THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER...DO WE HAVE THE WILL?

There is an immediate solution to our energy problems that we can implement in the interim while we develop alternative energy. We will be dependent on fossil fuels to some degree for some time because our transportation and infrastructure in this country is designed around fossil fuels and has to function for the immediate future. I am going to bring up some issues that at first glance may polarize those who have opposite views of Global Warming. This is not about Global Warming; it is about stewardship of the Earth. We need to reduce our carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is a "measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide”. The earth was not given to us by our parents it is on loan to us by our children.

While we make the transition to alternative fuels we need to:

Reduce, Recycle and Offset our carbon footprint. Conservation can have the net effect of adding 20-30% to our domestic oil reserves. I am not talking about sacrifice but discipline in our daily lives. A single event did not create our problems. A single thing will not solve our problems. Simple errors of judgment, repeated over time can bring down a person, team, organization, country, civilization. Simple acts of discipline, repeated over time will empower a person, team, organization, country or a civilization. We all have a tendency to blame “THEM”…well folks, we are them. We are the problem but better yet we are the solution.

Reduce our waste by being more aware of the consequences of our actions. Install a message board in your home in a prominent location where all family activities are posted in order of “Important” or “Urgent”. The activities or trips that are important are listed as needing to be done when accumulation justifies the trip. There are hundreds of sites on the internet about things to do to your home to conserve energy such as installing power strips on appliances and electronics to turn them off completely.

Recycle everything you can. Start composting if you have a place to do so. My wife and I started recycling and composting about 2 years ago and now instead of a huge trash bin, we put our a tall kitchen bag of trash on the curb. The rest is picked up curbside by the recycle truck. If most Americans were doing this it would relieve our landfills, reduce the cost of trash pickup and contribute to manufacturing processes. A little side note to this, join a junk mail revolt (www.junkmailrevolt.org). Each year 100 million trees are cut to produce the 4 million tons of junk mail we receive. 250,000 homes could be heated with one day’s supply of junk mail.

These actions would reduce our carbon footprint significantly which is a direct result to our energy usage. Then…

Offset your remaining carbon footprint. There are hundreds of sites on the internet where you can learn about carbon offsetting. Start with www.carbonacquisitionsinc.com. You can get a real education about how we affect the environment. Nation Geographic recently ran a TV special about “The Human Footprint”. Check it out on Nat Geo website; it will open your eyes about what it takes for one person’s survival.

If we all commit to solving our energy problems, we can. To quote Vince Lombardi, “individual commitment to a group effort; that’s what makes a team work, an organization work, a country work or a civilization work. We have reached a point we do not have a choice. Can we afford to do it? Can we afford not to do it? The bigger question is; are we willing to do it?

Check out our Pickens group at "Live Carbon Free" and see how we are promoting Conservation and Environmental Stewardship.

Tags: carbon, conservation, energy, environment, footprint, imports, neutral, stewardship

Comment

You need to be a member of PickensPlan to add comments!

Join this Ning Network

Comment by Zizi Roberts on August 25, 2008 at 6:14am: A very good little article. I look forward to hearing more about living carbon free. Here in India, the population has learned some very bad habits from the supposedly well-developed Western world. We need to be the leaders in the clean-up.

Comment by Wayne Alderman on August 23, 2008 at 2:41pm: Hi Ira,

Obviously you have not read all my blogs. (on my page and Live Carbon Free)

#1. I do not believe in global warming...I do not believe humans are capable of destroying what God made. I do believe we have a responsibility to preserve and restore our environment...it's the only one we have and I would like to have it as clean as possible.

#2 Carbon Footprint is simply a way of keeping score of how our lifestyle affects the environment.

#3. I am a conservative...both social fiscal. I certianly am not a left wing loonie.

#4 I believe in Hot Dogs, Apple Pie, Baseball and Chevrolet. If you will read all my blogs you will get a true perspective of my ideals.

Now, what exactly is it that you disagree with me on.

Comment by Ira Eisenstein on August 23, 2008 at 2:11pm: Wayne...
I find myself in the odd situation of disagreeing with most of what you say, but still sharing your objectives.
I am in 100% agreement that we need to conserve, and we need to find alternative sources of energy that we don't have to pay foreign governments for.
I can even go along with your statement that "The earth was not given to us by our parents it is on loan to us by our children.".

I do want to further the goals that you have stated. I bought a Toyota Prius back in 2005, and am now on my second one (a 2007). I did not buy them because Prius'es (prii?) pollute less or are otherwise more friendly to the environment. I bought them because the idea of paying half as much to get from one place to another just makes sense, and if it produces less pollution and less carbon, etc, then so much the better.

I am one of those who does not buy into the carbon footprint paranoia that is rapidly gaining a choke hold on the world, and will cause great damage to the economies of a great many countries, ours included.

The earth has gotten warm and the earth has gotten cold countless times over the last several billion years without our help, and it is doing it again. I think we are in a natural warming cycle, and the actions of humans in the last 50 years has been a "drop in the bucket" as far as being the cause of climate change.

The point of saying all this is that the goals you have espoused, and which I share are valid whether you are a hard-headed businessman, a left-wing loonie, or just a non-political guy who gets sticker shock every time he has to fill up his gas tank.
We need to appeal to everyone, not just ecologists and "Friends of the Earth" types.

It's in ALL of our interests, regardless of our political persuasion or motivations.
That's why I support the Pickens plan, and steps beyond it (plug-in-hybrid cars).
Ira Eisenstein
iraeise@earthlink.net

Comment by Denise Scott on August 6, 2008 at 4:15pm: Mr. Pickens has created a start, indeed, but we're all hoping an enthusiasm and effort toward a common cause not seen by this country in many, many years.

Comment by Beth Stewart on August 6, 2008 at 5:51am: Hi Wayne,
Thank you for the warm welcome. I agree with you 100% about the need for us all to reduce our Carbon Footprint. Effecting demand side of the equation is certainly 1/2 of the answer, but supply side must also be addressed. I believe that along with instilling personal responsibility in every citizen of this Earth, the other challenge is to shift attention from short-term fixes to long-term answers. Of course, we must live through the short term to get there and a plan for action NOW is necessary...speaks directly to your Carbon Footprint strategy. What I believe is needed is a stair-stepped, short-term, mid-term and long-term plan that will position us into a different direction. This plan must be multi-layered, like an onion, for individuals, neighborhoods, companies, cities, states and countries. Each person must feel the responsibility of being a link in the chain whether they are acting as a neighbor, politician or corporate executive.

What I am speaking of is a massive movement. An energy revolution if you will. But we need a plan, and this is why I am excited about Picken's plan. He has created a start, but it needs more bones and flesh. More immediate, mid and long term action items and to-do lists for every segment of our civilization. I do know this...If we can imagine it, we can do it.

Thank you again for the welcome!
Beth Stewart