About 200 world leaders went to Paris, with plans in hand for carbon footprint reduction in their individual countries, and for two weeks hammered out a common ground. In addition, tech giants Gates, Zuckerberg, and friends announced the $350 billion Clean Energy Fund to stimulate innovate entrepreneurs, and Tesla’s Elon Musk called for a robust carbon tax for polluters. Google, already the largest corporate purchaser of renewables, announced 842MW of new wind and solar projects. The Paris Agreement was like a pot that had finally come to boil. Now comes the fun part of actually cooking something!
Before we get to what we can do in Exeter let’s clarify what the big deal is about a warming globe (caused by too much carbon dioxide in the air): In addition to melting polar ice caps, the weather patterns get destabilized. This results in sea-level rise, floods, droughts, mega-storms, and unreliable frosts. This in turn creates crop failures, climate migrants, and big chunks of coastal land going under the sea. These sound all far off like in the Maldives, but if you go to Miami you can see monthly how the high tides are flowing up the streets. It is a problem now.
There is a NextGenClimate.org campaign afoot to pledge to have 50% clean energy by the year 2030 (top five emitters of contribute 60% of global greenhouse gas: China 30%, US 14%, EU 10%, India 7%, Russia 5%). Sixty NH elected officials and grassroots leaders have signed as of today. Faith communities (and individuals) can pledge #50by30 via Interfaith Power & Light’s “Paris Pledge.” The good news is that now it also makes economic sense to support the alternative energy revolution and leave a sustainable world for our grandchildren.
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Listed below are big and small suggestions for Exeter citizens to reduce our carbon footprint to help move towards a #50by30 future:
EAT LESS BEEF: Go to Good Karma Café on Lincoln Street and buy a delicious “Fusion Burger.” This is 50 % beef and 50% veggie burger. Win-win for the beef eaters! Or simply be vegetarian during the week, it will save you money too.
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SWITCH TO LED: 2nd gen Lightbulbs that use about 1/10th the electricity and are cheap to buy. They got it right this time! Put a few in your Christmas stocking. The town Christmas lights were LED this year.
SAVE A TREE: Look on the back page of junk mail/magazines for an 800 number to call to get off their mailing lists. Trees are a carbon sink. Buying local is better and supports small business owners like the folks at Serendipity, who are in turn supporting Fair-Trade goods.
SAVE A FOREST: Support Exeter’s land trust as they conserve local forested tracts and farms. Visit SELTNH.org to donate or see maps of the many local walking trails.
PORTFOLIO CLEANSING: Ask pointed questions of your advisor, or move to PAX Funds or Progressive Asset Management out of Newmarket to wipe your portfolio clean of tanking oil stocks. Solar stocks are jumping this week due to Congress’s vote to extend the 30% tax credit through 2019.
SOLAR QUOTE: ReVision Energy in Brentwood would love to give you a free quote. Maybe you can get in on the above-mentioned US tax credit. Help create local jobs in the alternative energy sector.
ELECTRIC CARS: Buy a hybrid/electric combo C-Max Energi at McFarland Ford and plug it in to any outlet. No emissions for the first 20 miles or so, every day! Plus you can take advantage of the $3000 alternative energy tax credit. This applies to Prius and Volt too.
LAWN FERTILIZER: Around April Exeter will host a big lawn care workshop at a large venue. Plan to attend. According to the EPA, nitrogen is a factor in global warming: “Nitrous oxide is emitted when people add nitrogen to the soil through the use of synthetic fertilizers.” Get a chemical-free lawn, it is better for children, pets, fish and oysters too.
More tips at www.facebook.com/Exeter-NH-Transition-Town
