Where does one start in a City known around the country as the Energy Capitol? How do you find like-minded citizens who want to begin addressing the business of reducing our city's carbon footprint? I'm fortunate to know Brian Yeoman who told me about a City of Houston effort to promote energy savings (which directly relates to carbon footprint reduction). Over the summer the group, called GREEN TEAMS put together a simple curriculum for citizens to work through and, in the best instance of viral marketing, commit to working with other like-minded citizens to reduce energy consumption once our first curriculum grads were out in their lives again. Three women named Nan Hildreth, Nancy Edwards and Nancy Benthian are the master minds. Starting with workshops focused using David Gershon's "Low Carbon Diet" (http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd/) each woman worked with groups who worked to reduce carbon footprints and pledged to continue the work with other citizen once the workshop was finished. Leveraging this model the City of Houston created a simple four week curriculum that has specific relevance to our tropical climate.
The group I've been helping out with facilitation is in its third week and will be focused on electricity and water conservation. We'll look at our past utility bills and pledge reductions. I've been purchasing wind generated power from Green Mountain for five years. As smug as this makes me feel, I still generate way too much carbon. My most recent move was related to taking a new job assignment which allows me to take the bus instead of an automobile. I find that I must consciously work at my energy consumption -- this does not come automatically just because I think it is a good thing to do. The GREEN TEAMS format is a great way to reinforce my actions. So now I'm a convert. To Nan, Nancy and Nancy, thank you!!
If you are interested in sustainable development you might want to check out my SD Twine: http://www.twine.com/twine/112kkw6l8-13sb/sustainable-development
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Answers to the 25 questions posed by teens in Houston
The following are the answers provided by the Mayor of Houston's Office of Environmental Planning. This FAQ will be posted on a new green youth site that will be published soon.
What is Energy Conservation?
(Questions from the students of the Fifth Ward Teen Enterprise Center 2008)
1. How is energy usage leading to a huge crisis?
It is not all energy usage that leads to a crisis; it is energy usage that comes from non-renewable sources. The more non-renewable energy we use, like natural gas and petroleum, the more pollution is being created, resulting in a public health problem. Also, it will become a crisis if we continue to only develop non-renewable sources, because at some point they can be used up, when that occurs, we would have a major crisis on our hands.
2. Is there more then one type of energy?
Yes, there are several types of energy. For the state of Texas the following sources of energy are ranked by the highest amount used, to the lowest amount used.
1. Natural Gas
2. Petroleum
3. Coal
4. Nuclear
5. Other (Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and wood)
3. How much energy do appliances use when they're actually not being used?
This is called phantom or vampire power. It is suggested that on average 10 to 15 watts of energy are used when an appliance is not being used. This accounts for approximately a 5% loss of a homes total annual energy, adding up to $3 billion each year in the United States.
4. Are fossil fuels destroying the ozone layer?
Yes, burning fossil fuels release polluting chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Currently there is a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica that opens every fall.
5. If the ozone layer is destroyed, can man survive on earth?
The ozone layer protects living things from harmful UV rays. As the ozone layer thins the most common problems are increases in skin cancer and cataracts. Without proper protection from the UV rays man could not survive on earth without the ozone layer.
6. What are the top three forms of conservation?
We often talk about conservation in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling. It is important to remember that these forms of conservation are ranked according to the best conservation method first. We should first look at where we could reduce, then look to reuse, and then recycle.
. How many types of light bulbs are there?
The major types of light bulbs are incandescent lights, florescent lights, compact florescent lights or CFLs, and LED lights. CFLs and LED use less energy to light the bulb and therefore they’re more energy efficient.
8. What energy affects our community the most?
Currently, petroleum and natural gas have been negatively affecting our community. These forms of energy create harmful emissions that we breathe causing health risks. Moreover, with the demand on these sources increasing, the costs are raising creating economic hardships. However, it is important to remember that all energy sources have an affect on our community whether positive or negative.
9. How could I convince people to conserve, and recycle?
Right now an effective argument for conserving and recycling is economic. When people conserve energy they are saving themselves money. Second, it is important to let people know that it is our responsibility to become sustainable, and protect human health.
10. Can I make money recycling?
Yes, some materials are worth more than others, and as the price of oil raises so does the price of recyclable material.
11. What everyday habits cause pollution?
Driving, using electricity, and creating waste that is sent to a landfill, to name only a few.
12. Does one person really make a difference?
Everything has to begin with one person, so while there may not be a big affect from that one person, that person will affect others, who will affect others and so and so forth.
