range.

In Eastern Mongolia Eguzer Khutuktu Galsandash (a high rank lama) cultivated wild cherry in a place named Moiltyn am and there set up cherry grove. Also he cultivated roseroot, sophora, thyme, ribes diacanthum, sandalwood, elm, poplar, willow and other plant. The mentioned examples illustrate that elite people’s initiative have played considerable roles for environmental protection.

Taboos and prohibitions related with plants are aimed for sustainable use of natural yields and conservation of natural pristine condition. They were forbidden to pull out a plant with its’ root, to gather fruits and greens before ripening, to break plant blade, trunk, stalk and limbs. Preparing firewood people had avoided chopping down saplings or young trees, wet trees and beautiful trees. Mostly they gathered dry woods and fallen trees and used as firewood. If it was required to cut trees then they cut few trees from here and there.
Plant protection relevant issues were stated in laws and orders to some degree. In “Ikh zasag”, it was stated that “if dig hole after grown grass, put to death”. In “Khalkha jirum” was inserted a code to outlaw felling of wet trees and saplings in some certain areas. During Bogd khan’s Mongolia period Bogd khan ordered a decree to proscribe felling trees of certain mountains including Bogd khan, Gurvan Songino, Chingeltei, Belkh, Ondur ulaan and Bayanzurkh mountains. Also another decrees were ordered. For example one edict was emphasized to ban renting forest trees for foreigners. In 1911 Bogd khan mountain was titled Khairkhan and banned gathering flowers, berries and fruits and going on outing on Bogd khan and Chingeltei mountains. In 1915, it was forbedden to chop down trees without any permission along river banks of the Tuul and the Selbe. In “Codes of laws of Autonomous Monarchy of Mongolia” was incorporated an idea to forbid felling trees on sacred mountains.