Climate Change Solutions
Climate Change Solutions
“Stopping Climate Change is the defining issue of the 21st century for the health and safety of the human race”.
H. William Clark
sustainabilityforlife.com
Note: Communicating this information as news to others is free of charge. 4
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Introduction
The Global Warming Danger Defined
- The cost of addressing the impact of climate change for future generations (our children and grandchildren) could be 530 Trillion dollars. A crippling cost. (1)
- Air pollution in the U.S. is responsible for thousands of deaths and costs over 800 billion dollars per year (2)
- Temperatures are rising, and the amount of rainfall in the western states has been decreasing, causing droughts, crop damage and severely hindering residents’ ability to lead a healthy, normal life. (3)
- Rising temperatures increase wildfires, costing billions of dollars in damage. (4)
- Extreme heat around the world, greatly increasing disease (5)
- Global droughts, Inability to grow crops and food (6)
- Huge increases in mega-storms and resultant destruction (7)
- Spread of dangerous viruses due to air pollution (8) (9)
- Extreme misery and millions of avoidable deaths (10)
What can the average American do to stop Global Warming ?
1. Install a Level-2 240 V electrical plug in the garage for charging electric vehicles.
2. Purchase 100% battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The 6-year cost of ownership can be less than a fossil-fuel vehicle. (11)
3. Purchase electricity for your home from 100% renewable sources, such as wind and solar. Renewable Energy Credits can sometimes be purchased. If this is not available from a utility, write letters and communicate with government officials.
4. Less preferred alternative: Have a professional install solar panels on the roof.
5. Establish a plan to replace all fossil-fuel fired equipment (when each is close to reaching the end of it’s useful life) in your home with renewable-powered equipment. This includes furnaces, hot water heaters, and cooking appliances.
6. Solar Hot Water heaters should be evaluated. The solar panels can be mounted on your roof.
7. Systematically replace all lawn and garden equipment with a battery version. Mowers, trimmers, blowers, etc.. are all available with battery technology. Then permanently remove any stored gasoline, you do not need it.
8. Use the new electric BBQ grills. Get rid of all propane.
9. Evaluate your progress, and confirm all gasoline and propane has been removed, and no heating oil or natural gas is used in any equipment.
10. Celebrate in the knowledge you have taken a huge step forward to protecting the health and safety of your children and grandchildren !!
How can Renewable Technology Save Money ?
1. Experience with the Tesla Model 3 Electric Vehicle shows a lower cost of ownership over a 6-year (100,000+ miles driven) period of time, compared to a fossil-fuel vehicle. (11)
- Note: If a person takes trips in excess of 80 miles, they should seriously
consider paying the extra money for a long-range vehicle (300+ mile range) - The batteries in electric vehicles can last over 250,000+ miles. Used electric vehicles are now becoming available, which lowers initial cost.
2. Renewable Electricity for the Home can often be the easiest and a cost effective way of lowering carbon to atmosphere. (12)
- Solar in particular, in recent studies, is on par or cheaper than natural-gas generated electricity. This is often an option from a local electric utility.
- If this is not available, solar panels for your roof can be purchased or leased. Be sure to evaluate the details of any lease agreement. The electricity savings should pay for the monthly lease cost.
Transition to Renewable Power – Practical Issues
- Some will say: “This plan is great for Americans in the top 25% of income, but what about the rest of us ?”
- Everyone can develop a plan and start with the electricity source to the home.
- Everyone can find ways to reduce spending in some areas of their life, so more money is available for investment in renewable technology.
- People who live in apartments or high-rise buildings can send letters to the owners about the importance of Renewable Power and reducing carbon to the atmosphere.
What about Schools, Universities, Churches and Businesses ?
- Every organization in the country can implement the 10 step plan on the previous two slides across 10-12 years, or sooner.
- Yes, reallocation of financial resources can contribute.
- The easiest first step is to commit to electricity from 100% renewable sources, such as solar.
- Again, does America really have a choice? Waiting even ten more years brings significantly more harm to future generations.
- Budgets across the country will have to be re-evaluated
Everyone can Make a Difference – but they must speak up
- Any American can:
- communicate with their school or church about the importance of lowering carbon to the atmosphere.
- volunteer to help their school or church plan for renewable power.
- communicate with business leaders that you expect them not to harm the atmosphere with carbon pollution.
- How many Americans have done this in the last two years? Probably not many… but that has to change if we are to make progress.
Home Building Companies - Issues
- Home buyers can start communicating with Home Builders that they want an allelectric house. No natural gas of any type.
- One example: Electric Heat Pump air conditioning and heating units can replace gas-fired furnaces.
- The power of the consumer is not well understood.
- These kinds of communications need to start now, long before any person goes shopping for a home.
- Summary: Everyone…. child, teenager, adult, can make a difference by permanently changing their mind-set and daily habits. It just takes the will and the commitment.
Citations
- Business Insider, July 18, 2017, Fixing the planet could cost younger generations $530 trillion if nothing is done about climate change
- CNN Health, April 9, 2019, Particulate pollution in the air we breathe kills thousands a year, study finds
- Washington Post, April 16, 2020, The Western U.S. is locked in the grips of the first human-caused megadrought, study finds.
- Union of Concerned Scientists, March 11, 2020, The Connection Between Climate Change and Wildfires
- Fox News, November 13, 2019, The Climate Crisis will profoundly affect the health of every child alive today
- New York Times, August 8, 2019, Climate Change Threatens the World’s Food Supply, UN Warns
- Forbes, September 1, 2019, Climate Change Causes More Intense Hurricanes
- Medical News Today, April 3, 2020, How Might Climate Change Affect the Spread of Viruses?
- USA Today, April 27, 2020, How far does Coronavirus travel in the air? Preliminary study finds virus on tiny particles of air pollution
- UN World Health Organization, February 1, 2018, Climate Change and Health
- Inside EVs, December 31, 2019, How Much Does It Really Cost To Own A Tesla Model 3 Over Time?
- Forbes, May 29, 2019, Renewable Energy Costs Take Another Tumble, Making Fossil Fuels Look More Expensive Than Ever
H. William Clark, born in America, resides in Texas