13. What happens to the things we recycle?
They are melted down and reused. Your plastic bottle can become someone’s carpet, and old newspaper can become new newspaper.
14. How can we save CO2?
You can cut CO2 by changing your behavior. Use less energy, in both your home and your vehicle, reduce, reuse, and recycle, conserve water, plant trees, become educated, and encourage others to do the same.
15. Why not use corn oil instead of gas?
Corn oil is a cleaner burning fuel, but because it comes from a food source it has negative consequences on the global food market. Food is diverted from consumption to fuel, and more farmers stop farming other important food sources and focus on the fuel crop to get more money.
16. Which energy will run out first?
It is hard to know exactly which source will run out first, but the important thing to remember is that all non-renewable energy sources will run out at some point. That is why it is very important to invest now in renewable energy sources, like the sun and wind. These sources will never run out and are much cleaner to use.
17. What is Kinetic energy?
It is the energy that develops as a result of motion. Thus, when wind blows the blades of a wind turbine it puts that object in motion creating kinetic energy that is harnessed into power that we use.
18. How do solar panels work?
Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and convert that energy to usable electricity. Solar panels are comprised of several individual solar cells. Photons from the Sun push electrons in the semiconductor up into higher orbits where they are collected by the electrodes which deliver the current to the battery charging circuit.
19. How much energy can you get from recycled plastic?
Because plastics are made from fossil fuels, you can think of them as another form of stored energy. Pound for pound, plastics contain as much energy as petroleum or natural gas, and much more energy than other types of garbage. This makes plastic an ideal fuel for waste-to-energy plants.
20. What type of water is recyclable? (bath, rain, drains)
All water can be recycled. Bath and waste water can be collected to use in landscaping or irrigation, rain water can be collected and used in irrigation, or it can be cleaned and used as drinking water. The amount of water on the earth always remains the same. The water cycle explains how this all works.
21. What is the best substance to recycle for energy?
There are a lot of substances that can be recycled for energy, but the important question when looking for the best is, is the source renewable, if you answer yes, then that is the better source.
22. Doesn’t plastic give off poisonous effects?
There are harmful chemical that are in plastics, the best option is to try using other material, or recycling what plastics you do use.
23. Is it possible to be 100% recyclable?
It is possible to be 100% on recycling recyclable material, but some material is not recyclable, like hygiene products. So, recycling 100% of the material that can be recycled is a great goal.
24. Since woods burns, why isn’t it considered recyclable?
When wood burns it creates harmful emissions, it is better to recycle woody waste by composting rather than burning.
25. If everyone did their part conserving energy and saving & using recyclables. What would be the overall life time saving & benefit?
There would be a substantial life time savings, doing simple energy saving actions around your home could save 10-20% annually. The benefits range from economical benefits to health benefits. The bottom line is we all need to do our part to make our communities sustainable.
What is Energy Conservation?
(Questions from the students of the Fifth Ward Teen Enterprise Center 2008)
1. How is energy usage leading to a huge crisis?
It is not all energy usage that leads to a crisis; it is energy usage that comes from non-renewable sources. The more non-renewable energy we use, like natural gas and petroleum, the more pollution is being created, resulting in a public health problem. Also, it will become a crisis if we continue to only develop non-renewable sources, because at some point they can be used up, when that occurs, we would have a major crisis on our hands.
2. Is there more then one type of energy?
Yes, there are several types of energy. For the state of Texas the following sources of energy are ranked by the highest amount used, to the lowest amount used.
1. Natural Gas
2. Petroleum
3. Coal
4. Nuclear
5. Other (Wind, Solar, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and wood)
3. How much energy do appliances use when they're actually not being used?
This is called phantom or vampire power. It is suggested that on average 10 to 15 watts of energy are used when an appliance is not being used. This accounts for approximately a 5% loss of a homes total annual energy, adding up to $3 billion each year in the United States.
4. Are fossil fuels destroying the ozone layer?
Yes, burning fossil fuels release polluting chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Currently there is a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica that opens every fall.
5. If the ozone layer is destroyed, can man survive on earth?
The ozone layer protects living things from harmful UV rays. As the ozone layer thins the most common problems are increases in skin cancer and cataracts. Without proper protection from the UV rays man could not survive on earth without the ozone layer.
6. What are the top three forms of conservation?
We often talk about conservation in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling. It is important to remember that these forms of conservation are ranked according to the best conservation method first. We should first look at where we could reduce, then look to reuse, and then recycle.
. How many types of light bulbs are there?
