Posted by Evan Smith on Mon, Dec 28, 2009 @ 02:42 PM
[... But Where To Start?]
As the years pass, and the evidence accumulates on the effects of our current fossil-fuel based economy, we're also seeing other signs--signs that we, as organizations, as governmental bodies, as a society, as people, are not doing enough to identify and drive real change, at the pace that science suggests is needed. We're not moving quickly enough to prepare our citizens; to update our building infrastructure where we live, work, recreate and produce; and to alter our transportation networks and the vehicles we use-to design, introduce and implement meaningful structural, technological, economic and behavioral change. Ultimately, we're not generating meaningful economic improvement, fuel conservation, and environmental results quickly enough.
"Wind, Solar, Hydrogen, ..."
The popular media's news stories about the economy, about energy, and about stimulus money have focused heavily on alternative energy technologies-wind, solar, others-and more installations and implementations are underway than ever before. These energy technologies are certainly promising-AND we will find the path to implementation (and value capture) slow, the results small initially, and major economic and emissions benefits substantially decades out in the future. This is important work, and these are important results-and they will be insufficient in the next few years to address the challenges we face.
"Focus on End Consumers..."
Individual attitudes-and the willingness to change personal behaviors-is shifting; again, too slowly, but distinctly in a promising direction. The US population seems to be making its peace with the sunset of "dirt-cheap fuel", a historic birthright. US stimulus money focused on improving energy efficiency of homes is helping. Individual level exhortations and actions like "changing lightbulbs" to those more energy efficient will help us. Greater public campaigns including those in our schools and workplaces (see NPR's story, 12/16), with sharper focus on "reduce, reuse, recycle" helps to reinforce these individual behavioral changes. However, studies forecast that incremental improvements in individual behaviors like this, while helpful, will not move the needle dramatically enough, or yield enough benefit, in the time frames we need them. (British Institute of Mechanical Engineers - 2009 model of greenhouse gases)
How to Drive Change:
Start Big Enough to Matter, AND Small Enough to Move the Needle...
Governmental bodies (at the state, county, and municipal levels) recognize the challenges, and the opportunities. Members of our team (TeamCarbon) have implemented projects that improve facilities operating costs, drive energy efficiency, lower greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint, and implement more efficient and productive transportation vehicles and systems. Many are interested in these projects. But even augmented by Federal stimulus dollars, many governments and large organizations are challenged to prioritize new capital spending due to the downturn in tax or other revenues.
TeamCarbon with its clients has found ways to change the world: To design, construct, and change major systems, in ways that reduce energy consumption, improve fuel and organizational productivity, and yield dramatic societal value. Join us in Washington Jan 20-22, 2010 at the National Council for Science & the Environment's "New Green Economy" meeting-where we'll share approaches, insights and implementation stories in key areas. We'll be describing implementable, technically feasible, and economically justified projects.
Click here to learn more about the conference, here to register, and here to learn more about TeamCarbon's symposium (Moving to Future States: From Today to Green and Beyond), held on Friday 22 January, 2010.
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