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‘I Don’t Care about the Environment…’

A few months ago I sat on a panel in front of a group of respected environmentalists and business leaders to answer the question: “How do we get people to care about the environment?”

My fellow panelists all gave great heartfelt answers about inspiring people and educating them about the damage we are doing to our planet. My answer was a bit more abrasive. “I don’t care if you care about the environment. I’d just like you to do something.” After some gasps and follow-up questions, which consisted of, “How can you say that?” and, “You really don’t mean that do you?,” the crowd finally simmered down and began to understand my point.

The truth is that opinions and beliefs aren’t all that important. What are important are the actions a person takes.  One would think that people who care more about a cause tend to do more, but a string of research shows otherwise. When a group was asked about their commitment to the environment and whether it was their responsibility to pick up litter, 94 percent of the 500 people agreed that this did, indeed, fall on their shoulders. To test their commitment, the research team scattered litter where the group would exit to find that a mere 2 percent of the group followed through with their agreement to pick up litter, according to a study in the Journal of Social Psychology. This isn’t activism, it’s “slacktivism.” Everyone likes to say they do the right thing but very few actually do it.

What’s the answer to this problem? Lather, rinse and repeat – repeat being the key word, here. Shampoo manufacturers figured out long ago that the word repeat is the key to increased action.

Sure we need more activists, and I’d love for everyone to care the way I do, but the truth is: It ain’t gonna happen. We need people to learn the right steps to take (lather), take action (rinse) and continue down a path of social responsible action (repeat). But how do you get someone to take action, to begin the shampoo ritual we are all more than familiar with, without having warm, fuzzy feelings toward the environment? Rewards and recognition.

Read the complete article at Environmental Leader

New ACEEE Report Ranks States by Energy Efficiency

On October 13, 2010, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its fourth annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard report, which ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia according to their overall energy efficiency.

Among the major state advances highlighted in the scorecard are:

  • a near-doubling of state energy efficiency budgets from 2007 spending levels;
  • the adoption or active consideration by more than half the states of Energy Efficiency Resource Standards that establish long-term, fixed efficiency savings targets;
  • a one-year doubling of the number of states that have either adopted or have made significant progress toward adopting the latest energy-saving building codes for homes and commercial properties.

California leads the nation in its level of investment in energy efficiency across all sectors of its economy; other states in the top 10 include Massachusetts, Oregon, New York, Vermont, Washington, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Minnesota, and Maine. The four states that showed the most improvement in their rankings in 2010 are Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Alaska.

The 2010 scorecard and supporting materials are available at

http://www.aceee.org/sector/state-policy/scorecard

What is Sustainability?

The Western Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Network (WSPPN) is a cooperative alliance of pollution prevention (P2) programs throughout Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Trust Territories, and Tribal Lands).

What are the top three environmental or sustainability issues that need to be addressed in our region and why?  Please identify which state you are referring to. 

Donna Walden

Regional Coordinator, WSPPN

University of Nevada Reno, Business Environmental Program

Nuclear vs. Solar: Clash of the Numbers

A very interesting and controversial study emerged recently, comparing nuclear and solar costs no less.

The study, “Solar and Nuclear Costs – The Historic Crossover”, was prepared by John O. Blackburn and Sam Cunningham for NC Warn, a climate change nonprofit watchdog. The paper, focused on the costs of electricity in North Carolina (US), describes the solar photovoltaic (PV) business, summarizing its history of sharply declining prices, along with the very different path taken in recent years by nuclear power, whose costs have been steadily rising.
To continue reading the article, visit http://blog.cleantechies.com/2010/08/23/nuclear-vs-solar-clash-of-the-numbers/?ewrd=1

EPA Lays Out Five-Year Plan on Agency Priorities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its fiscal year (FY) 2011 to 2015 strategic plan, which provides a blueprint for advancing EPA’s mission and Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s priorities.

This plan presents five strategic goals for advancing the agency’s environmental and human-health mission, accompanied by five cross-cutting fundamental strategies that seek to adapt the EPA’s work inside and outside of the agency to meet the growing environmental protection needs of the day. The plan will guide the agency to foster a renewed commitment to new possibilities for achieving the vision of a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable environment.

The five-year plan includes new benchmarks that track progress against Administrator Jackson’s seven priorities such as taking action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change, protecting America’s waters, increasing the use of smart growth and sustainable development strategies in communities, building and maintaining strong state and tribal partnerships, working for environmental justice, and ensuring that chemical health and safety information is available to the public.