The major types of light bulbs are incandescent lights, florescent lights, compact florescent lights or CFLs, and LED lights. CFLs and LED use less energy to light the bulb and therefore they’re more energy efficient.
8. What energy affects our community the most?
Currently, petroleum and natural gas have been negatively affecting our community. These forms of energy create harmful emissions that we breathe causing health risks. Moreover, with the demand on these sources increasing, the costs are raising creating economic hardships. However, it is important to remember that all energy sources have an affect on our community whether positive or negative.
9. How could I convince people to conserve, and recycle?
Right now an effective argument for conserving and recycling is economic. When people conserve energy they are saving themselves money. Second, it is important to let people know that it is our responsibility to become sustainable, and protect human health.
10. Can I make money recycling?
Yes, some materials are worth more than others, and as the price of oil raises so does the price of recyclable material.
11. What everyday habits cause pollution?
Driving, using electricity, and creating waste that is sent to a landfill, to name only a few.
12. Does one person really make a difference?
Everything has to begin with one person, so while there may not be a big affect from that one person, that person will affect others, who will affect others and so and so forth.
13. What happens to the things we recycle?
They are melted down and reused. Your plastic bottle can become someone’s carpet, and old newspaper can become new newspaper.
14. How can we save CO2?
You can cut CO2 by changing your behavior. Use less energy, in both your home and your vehicle, reduce, reuse, and recycle, conserve water, plant trees, become educated, and encourage others to do the same.
15. Why not use corn oil instead of gas?
Corn oil is a cleaner burning fuel, but because it comes from a food source it has negative consequences on the global food market. Food is diverted from consumption to fuel, and more farmers stop farming other important food sources and focus on the fuel crop to get more money.
16. Which energy will run out first?
It is hard to know exactly which source will run out first, but the important thing to remember is that all non-renewable energy sources will run out at some point. That is why it is very important to invest now in renewable energy sources, like the sun and wind. These sources will never run out and are much cleaner to use.
17. What is Kinetic energy?
It is the energy that develops as a result of motion. Thus, when wind blows the blades of a wind turbine it puts that object in motion creating kinetic energy that is harnessed into power that we use.
18. How do solar panels work?
Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and convert that energy to usable electricity. Solar panels are comprised of several individual solar cells. Photons from the Sun push electrons in the semiconductor up into higher orbits where they are collected by the electrodes which deliver the current to the battery charging circuit.
19. How much energy can you get from recycled plastic?
Because plastics are made from fossil fuels, you can think of them as another form of stored energy. Pound for pound, plastics contain as much energy as petroleum or natural gas, and much more energy than other types of garbage. This makes plastic an ideal fuel for waste-to-energy plants.
20. What type of water is recyclable? (bath, rain, drains)
All water can be recycled. Bath and waste water can be collected to use in landscaping or irrigation, rain water can be collected and used in irrigation, or it can be cleaned and used as drinking water. The amount of water on the earth always remains the same. The water cycle explains how this all works.
21. What is the best substance to recycle for energy?
There are a lot of substances that can be recycled for energy, but the important question when looking for the best is, is the source renewable, if you answer yes, then that is the better source.
22. Doesn’t plastic give off poisonous effects?
There are harmful chemical that are in plastics, the best option is to try using other material, or recycling what plastics you do use.
23. Is it possible to be 100% recyclable?
It is possible to be 100% on recycling recyclable material, but some material is not recyclable, like hygiene products. So, recycling 100% of the material that can be recycled is a great goal.
24. Since woods burns, why isn’t it considered recyclable?
When wood burns it creates harmful emissions, it is better to recycle woody waste by composting rather than burning.
25. If everyone did their part conserving energy and saving & using recyclables. What would be the overall life time saving & benefit?
There would be a substantial life time savings, doing simple energy saving actions around your home could save 10-20% annually. The benefits range from economical benefits to health benefits. The bottom line is we all need to do our part to make our communities sustainable.
Green Teens
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Twenty Questions (ok, 25 questions)
Here's a list of 25 questions the teens at the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program ask about energy and energy conservation.
