Sustainable Energy for a Sustainable Future
People across the country are beginning to mobilize around
the idea of a clean and sustainable future. Government on all levels must
play an active part in fostering the move to environmentally sound sources of
energy. First of all, it reduces costs, and saves taxpayers money.
Secondly, it's the right thing to do. If we continue our current
course of action we will use up basic resources, change our climate and
impoverish future generations. For those who do not care about future
generations, saving money in the present is certainly an incentive.
Many people are wasteful in their
energy habits simply because energy is so plentiful that it seems invisible.
The only time it rises to consciousness is when the monthly bill comes in
the mail. After complaints, this
awareness frequently subsides until the following month frequently because of a
lack of knowledge about what can be done to change the situation. Individuals
changing light bulbs and adding weather stripping is no longer
sufficient. The role of government at all levels must be to increase
awareness by example, decree, resolutions, official policy and codes that
vigorously promote conservation, and efficiency,
We can make these changes without
reducing our standard of living. The key is changing the mindset of a
critical mass of our community. Once minds change, actions invariably
follow. Like other significant issues in our past, efficiency and
conservation need the help of federal, state and local mandates to
institutionalize a new model of acceptable behaviors and raise this issue in
the minds of the general public.
Behavior changes because of
increased knowledge, and because of laws changing to reflect this knowledge.
For example, it is no longer acceptable to smoke in public places; the dangers
of secondhand smoke are real. While this battle is still being fought in
some quarters, many of the public success achieved so far did not happen
voluntarily. They happened because communities passed laws. When it becomes as unacceptable to waste
resources as it is to light up a cigarette in a restaurant or in the presence
of young children we will be well on our way to reducing energy requirements,
cutting back on carbon emissions, saving money and living the life to which we
have become accustomed.
What does this mean for local
government? First and foremost it means
leading by example.
Is there a long term master plan in place that lays out
goals and a timeline for meeting them? If not, what thought has been given to
developing one?
What is the carbon footprint of the town? How can
it be measured? What is the volume of greenhouse gases that are produced
by all municipal activities? Improvement cannot be accurately measured without
a baseline for comparison.
What is the status of electricity conservation?
What plans are in place to hold consumption flat by offsetting any increased
demand through conservation, reuse and recycling practices? Is there a
plan to partner with local school districts so that cost saving measures can be
implemented to save taxpayer dollars in both budgets? The state of
Has there been an energy audit of all town buildings and
offices to insure that heating and lighting are as efficient as possible?
Is there a commitment to build "green" in the event of new
construction under town jurisdiction? This
includes public buildings in parks and recreational areas. Are windmills
or solar panels practical for any town buildings? How much would these
intermittent sources of electricity save during peak use periods? Do building
codes impede the construction of environmentally sound buildings that allow
homeowners to reduce electricity and heating costs? Is the school system
encouraged to build green when expansion is considered in order to reduce long
term operating costs?
What is the fleet fuel efficiency of town
vehicles? What plans are in place to replace fossil fuel vehicles with
vehicles that represent the leading technologies in fuel efficiency and fossil
fuel alternatives such as ethanol (E10) and bio-diesel? What possibilities do
hydrogen powered vehicles present?
Will goals and accomplishments be subject to third-party
verification? How will the community know that the plan is ongoing and
successful? What kind of outreach will be done to the many different
segments of our diverse population such as college students and hotel guests?
Once these questions are answered local
government will be well on its way to a sane and sustainable energy policy and
will be well positioned to show members of the community how to do the same
thing.
Written
and submitted by Marilyn Elie, Co-founder, Citizens Awareness Network