why being green is not enough

Why Being Green Is Not Enough

Elton B. SherwinApril 25, 2010

40th Anniversary ofEarth Day

Six Things Tend to Dominate The Carbon Footprint of

Affluent AmericansWhat are they?

AgendaGlobal perspectiveCalifornia perspectiveWhat you can do

Quiz answersWhat cities can do

“…fill the earth and subdue it. …work it and take care of it.”

Genesis 1:28b, 2:15b

We are overachievers at “filling” and “subduing.”

The problem is with “take care of it.”

There Have Been a Few Surprises No One Anticipated 40 Years Ago

Image: Roger Braithwaite, University of Manchester (UK)

Muir & Riggs Glaciers

Alaska

Most of the World’s Glaciers

are Shrinking

In 2007, Much of the North Pole Disappeared

North PoleNASA

Missing Ice

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Graphic from www.solcomhouse.com

CO2

TastelessOdorlessNon toxic

Invisible (lets visible light through)

Traps Infrared Heat

CO2

Simple Greenhouse Effect

Graphic modified from www.stopglobalwarming.com.au

Some CO2 is Good

CO2

Graphic modified from www.stopglobalwarming.com.au

Double CO2 from 1800’s

0 2 4 6-6 -4 -2ºC

Ken Caldeira Carnegie Institution at Stanford Univ.

CO2

How Do We Really Know CO2 is the Problem?

What About SunspotsOr the Earth’s Orbit?

NA

SA

, Ret

ro S

töck

li

CO2

Temp.

Current CO2 Levels are

Unprecedented in the Last 400,000 YearsCO2

Temp.

CO2

Civilization

7000 years of stable temperaturesc

"For the first time in human history, science has shown that

we are altering the destiny of our planet…

It’s quite alarming.”Steven Chu,

U.S. Secretary of Energy and Nobel Laureate

From his remarks to scientists and staff at the Stanford Linear Accelerator in Palo Alto.

June 26, 2009

California

July Temperatures

2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategywww.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation

California’s agricultural regions will be hard hit

Midcentury Increase of 5 Degrees Fahrenheit

2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategywww.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation

Could See Increases of 10 to 14 Degree Fahrenheit in Central Valley*

2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy

*“Emissions pathways, climate change, and impacts on California”Christopher B. Field and 17 coauthors, June 23, 2004, PNAS

Smaller snowpack More water shortages

Less water for agriculture

“Emissions pathways, climate change, and impacts on California”Christopher B. Field and 17 coauthors, June 23, 2004, PNAS

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/planning/climate_change/climate_change.shtml

16 Inches of Sea Rise

San Jose

San Francisco

Vallejo

San Rafael

Oakland

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Foster City

Redwoo

d Shores

East Palo Alto

East Menlo

16 Inches of Sea Rise

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Moffett Field

101

237

South Bay 16 Inches

of Sea Rise

Cisco, Sun,

and Google all at risk

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Vallejo

North Bay 16 Inches

of Sea Rise

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Richmond

North Bay 16 Inches

of Sea Rise

San Rafael

Larkspur

Corte Madera

It Is Not Just the West Coast

Many cities at risk• Miami• Key West• Tampa• New York• Venice• Amsterdam

In 150 years, students may study New Orleans like Carthage: A city that no longer exists

World’s Poor Hard Hit

Move 17 million

people this century?

Some Consequences Are Unpredictable

Tipping pointsIrreversible thresholds

Ice Sheets Collapse

Consequences are Huge

20 Feet of Ocean Rise

Image: Roger Braithwaite, University of Manchester (UK)

NSF Website and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Acidification and Warming of the Ocean

Risk of some piece of the ecosystem collapsing

NOAA

“The climate is nearing tipping points. Changes are beginning

to appear and there is a potential for explosive

changes, effects that would be irreversible”

James Hansen, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for

Space StudiesThe Observer, February 15, 2009,

“A common misperception is that this is a crisis that is down the road.

“Climate change is real. It's happening now.”

Senator John McCainAugust 24, 2009

LA Times

Kristen Wyatt Associated Press http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-global- warming-national-parks,0,6162897.story

What You Can Do

Answers to Quiz

Six Items Tend to Dominate The Carbon Footprint of Affluent

Americans1. Air travel 2. The “stuff” you buy3. Gasoline and diesel you use4. Natural gas, propane, heating oil, and

wood you burn5. Electricity you use6. Beef and dairy you eat

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

1. Travel less by plane. 2. Drive less. 3. Buy less stuff4. Burn fewer hydrocarbons to make hot

water and heat.5. Use less electricity. 6. Eat less beef, cheese, and cream.

Stop burning wood, paper, and leaves.

(save more / buy less)

(shorter showers)(turn off lights)

Real-time MonitoringBlack & Decker Power Monitor

You can installCosts $886% to 20% reduction

Read all the reviews on Amazon to make sure it is compatible with your meter

Day After Installation

At 10:10 AM.

“It says I am using $1000 a month.”

“And nothing is on.I turned off all the lights.Nothing is on”

Except the Pool Pump

We were spending $1,000 a year moving water around

Spent $2,500Saves about $100/mo.

www.pentairpool.com

Installed a New Pool

Pump

Handout

Download from www.EltonSherwin.com

Handout

Download from www.EltonSherwin.com

Home, School, or Business Audit

Sherwin family replaced 55 bulbs

Saved over $100 a month: 3 mo. breakeven

It Takes Time

Six trips to Home Depot

Replace light bulbs Download from www.EltonSherwin.com

Have an Impact

Focus on One or Two AreasYour homeA school

ContestChurchCityClubRelativesNeighborhoodOn the webOr…

Use Your SkillsResearchTeach or train othersInstall CFLsBlog (Facebook)Call talk radio showsAttend meetingsStart a new organizationStart a committee in an existing organization or businessWrite letters and op-ed pieces

Service Project

www.stovesonline.co.u k/darfur-stove.html

Efficient Cookstoves

Top 10 Recommendations for Cities

1. Eliminate all methane (food scraps)2. Eliminate all soot (diesel & fireplaces)3. Publish & post energy grades of buildings

www.EltonSherwin.comThis presentationWhat are Your Home’s Top Energy Wasters?What are Your Company’s Top Energy Wasters?

www.Amazon.comNeed one city or county to take a leadership role.

We Are Leaving Our Children a Different State

SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Foster City

Redwoo

d Shores

East Palo Alto

East Menlo 16 Inches of Sea Rise

“The time for action is now.”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Temperature Rise

Questions

Appendix

Under the Surface, it is Troubling

In 2009, less than 15% of the North Pole was “old ice.”

North Pole, NASA

Recent Past, 1961-1979

Higher Emissions Scenario, 2080-2099

Lower Emissions Scenario, 2080-2099

Number of Days Over 100ºF

White House Report on Climate Change

EPA and National

Research Council

Estimates of Ocean Rise

16 inches

1 meter

A word about Mercury

Berkeley Electric Cooperative