1. How is energy usage leading to a huge crisis?
2. Is there more then one type of energy?
3. How much energy do appliances use when they're actually not being used?
4. Are fossil fuels destroying the ozone layer?
5. If the ozone layer is destroyed, can man survive on earth?
6. What are the top three forms of conservation?
7. How many types of light bulbs are there?
8. What energy effects our community the most?
9. How could I convince people to conserve recycle?
10. Can I make money recycling?
11. What everyday habits cause pollution?
12. Does one person really make a difference?
13. What happens to the things we recycle?
14. How can we save CO2?
15. Why not use corn oil instead of gas?
16. Which energy will run out first?
17. What is Kinetic energy?
18. How do solar panels work?
19. How much energy can you get from recycled plastic?
20. What type of water is recyclable? (bath, rain, drains)
21. What is the best substance to recycle for energy?
22. Doesn’t plastic give off poisonous effects?
23. Is it possible to be 100% recyclable
24. Since wood burns, why isn’t it considered recyclable?
25. If everyone did their part conserving energy and saving & using recyclables. What would be the overall life time saving & benefit?
I think that the scope of questions shows that the tipping point has been reached in society and everyone is aware that there are costs and benefits to energy conservation. My plan is to see if we can come up with answers using our collective knowledge when we meet again next week.
Monday, July 14, 2008
CFLs!!
OK, it is official. The City of Houston will be providing compact fluorescent bulbs for distribution in the 5th Ward community. As the bulbs are being passed out, the young men and women will be passing along simple energy saving tips to help community members begin to reduce their carbon footprint. Look for photos of this activity next week.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Working the base of the pyramid
I spent a couple of hours today at the Fifth Ward Enrichment Program Teen Center. They've added an environmental component to their summer program that gives at-risk-youth life skills and role models.
What impressed me was the level of awareness these boys had about climate change, global warming and the economic instability we're now facing in America. What was also apparent is that few resources or media messages are being aimed at the young people in our country. I find this a bit ironic as they are the ones who will be much more impacted by what we do (or don't do!) than my generation.
When I asked if the boys either had asthma or know of someone who has asthma, every single hand in the room went up. Houston has some of the country's worst air quality. Ozone alerts are constant throughout the summer. Weather report includes air particulate counts -- so what do we actually find in Houston air? Small and large particulates and ozone are part of every 5 day forecast.
Awareness of water conservation and energy issues was also extremely high. These boys, like the rest of us have a great deal of anxiety about the future and are looking for things that they can do individually and with their families. Simple things like saving water, turning up the thermostat, turning off lights are things they can do immediately. Being thoughtful about using energy is something that will take a little more time -- empowerment takes time.
I will return to the Fifth Ward Program in two weeks -- having received questions from the boys and I plan to encourage them to give me the answers...they all have the ability to make contributions to the discussion and act to Save and Protect Community Earth which is the name of their environmental program.
What impressed me was the level of awareness these boys had about climate change, global warming and the economic instability we're now facing in America. What was also apparent is that few resources or media messages are being aimed at the young people in our country. I find this a bit ironic as they are the ones who will be much more impacted by what we do (or don't do!) than my generation.
When I asked if the boys either had asthma or know of someone who has asthma, every single hand in the room went up. Houston has some of the country's worst air quality. Ozone alerts are constant throughout the summer. Weather report includes air particulate counts -- so what do we actually find in Houston air? Small and large particulates and ozone are part of every 5 day forecast.
Awareness of water conservation and energy issues was also extremely high. These boys, like the rest of us have a great deal of anxiety about the future and are looking for things that they can do individually and with their families. Simple things like saving water, turning up the thermostat, turning off lights are things they can do immediately. Being thoughtful about using energy is something that will take a little more time -- empowerment takes time.
I will return to the Fifth Ward Program in two weeks -- having received questions from the boys and I plan to encourage them to give me the answers...they all have the ability to make contributions to the discussion and act to Save and Protect Community Earth which is the name of their environmental program.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Deep Economy by Bill McKibben
Subtitled: The wealth of communities and the durable future
Let me start at the end of this very fine book, "The logic is fairly clear: in a world threatened by ever higher energy prices and ever-scarcer fossil fuel, you're better off in a relatively self-sufficient county or state or region. In a world increasingly rocked by wild and threatening weather, durable economies will be more useful than dynamic ones. And in both cases, the increased sense of community and heightened skill at democratic decision making that a more local economy implies will not simply increase our levels of satisfaction with our lives, but will also increase our chances of survival in a more dangerous world."
The beginning of the book made my eyes glaze over --a litany of the perils of growth -- economic growth -- but I give the man his due, he needed to do this to establish a baseline. It is the other four chapters of the book and the afterword, where the quote comes from that is riveting. He not only lays out the issues, but provides examples of simpler, community based solutions that strike at the heart of the problem. Increased determination to share in the American Dream by Americans and the rest of the world must be abandoned. The world is in peril -- perhaps not on my lifetime, but certainly in my niece and nephew's lifetime the world will be catastrophically altered if we do not change our practice.
