Friday, November 16, 2012

Emerald Cities


Joan Fitzgerald’s Emerald Cities takes a look at how cities are leading the way toward more sustainable economic development. As the book was published at the start of the recession, many of the optimistic programs described have surely not fulfilled their goals. But the plans, policies, and organizations illustrated throughout Fitzgerald’s book are a good road map for urban planners, policy makers, and entrepreneurs alike.

America seems to have dropped the proverbial ball when it comes to global environmental leadership, action, and production. While our most progressive state (environmentally, anyway), California, has a 2020 goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 25%, Sweden will be oil-independent by then. Additionally, manufacturing of solar panel and wind turbine components has been spearheaded largely by European countries, and now China; so much for our own rust-belt revitalization.

Even still, many of the international examples of appropriate environmental policy are achieving mixed results. For instance, Germany produces 14% of its energy from renewables; however, Germany’s energy import dependence is at 62% and growing. As of 2010, 26 new coal-fired plants were being built in Germany, which would offset any carbon dioxide savings from solar and wind expansion.

Public policy has enormous potential to impact our environment and our economy. Adopting a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), or a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) will require increased production of energy from renewable sources. As of 2012, 30 U.S. States have implementedthese types of mechanisms and 7 more have voluntary goals. Tennessee and most of the southeast are not among those forward thinking states.

Currently, it is illegal for utility companies to buy back power from customers in most municipalities. By changing these laws, homeowners are incentivized to make “green” upgrades, and RPS’s become easier to attain. Presently, “green” upgrades are not given credit through traditional appraisals. California has passed a law that forces sellers to disclose energy efficiency, providing a means to compare and reward efficiency.

Nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings (twice the amount from the transportation sector) and 50% of building energy comes from coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. The Cambridge Energy Alliance, a non-profit organization, and Berkley FIRST, a local government initiative, are two possible means to the same end: energy efficient buildings.

The Cambridge Energy Alliance is a non-profit created to implement an initiative seeking to retrofit half of all existing buildings in 5-7 years. (This would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10%, according to 2010 statistics.) With $500k in seed money, from local foundations and institutional investors, Cambridge Energy Alliance works through local utilities to hire auditors that make recommendations and complete the work.

The audits are “free” to customers, through a system-wide charge to all consumers. The revolving fund would offer low interest loans for retrofits, to be paid back through lower utility bills. Unfortunately, the Cambridge Alliance had much difficulty maintaining the revolving fund through the recent economic downturn.

Berkley FIRST is a program designed to encourage the use of solar with a self-financing system. The city sends an approved solar installer to evaluate and install the appropriate solar system, for which homeowner pays no money up-front. When the owner signs the contract, the city pays for the system and adds the cost to the property tax bill, which is repaid over time. The Berkley FIRST special tax is a lien on the property that ranks above the first mortgage.

The increase in property tax is roughly netted out by energy bill savings. In addition, there are rebates and federal tax credits available. The homeowner will break even until the cost of installation is amortized over 20 years, at which point the homeowner will reap permanent savings on their energy bill. This approach does not require tapping into home equity for credit, and the city’s initial costs were financed by the sale of bonds.

Job growth potential is great in renewable energy component manufacturing and in the skilled labor required to install “green” retrofits. The mutually dependent relationship between sustainability and the business community cannot be ignored; also important are government policies to encourage “green” action. According to Fitzgerald, the three E’s (Economy, Ecology, and Equity) are essential to societal sustainability:

This book is rich with examples of how cities and organizations are tackling a multitude of environmental issues (too many to discuss in this blog) such as transportation, recycling, waste disposal, and social justice (as related to the environment.) Emerald Cities connects the dots between environment, industry, policy, and business in a way that is personally inspiring. Environmental solutions that are based in business-growth policies will be more appealing to all involved.

In conclusion, two quotes from the text: “Renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, recycling, waste reduction, fewer cars, more trains, walking, biking are not individual policies but parts of the whole of how cities must be transformed.” And, “A considerable amount of policy, investment, and planning will have to take place to realize a vision that links transportation, sustainability, economic development, and social justice.” Amen.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Green Goddess Smoothie


I drink this everyday, it's a great way to get some greens in before my morning run and breakfast.

