Archive for the ‘Climate Change’ Category

From Copenhagen…

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Date: December 18th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

Watching world leaders speaking at COP15 Plenary. One thing is crystal clear. 95% of world leaders believe that climate change is not only real, but is a grave threat to the world. If wide public opinion in the US does not change, the American public will find itself ostracized on the world stage.



Sign the Solar Bill of Rights

  Posted By:  Amanda Gillen

The Solar Bill of Rights, introduced by SEIA’s Rhone Resch at Solar Power International ‘09 in October, is gaining traction. Follow the link to the website to sign the Solar Bill of Rights.

http://www.solarbillofrights.org/



A Letter to President Obama

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Date: December 16th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

December 15, 2009

The Honorable Barack Obama

President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are major U.S.-based companies, many of which are attending COP-15, urging your leadership in helping to secure a robust international agreement now to address global climate change.  This agreement has to include significant near- and long-term emissions reductions targets and strong finance provisions, with a substantial commitment of new long-term finance from developed nations, including the United States, following on the “fast start” commitments that already have been made.  Such provisions also should consist of a structure for the long term and should leverage private sector investments.  An international agreement also must facilitate clean technology development and transfer, with appropriate intellectual property protections.  Such an agreement will provide the market certainty that will unleash the investments needed to create jobs and enhance U.S. competitiveness.

We must put the United States on the path to significant emissions reductions, a stronger economy, and a new position of leadership in the global effort to stabilize our climate.  The costs of inaction far outweigh the costs of action.  Our environment and economy are at stake.  In addition, millions of people in developing and low-lying nations are at risk from climate and related economic dislocations, which further pose geopolitical threats.  These factors highlight the urgency for the Administration to achieve a global deal in the coming days that moves us ever closer toward a legally-binding agreement that will protect us and future generations.

Many businesses are doing their part by creating innovative technologies and reducing their carbon footprints, as well as implementing complementary efficiency and renewable energy measures.  However, a “sufficiently ambitious, effective and globally equitable deal [is essential to] create the conditions for transformational change in our economy and deliver the economic signals that companies need,” if they are to invest in a low carbon future.[1]

The urgency to act is clear and the need for strong leadership is paramount.  We pledge to support your leadership efforts in helping secure a strong global agreement.  Moreover, businesses should provide input into the negotiating process to ensure that the policies being developed will not create unintended consequences and will maximize opportunities for innovation.  We view the latest bipartisan discussions being led by Senators Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman as critical to domestic action, and pledge our support for their continued efforts in the weeks and months ahead, too.

We thank you in advance for helping to protect our economic, environmental and national security interests for the future.  Your forceful leadership is essential to securing an international deal to address climate change in Copenhagen.  We look forward to working with you in the coming days and going forward following the Copenhagen conference.

Sincerely,

Aspen Skiing Company

Ben & Jerry’s

Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE)

Clif Bar and Company

Dow Chemical

eBay

Eileen Fisher

Gap Inc.

groSolar

Ingersoll Rand

Jones Lang LaSalle

Jupiter Oxygen Corporation

Levi Strauss & Co.

Lykes Brothers, Inc.

Microsoft

MissionPoint Capital Partners

Nike

Northern Grid

PG&E

PSEG

Seventh Generation

Solazyme, Inc.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

Starbucks

Stonyfield Farm

Sun Microsystems

Symantec

The North Face

Timberland


[1] Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change and University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, “The Copenhagen Communique on Climate Change,” 2009.



Jeff's Updates from Copenhagen

  Posted By:  Amanda Gillen

Date: December 15th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

Twitter Logo

Jeff Wolfe is tweeting away from Copenhagen with lots of insight on activities, attitudes from the Climate Conference. Follow his tweets at:

http://twitter.com/jeff_grosolar



Question of the Day

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Date: December 14th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

Tags:

Will future generations ask: “How did you do it?” or “What were you thinking?”



350.org Vigils

  Posted By:  Amanda Gillen

350.org has been rallying people around the world to take action on climage change. Most recently they organized a weekend of action December 11-13. Bill McKibben, 350.org founder and also a groSolar customer, sent out a rather inspiring email late yesterday about the success of this event all over the world. We wanted to re-publish that email here:

Dear Friends,

Thanks beyond thanks.

It’s been a remarkable day for those of us here in Copenhagen, but mostly not because of anything happening at the climate conference.

