SlideCast Audio: Why Being Green is Not Enough from Trinity Church

Why Being Green Is Not Enough 40th Anniversary of Elton B. Sherwin Earth Day April 25, 2010

Six Things Tend to Dominate The Carbon Footprint of Affluent Americans What are they?

Agenda Global perspective California perspective What you can do Quiz answers What cities can do

“…fill the earth and subdue it. …work it and take care of it.” Genesis 1:28b, 2:15b

We are overachievers at “filling” and “subduing.” The problem is with “take care of it.”

There Have Been a Few Surprises No One Anticipated 40 Years Ago Image: Roger Braithwaite, University of Manchester (UK)

Most of the World’s Glaciers are Shrinking Muir & Riggs Glaciers Alaska

In 2007, Much of the North Pole Disappeared Missing Ice North Pole NASA

What is the Greenhouse Effect? Graphic from www.solcomhouse.com

CO2 Tasteless Odorless Non toxic Invisible (lets visible light through) Traps Infrared Heat

Simple Greenhouse Effect CO2 Graphic modified from www.stopglobalwarming.com.au

Some CO2 is Good CO2 Graphic modified from www.stopglobalwarming.com.au

Double CO2 from 1800’s CO2 Ken Caldeira ºC Carnegie Institution -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 at Stanford Univ.

How Do We Really Know CO2 is the Problem? What About Sunspots Or the Earth’s Orbit?

NASA, Retro Stöckli

CO2 Temp.

are Current CO2 Levels CO2 0,000 Years Unprecede nted in the Last 40 Temp.

Civilization CO2 c 7000 years of stable temperatures

"For the first time in human history, science has shown that we are altering the destiny of our planet… It’s quite alarming.” Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy and Nobel Laureate From his remarks to scientists and staff at the Stanford Linear Accelerator in Palo Alto. June 26, 2009

California

July Temperatures California’s agricultural regions will be hard hit 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation

Midcentury Increase of 5 Degrees Fahrenheit 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy www.climatechange.ca.gov/adaptation

Could See Increases of 10 to 14 Degree Fahrenheit in Central Valley* 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy *“Emissions pathways, climate change, and impacts on California” Christopher B. Field and 17 coauthors, June 23, 2004, PNAS

Smaller snowpack More water shortages Less water for agriculture “Emissions pathways, climate change, and impacts on California” Christopher B. Field and 17 coauthors, June 23, 2004, PNAS

16 Inches Vallejo of Sea Rise San Rafael Oakland San Francisco San Jose SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/planning/climate_change/climate_change.shtml

16 Inches of Sea Rise Foster City es or Sh d oo dw Re East Menlo East Palo Alto SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

South Bay 16 Inches of Sea Rise Cisco, Sun, and Google all at risk 10 1 Moffett Field 237 SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

North Bay 16 Inches of Sea Rise Vallejo SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

North Bay 16 Inches of Sea Rise San Rafael Richmond Larkspur Corte Madera SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

It Is Not Just the West Coast

Many cities at risk • Miami • Key West • Tampa • New York • Venice • Amsterdam

In 150 years, students may study New Orleans like Carthage: A city that no longer exists

World’s Poor Hard Hit Move 17 million people this century?

Some Consequences Are Unpredictable Tipping points Irreversible thresholds

Ice Sheets Collapse Consequences are Huge 20 Feet of Ocean Rise NSF Website and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Image: Roger Braithwaite, University of Manchester (UK)

Acidification and Warming of the Ocean Risk of some piece of the ecosystem collapsing NOAA

“The climate is nearing tipping points. Changes are beginning to appear and there is a potential for explosive changes, effects that would be irreversible” James Hansen, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies The Observer, February 15, 2009,

“A common misperception is that this is a crisis that is down the road. “Climate change is real. It's happening now.” Senator John McCain August 24, 2009 LA Times Kristen Wyatt Associated Press http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-global- warming-national-parks,0,6162897.story

What You Can Do

Answers to Quiz

Six Items Tend to Dominate The Carbon Footprint of Affluent Americans 1. Air travel 2. The “stuff” you buy 3. Gasoline and diesel you use 4. Natural gas, propane, heating oil, and wood you burn 5. Electricity you use 6. Beef and dairy you eat

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint 1. Travel less by plane. 2. Drive less. 3. Buy less stuff (save more / buy less) 4. Burn fewer hydrocarbons to make hot water and heat. (shorter showers) 5. Use less electricity. (turn off lights) 6. Eat less beef, cheese, and cream. Stop burning wood, paper, and leaves.

Real-time Monitoring Black & Decker Power Monitor You can install Costs $88 6% to 20% reduction Read all the reviews on Amazon to make sure it is compatible with your meter

Day After Installation At 10:10 AM. “It says I am using $1000 a month.” “And nothing is on. I turned off all the lights. Nothing is on”

Except the Pool Pump We were spending $1,000 a year moving water around

Installed a New Pool Pump Spent $2,500 Saves about $100/mo. www.pentairpool.com

Handout Download from www.EltonSherwin.com

Home, School, or Business Audit

Sherwin family replaced 55 bulbs Saved over $100 a month: 3 mo. breakeven

It Takes Time Six trips to Home Depot

Replace light bulbs Download from www.EltonSherwin.com

Have an Impact

Focus on One or Two Areas Your home A school Contest Church City Club Relatives Neighborhood On the web Or…

Use Your Skills Research Teach or train others Install CFLs Blog (Facebook) Call talk radio shows Attend meetings Start a new organization Start a committee in an existing organization or business Write letters and op-ed pieces

Service Project Efficient Cookstoves www.stovesonline.co.u k/darfur-stove.html

Top 10 Recommendations for Cities 1. Eliminate all methane (food scraps) 2. Eliminate all soot (diesel & fireplaces) 3. Publish & post energy grades of buildings Need one city or county to take a leadership role. www.Amazon.com www.EltonSherwin.com This presentation What are Your Home’s Top Energy Wasters? What are Your Company’s Top Energy Wasters?

We Are Leaving Our Children a Different State Foster City es or Sh d oo dw Re East Menlo 16 Inches of Sea Rise East Palo Alto SOURCE: Inundation data from Knowles, 2008. Additional salt pond elevation data by Siegel and Bachand, 2002. Aerial imagery is NAIP 2005 data. BCDC.gov

Temperature Rise “The time for action is now.” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Questions

Appendix

Under the Surface, it is Troubling In 2009, less than 15% of the North Pole was “old ice.” North Pole, NASA

Number of Days Over 100ºF Higher Emissions Scenario, 2080-2099 Recent Past, 1961-1979 Lower Emissions Scenario, 2080-2099 White House Report on Climate Change

EPA and National Research Council Estimates of Ocean Rise 1 meter 16 inches

A word about Mercury Berkeley Electric Cooperative

SlideCast Audio: Why Being Green is Not Enough from Trinity Church

by Elton Sherwin on May 20, 2010

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