Green Goddess Smoothie
(adapted from Kris Carr)

makes 2 servings:
1 avocado
1 cored and chopped granny smith apple
1 chopped organic cucumber
A fistful of organic kale
filtered water

*leftovers keep for a day in the fridge

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Hot, Flat, and Crowded


Thomas Friedman provides a comprehensive look at how to solve the world’s environmental crisis while revitalizing America in his 2008 book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded. Friedman presents these challenges as opportunities, and offers direction on how to navigate in the new ‘Energy Climate Era.”

Friedman explains the earth is becoming hot, flat, and crowded through global warming, technological innovation, and population explosion, respectively. Furthermore, Friedman goes on to describe how those changes are impacting five major problems: energy supply and demand, petro-dictatorship, climate change, energy poverty, and biodiversity loss.

A strikingly simple way of illustrating the disparity between our energy sources is the discussion of “fuels from hell” vs. “fuels from heaven,” as explained by Rochelle Lefkowitz. Fuels from hell, e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas, come from underground, are exhaustible, and emit carbon dioxide. In contrast, fuels from heaven, e.g., wind, hydroelectric, and solar power come from above ground, are renewable, and produce no harmful emissions.

Another factor to consider is how our fuel choices impact the autonomy of people across the globe. An inverse relationship between freedom and oil prices is demonstrated for populations living in Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and Nigeria. Through our dependence on foreign oil, vast amounts of wealth are being transferred from the west to energy producing countries, and in turn, directly to “petro-dictators.”

The chapters covering climate change and bio-diversity loss are as scary as a horror film. Unfortunately, certain groups of industrial and political factions have worked to “muddy” the issue and delay action. The effect of this non-action will be catastrophic. Friedman notes that “We are the only species in the vast web of life that no animal or plant depends on for its survival - yet we depend on the whole web of life for our survival.”

We have energy politics in the US, not a cohesive energy policy. Frustratingly, ‘liberal environmentalists’ are not effective agents of change; additionally, conservatives have forgotten what that word even means. Our government is lacking leadership and the ability to formulate a national energy strategy that conserves resources and fosters renewable energy. A favorite discussion in the book imagines the US being China for a day. Alas, extreme government efficiency is but a dream.

A Chinese Proverb states, “When the wind changes direction, there are those who build walls, and those who build windmills.” In Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Thomas Friedman makes a compelling case for American ingenuity leading the global charge to harness renewable energy resources in order to provide for and protect our way of life. Everyone, please read this book.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

{carbon nation}


In the process of surveying future career shifts and educational goals, I've spent the last several months searching out books and films about environmental issues and their solutions. Carbon Nation is a documentary film by Peter Byck about the growing worldwide carbon footprint. Instead of getting bogged down in the discussion about what is causing the problem, this film discusses solutions to meet our worldwide energy needs through lower carbon, carbon neutral, and renewable means.

Carbon Nation feels like an unbiased, all-encompassing look at sustainable energy practices. For instance, included in the discussion is the Evangelical Climate Initiative as well as interviews with renewable energy advocates who do not believe in climate change. The point the movie makes is that in the end, how we got here does not matter. We all need to work together to protect our environment and way of life.

One thing about wind power I didn’t realize before watching the film is that the land used for wind turbines can still be utilized for farming and ranching, which seems like a good business strategy for struggling farmers in the nation’s bread basket. Also, the Department of Energy has estimated that the wind potential in Texas, the Dakotas, Montana, and Kansas exceeds current energy needs in the US.

Another surprise for me was that deforestation accounts for 20% of the world’s carbon emissions, which is larger than the portion attributed to all transportation sectors. In addition to loss of biomass, soil erosion leads to other environmental impacts. If farmers and landowners of developing countries could be persuaded to harvest their forests in a sustainable way, and set aside land for grazing and Eco tourism, new sources of income could be tapped while protecting the environment.

Carbon Nation is full of ideas to meet the world’s energy needs in a renewable and environmentally friendly way. The film is upbeat and approachable, no matter your political or ideological views, which serves as a stark contrast to other environmental films such as An Inconvenient Truth. I highly recommend Carbon Nation if you have an interest in the environment, energy, or if you like Bill Kurtis’ voice (he’s the narrator).