Action steps: Energy Sources, Air Quality and Climate Change

I wrote this for member education within Mormon Women for Ethical Government, might as well share it here!

“Living without fossil fuels is not only possible, it is better.” - Peter Kalmus, a climate scientist and author of Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution, is deeply optimistic about the changes that need to be made to secure a livable planet for our children (his book is linked in the comments). He reduced his personal carbon emission from 40 tons per year to 1 ton per year! He says, “Obviously, reducing my own emissions won’t save the world: I’m one out of more than seven billion people. But it does do something critically important. It shows what is possible. It’s time for a new vision to emerge, a new way of living aligned with the biosphere.” Linked in the comments below are personal and policy level changes that you can make TODAY to create a better home for our future.

Personal changes

• First step is understanding where you are. This carbon calculator is very helpful and gives you actionable steps at the end. http://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/carboncalculator

• Check your local library for Being the Change: Live Well and Spark and Climate Revolution by Peter Kalmus. 

• Tips on saving energy at home.

• Contact your local housing authority or power company about an energy audit for your home. 

• Commit to no car idling (parking lots, carpools, drive-thrus) 

• Pick 1-2 days a week that are no car days for your family and use public transit instead. 

• If you have errands to do less than 1-2 miles from your house, walk to them.
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• Commit to driving one car to church. If you or your spouse needs to stay after church for meetings, consider bringing extra snacks for the kids after church and encourage playing in the church gym etc. 
• Plant a garden. And check your local library for Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community. 

Policy & community changes

• We see a lot of information about reducing our own personal carbon footprint, but just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of the world’s carbon emissions. We must support and vote for candidates that support carbon-reducing and clean energy efforts, via The Guardian.

• Find out if your state or city has signed on to the Paris Climate Agreement http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/359910-20-states-50-cities-sign-pledge-to-abide-by-paris-agreement-even-if
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• Red states ramping up renewable energy. This is an excellent hour-long conversation on 1A about red states/cities that are making strides to create more renewable energy. Tips on how getting this going in your area are part of the discussion. https://the1a.org/shows/2018-04-16/running-on-renewables
• Encourage your office or school to make energy conservation policies a priority. 
• Join local chapters of organizations that are working to mitigate climate change in small and big ways. The Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy are great ones. As well as Moms Clean Air Force.