About Our Green ChoicesThis site is dedicated to the people and technologies from all over the world, that are working towards a greener energy choice for all of us. We are constantly challenged to learn more about the forces of nature that provide us with wind, solar, hydro and geothermal energy.
On this site you will find Renewable energy-focused pages, including:
- Green Schools and the impact they have on our student’s health and their learning abilities.
- Raising Green Kids focuses on the next generations who will live through the impact of global warming.
- Creation Care and how congregations combine faith and sustainability.
- Energy news about available and future technologies.
- Showcase Europe is all about news from across the pond.
- Showcase USA features the growing success of embracing renewable energy in our neck of the woods.
- Green build and the trend to sustainability housing.
- Links to great web sites that help you understand and learn more about making greener choices.
- Money saving tips.
- Notable Numbers, a number show off all about energy.
- References to outstanding print media, videos and podcasts.
…plus lots more to come!
At the end of all the calculations about how much climate change is going to cost us we have to ask ourselves: How much is it going to cost us if we don’t make changes. Even little ones can help save a bundle of CO2.
Updating your appliances, replacing windows can be an initial investment but can profit you immensely in the long run. Do the math and calculate how much you’ll be saving in energy cost over the span of 5 or 10 years. A new energy efficient heat pump could lower your electric or gas bill by up to 30%! Will buying a hybrid or plug-in hybrid save you on gas cost? Do you think gas prices will go up or stay constant? How much will you save on an annual basis? Doing the math can cost you or save you a bundle.
For decades we have been saturating our hemisphere with pollutants from coal fired power plants, we are burning oil and natural gas to generate electricity and energy for our insatiable and growing demand all over the globe. As we are moving our 6 billion inhabitants through the first decade of a new millennium, scientists warn us of unstoppable consequences for our planet if we don’t keep it under control. Expecting another 3 billion more earthlings by 2050 we need to ask ourselves: From where in the world are we going to take the resources to provide food, water, shelter and energy? It is indeed hard to imagine but very likely that climate change could be the cause for displacing millions of people, turning them into refugees because famine, floods and droughts threaten their countries.
We could face decreased grain production and bleaching of coral reefs just by an increased temperature of 2 degrees thanks to global warming. A two degree difference could mean the risk of extinction for half of the animal species. It’s also hard to imagine that, knowing the facts about global warming, we don’t work much harder to slow this process. Just recently we are facing increased hunger due to higher food prices in parts of the world that were on the borderline of crisis. Haiti is one of those examples.
Why are we so ignorant when it comes to investing in environmental friendly power? Who is to blame? As the NPR Analyst, Ted Koppel put it:”It’s the economy, stupid”! We see it everywhere: From China to Europe, from India to Russia and in our own beloved 50 States. Our ‘want to haves’ turned into ‘need to haves’. We can but don’t want to live without our SUV’s or our oversized houses.
Our global economy depends on fossil fuel use and the economy grows primarily by increasing fossil fuel use, in particular coal, the most polluting form. We can drive the biggest cars and live in the most spacious homes if the energy to power them comes from clean sources. It is that simple. Making the change to renewables, emission free energy will be the future. The change will cost us more the longer we prolong the switch from fossil fuel to clean alternatives.
If we continue to increase our population and energy demand we are forced to max out our greenhouse gas spewing machinery. Or do we have a choice? What would be the alternative to the current economic behavior, especially pointing towards the U.S.? Ranking in 5th place in population size we are using one fourth of all the energy produced on the globe. China is trying really hard to gain grounds on energy usage, maybe even surpassing us soon. A 500 % increase in car ownership will do the trick as well as cranking out 2 new coal fired power plants a week.
Don’t blame China alone though, because until we have demonstrated that we are truly serious about making dramatic emission cuts we are in absolutely no position to preach to the poorer countries. A Chinese citizen still only produces, on average, 3 tons of carbon dioxide a year. Compare that with 20 tons for the average U.S. citizen and you understand that we cannot blame other countries for our problems. The EU is thinking about economic sanctions towards the U.S. if we don’t drastically curb our emissions. That would be more than just a slap on the wrist.
A new era, a green revolution is slowly gaining momentum though. The good news is that many have taken ‘An inconvenient truth’ further and have made actual changes in their daily energy usage. As a key presentation it struck the necessary chords for the winds of change. The sooner people realize that they are part of the problem but also part of the solution the sooner we can build a greener economy. My aim for this site is to give you exactly that: A look at how a green economy can have a real competitive edge in the U.S.A. and how we compare with other countries, the EU in particular when investing in a future with clean power.
Having created over 350,000 new jobs, the European Union has gone renewable energy ‘crazy’ over the last 8 years. Booming economies, particularly in Germany, have brought great confidence to the developers of renewables. By 2005 their renewable energy output was 8 % and their aim is to reach 20 % by the year 2020. Some American States have already adopted similar proposals; many more have yet to follow.
There is a tremendous economy out there that is just waiting to be tapped. There is so much profit to be made and savings for the consumers that we need to spread the word even among the faithful voices of fossil fuel dependence. The accomplishments in other countries can help us overcome our hesitations to use renewable energy ourselves. We can learn by communicating with leaders in their field.
It is time that we act as a part of the environment because we do actually need this planet. It feeds us and provides us with shelter. It gives us all the energy we can possibly want through means of renewable sources. We can’t stop global warming but we can slow the process. Our needs, our wants, our behaviors set the tone when choosing where our electricity is coming from. As the Prince of Wales put it:
“The lives of billions of people depend on your response and
none of us will be forgiven by our children and grandchildren if we falter and fail”.
I encourage you to spread the ‘green’ news and to share it with your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. Host an ‘Inconvenient Truth’ film event at your home or show the PBS version about global warming at your place of worship or your school. Invite speakers who can answer all the questions you might have about global warming. Make a list of money saving energy changes. Get involved in your city and press your mayor to join the Cool Cities agenda.
College campuses today are breeding grounds of green thoughts. This generation of upcoming leaders, engineers and teachers are quick to respond and see right through the challenges that are mounting before us. Let’s encourage one another to demand and support cleaner energy sources.
Every voice counts when making green choices. With high hopes for our future on this planet, our fragile earth.
Sabine McDowell, LEED AP
St. Louis, Mo - November 2008