The five strategic goals for advancing the agency’s environmental and human-health mission are:

Taking action on climate change and improving air quality
Protecting America’s waters
Cleaning up communities and advancing sustainable development
Ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution
Enforcing environmental laws

The Administrator has committed the agency to pursuing these priorities in the years ahead to fulfill EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. In addressing these priorities, EPA will continue to affirm the core values of science, transparency and the rule of law. The agency sent notification letters to more than 800 organizations and individuals requesting comment on the draft plan.

Congress requires all federal agencies to develop a strategic plan covering a five year period, which is updated every three years. EPA developed the FY 2011-2015 strategic plan after receiving extensive comments from stakeholders and the public. The plan is prepared in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.

More information on the strategic plan: http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm

Air Force Plans Three Large Solar Array Projects

Air Force engineers are planning to outdo the 14.2-megawatt solar array spanning 140 acres at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) in Nev., which has held the title of the largest renewable-energy project in the Air Force, with plans to build three new solar arrays by 2013 that are as big as or bigger than the Nellis project. In addition to Nellis AFB, Davis Monthan AFB and Luke AFB, both in Arizona, are planning expansive solar arrays.

Davis-Monthan AFB plans to purchase electricity from a 14.5-megawatt photovoltaic solar array to be built and operated by SunEdison on 130 acres of base property. The array is expected to deliver 35 percent of the energy needed to operate base facilities. The solar project initially was reported in June as being as big as 20 megawatts.

Luke AFB has teamed up with Arizona Public Service Company to build a 15-megawatt solar array on 100 acres of base property, which was originally estimated at 17-megawatts. The project could produce enough energy to satisfy 50 percent of the base’s energy needs and save up to $10 million on utility bills over 25 years.

In addition, Air Combat Command and Nellis AFB leaders have plans to construct a 17-megawatt phase-two project in 2012 to add to the 14.2-megawatt array built in 2007.

Read the complete article at EnvironmentalLeader

U.S. Environmental Policy Part II: Policymaking Today

The policymaking process in the United States relies heavily on society’s desire for action.  This point cannot be underemphasized. Without gaining public support for an issue, the legislature has little political incentive to develop a plan of action.  The two primary ways of generating public support for an issue are 1) through organized groups who are able to educate others about the problem, and 2) through the media.

In the U.S., a policy cycle begins with the creation of a course of action, followed by enactment of a law, and then actions that are designed to carry out that law successfully. Then, when any policy has been in place for a reasonable period of time, it should be re-evaluated to determine if it has achieved the original goals, what the costs were, and what changes, if any, need to be made. This was keenly pointed out by Vig and Kraft in their seminal book, Environmental Policy: New Directions for the Twenty-First Century, 2006).

Environmental law – checks and balances

Jurisdiction and the wording of the law are never crystal-clear. Legal challenges help to define boundaries on the reach of the regulatory agencies. A timely example of this policymaking process at work can be seen in the discussion of climate change and energy usage.

Read the complete article at EnvironmentalLeader

DOE Webinar: Strategies to Cut Energy Use by 50 Percent in Commercial Buildings

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Program is offering a Webinar on Thursday, October 28, 2010, from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Eastern titled “Strategies to Cut Energy Use by 50% in Commercial Buildings.” Register now to attend this free Webinar.

Recently, DOE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) released reports examining various strategies to reduce energy use by 50% in large hospitals, quick service restaurants, and large and medium office buildings. This Webinar will review the purpose and methodologies of the reports and their key findings. To view the reports, please visit the Commercial Building Initiative Design Guides Web page.

This Webinar is geared toward commercial business owners, commercial builders, architects, professional engineers, lighting designers, and building engineers. This information would also be beneficial to members of DOE’s Commercial Building Energy Alliances and Commercial Building Partnerships.

Presenters:

  • Jerome Lam – Energy Technology Program Specialist, DOE
  • Adam Hirsch – Senior Engineer, NREL
  • Bing Liu – Senior Research Engineer, PNNL
  • Shanti Pless – Senior Engineer, NREL
  • Brian Thornton – Senior Engineer, PNNL

This Webinar is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain the URL and password for logging on via the Internet and the phone number to connect to the audio.