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GREENSBORO - The temperature in the Triad last year soared above the area's historical average, capping a decade of already warm temperatures, an environmental group noted Wednesday.

The Triad is hardly alone. Globally, 2007 was the second-warmest year ever recorded, following only 2005, and seven of the warmest eight years have taken place since 2001, according to a report released by Environment North Carolina.

With those numbers in mind, the environmental group is in the midst of a campaign to enlist support for initiatives to address global warming.

"It has become very obvious that the path we're on is not sustainable," said Ashleigh Miller, a canvass director for the group.

Specifically, the report calls for a number of steps, including stronger energy efficiency standards for appliances, vehicles and buildings, the creation of more walkable neighborhoods and greater investment in renewable energy sources.

A key goal is reducing global warming emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020 and by 80 percent by the year 2050.

Addressing the issue would provide other benefits as well, Miller said.

For example, on some days, the level of fossil fuel-related pollutants in the air is unsafe for young children and the elderly, she noted.

"That is not a choice people should have to make when they wake up in the morning," she said.

To those ends, members are engaging in their campaign. The work involves going door-to-door in neighborhoods and talking to people in public places, asking them to join the group and become active.

Many people are upset about gas prices, but also willing to talk about other aspects of the issue, particularly when it comes to rising temperatures, said Shelley Lin, who is helping with the effort.

"This is a human problem," she said. "If you have children, you don't want to leave your children in a mess like this."

The election has helped push energy-related issues to the fore, with lots of talk about warming, drilling, oil prices and other matters, she said.

Leaving aside legislative priorities, there are plenty of things residents can do on their own, she said.

Although buying energy-saving appliances or more fuel-efficient cars are methods, efforts don't have to be costly.

Even relatively simple steps, such as using lower-wattage light bulbs and turning down the heat when you don't need it, make a difference, Lin said.

For the year 2007, the Triad's average temperature was 3.5 degrees above the norm, according to the report. During the span from 2000 to 2007, the average was 1.5 degrees above normal.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created by the United Nations, said that warming is occurring and that much of the increase is very likely due to human activity. Generally, temperatures have tracked up along with the burning of fossil fuels.

Reversing those trends will not be simple.

Miller said the group is aware that the effort is a long-term project.

"What we're doing is a marathon, not a sprint," she said.

Contact Jason Hardin at 373-7021 or at jason.hardin@news-record.com