Instead it’s because of what you all did out in the rest of the world over the last 24 hours. We don’t have a full count of vigils around the world, but in something like 3,000 cities and towns across the planet your vigils sent the most powerful of messages to the leaders here: stop playing games, and start protecting the planet.

Here in Copenhagen, there were more than 100,000 people marching in the streets–99% of them peaceful and dignified–to call for climate solutions bold enough to meet the scale of the crisis. As the sun set on this city, thousands lit candles to stand in solidarity with those on the front lines of climate change–a moving and unprecedented moment in this movement.

We’ve already started to get your photos in front of world leaders and the global media assembled here. If you haven’t yet submitted your photos, videos, and stories, please do so just as soon as you can by visiting this link:

http://www.350.org/vigil-report

We’re projecting the images on walls and screens all around Copenhagen, and starting Monday we’ll be putting them to good use as lobbying tools for UN delegates from Argentina to Zimbabwe.

A wide network of allies and individuals helped pull this amazing feat off, and thanks to them–and all of you–our collective call to action is unavoidable. More importantly, our message was clear: the world can’t afford just any climate deal–we need a real deal that is fair enough to protect those bearing the brunt of climate impacts, is legally binding and enforceable, and is ambitious enough to get the world back on a path to 350.

While there’s no guarantee that world leaders will pay attention to this call with the level of ambition that’s required, we can guarantee that you’ve given this movement another boost at a crucial moment.

We’ll be in touch in the coming days, but for now know that everyone here sends their deep thanks and love.

Onwards,
Bill McKibben for the 350 Team



Climate Scoreboard

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Found this cool tool from the Sustainability Institute in Hartland, VT at the Cobb Hill co-housing community where we installed solar hot water and where one of our solar installers lives.

Here is the link: http://climateinteractive.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/climate-scoreboard-cop15-widget/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ClimateInteractive+%28Climate+Interactive%29



A Call to Action

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Date: December 10th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

Repower AmericaI recently posted my support of clean energy on the Repower Wall at Repower America and I encourage you all to do the same. Let your voice be heard.

Here is my post:

“It’s time. The science is sound, while still developing details. The evidence is clear, and mounting higher. There can be no more stalling, equivocating, deception.  We have the technology to start making the needed changes now, and can create the largest economic opportunity ever, for all. The US now needs to be the leader again it has been in times past, and work to create a fair, just, and equitable agreement to move the world toward a sustainable climate. There is no more important issue for us; no more important environmental, social, or financial issue. Let us move, together, now.”



A Post from Copenhagen

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

Date: December 10th, 2009

Category: Climate Change

Denmark windI’m posting from foggy Denmark. Much like Vermont, but flatter and with thatched roofs (beautiful roofs, but how would we attach PV)! A few hundred years ago the area we are in, Tisvildeleje, was buried by sand dunes due to deforestation. These dunes buried entire villages including a church we visited! Eventually they reseeded, then reforested 60,000+ hectares of dune and then shoveled many things out. Took about 150 years to fight the dunes back but they were successful.  A lesson we need to relearn in many more parts of the world today. (They are doing a massive tree planting program west of Beijing, which is threatened by sand dunes.) Nothing can stop the sand dunes except replanting. Can’t plant fast enough really.

Meanwhile, after a horrible night’s sleep and a late start, we managed to go to Helsingor, (legendary setting of Elsingor for Hamlet) and tour the castle Kronborg. Quite impressive, considering it was first constructed in late 1500’s. Again took public transit successfully (though we did take the ‘long way’ accidently!)

And although I have been enjoying an actual vacation, I have been keeping in the loop of news and media surrounding the climate conference and have a few observations:

  • there is considerable angst surrounding the proceedings. I think there is a feeling, finally, that something needs to be done.
  • the EPA’s announcement that it can and will regulate greenhouse gases is a huge step forward. While we cannot solve the problem using just the hammer of the clean air act, it is a hammer that can help move the Congress forward.
  • Some back room deals that are being discussed, while poor in overall equity and outcome, do seem to show the US tentatively agreeing to very significant cuts in the long term, deeper than anything that has been discussed previously.
  • I think the confluence of Obama being here with the other world leaders could in fact, have a huge effect. It will be a show of huge suspense and imperiled outcome, with obstacles at every turn.

More to come from Copenhagen…



Biking in Copenhagen

  Posted By:  Jeff Wolfe

JWDenmarkBike

Wonderful bike ride in Denmark. Like VT, but flat. 25 km – good for out-of-shape guy!