PITTSBURGH -- Most people have heard about the polar bears' food supply dwindling thanks to global warming, but there's another species that is reaching this critical stage: primates.

The gelada baboon is a dying breed.

"Within the eight months I just spent in Ethiopia with the geladas, I saw people destroying the grasslands where the geladas live," said conservation biologist Dr. Peter Fashing.

Fashing explains because of global warming, Ethiopians are able to farm higher and higher in the once cold alpine grasslands where the geladas live.

"As the climate gets hotter and hotter, the gelada gets pushed higher and higher and eventually they'll literally be pushed off the mountaintop and into extinction," said Fashing.

But it's not only the geladas that are dying.

So are other primates, including a sub-species of the western lowland gorillas, "mainly due to the fact that their habitat is being destroyed by logging," said Fashing. "They're being hunted and the most recent threat is the Ebola virus."

That's why the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium has started a new program called One Degree of Change.

Instead of focusing on the problem of global warming, they're teaching solutions at the zoo and online by launching a Web site at the end of the month focused on Pittsburghers and what you can do to help.

"With global warming, having the Pittsburgh Zoo do something right here for Pittsburgh, we think we're on the cutting edge for that," said Mark Reardon of One Degree.

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Here are some easy steps to fight global warming, from One Degree Of Change:
Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation whenever you can.
Telecommute or carpool to work.
Make your next car purchase an energy-efficient one.
Change the light bulbs in your home to energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.
Insulate your home well and install energy-efficient windows.
Install a programmable thermostat that will automatically turn the temperature down while you are away or asleep.
Buy local produce from farmers' markets.
Ask retailers where their products are being made. Ask them to offer products manufactured locally.
Don't waste paper or plastic. Use reusable totes at the grocery store.
If you can, repair an item rather than buying a new one.
Composting your food and yard waste can produce safer fertilizer.

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