Some provocative ideas:
" If we Americans can use less coal and gas and oil, we'll in effect free some of the atmosphere to absorb the carbon that the poor world must emit to meet basic needs. And, we should do more than that: having become rich by filling the air with our effluents, we should share some of that wealth with the developing world in the form of aid and technology. You can even put a number on how much money we're talking about. If you value carbon at current rates, each American owes the rest of the world between $273 and $1,086 a year for the privilege of polluting more than our fair share. At the lower end, that's about $73 billion annually which would accomplish an awful lot of "development." (Jules Pretty)
"The goal of life should not be limited to production," Thakur S. Powdyel, a senior official in the Bhutanese Ministry of Education, told Andrew Revkin of the New York Times. "There Is no necessary relationship between the level of possession and the level of well-being...We have to think of human well-being in broader terms...Material well-being is only one component. That doesn't ensure that you're at peace with your environment and in harmony with one another."
"In the twentieth century, two completely different models of how to run an economy battled for supremacy. Ours won, and not only because it produced more goods. It also produced far more freedom, far less horror.
In the twenty-first century, the choices are a little less stark. No one wants to do away with markets, or to centrally plan economies, outside of China, most people are committed to some form of democracy. But the choices are not less crucial, and the stakes may be even higher. The ecological upheaval promised by global warming is more disruptive than any military threat humans have yet faced."
What got us here? Massive consumption and waste. Reliance on fossil fuels, worship of efficiency at the expense of community.
What solutions exist? The solutions McKibben presents provides food for thought and examples that can spur action. Though he does not use the term "ecosystem services," may of the solutions he cites show ecosystems in balance which use the natural processes of of ecosystems to maintain balance.
This book is a must read.
Let me start at the end of this very fine book, "The logic is fairly clear: in a world threatened by ever higher energy prices and ever-scarcer fossil fuel, you're better off in a relatively self-sufficient county or state or region. In a world increasingly rocked by wild and threatening weather, durable economies will be more useful than dynamic ones. And in both cases, the increased sense of community and heightened skill at democratic decision making that a more local economy implies will not simply increase our levels of satisfaction with our lives, but will also increase our chances of survival in a more dangerous world."
The beginning of the book made my eyes glaze over --a litany of the perils of growth -- economic growth -- but I give the man his due, he needed to do this to establish a baseline. It is the other four chapters of the book and the afterword, where the quote comes from that is riveting. He not only lays out the issues, but provides examples of simpler, community based solutions that strike at the heart of the problem. Increased determination to share in the American Dream by Americans and the rest of the world must be abandoned. The world is in peril -- perhaps not on my lifetime, but certainly in my niece and nephew's lifetime the world will be catastrophically altered if we do not change our practice.
Some provocative ideas:
" If we Americans can use less coal and gas and oil, we'll in effect free some of the atmosphere to absorb the carbon that the poor world must emit to meet basic needs. And, we should do more than that: having become rich by filling the air with our effluents, we should share some of that wealth with the developing world in the form of aid and technology. You can even put a number on how much money we're talking about. If you value carbon at current rates, each American owes the rest of the world between $273 and $1,086 a year for the privilege of polluting more than our fair share. At the lower end, that's about $73 billion annually which would accomplish an awful lot of "development." (Jules Pretty)
"The goal of life should not be limited to production," Thakur S. Powdyel, a senior official in the Bhutanese Ministry of Education, told Andrew Revkin of the New York Times. "There Is no necessary relationship between the level of possession and the level of well-being...We have to think of human well-being in broader terms...Material well-being is only one component. That doesn't ensure that you're at peace with your environment and in harmony with one another."
"In the twentieth century, two completely different models of how to run an economy battled for supremacy. Ours won, and not only because it produced more goods. It also produced far more freedom, far less horror.
In the twenty-first century, the choices are a little less stark. No one wants to do away with markets, or to centrally plan economies, outside of China, most people are committed to some form of democracy. But the choices are not less crucial, and the stakes may be even higher. The ecological upheaval promised by global warming is more disruptive than any military threat humans have yet faced."
What got us here? Massive consumption and waste. Reliance on fossil fuels, worship of efficiency at the expense of community.
What solutions exist? The solutions McKibben presents provides food for thought and examples that can spur action. Though he does not use the term "ecosystem services," may of the solutions he cites show ecosystems in balance which use the natural processes of of ecosystems to maintain balance.
This book is a must read.
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