What is to become of us?

John McCormick

(seriously though….Obama’s gotta win…)

I’m starving for change and the area that I’m passionate about is reducing our green house gasses by phasing in renewable energy quickly and linking out transportation to the electrical grid. I’m excited about the abilities of efficient geothermal cooling, solar-thermal electrical generating technology, photovoltaics, renewed light rail and the possibilities of the electric car and plug-in hybrids.

I talk to my coworkers to get them excited about the technology and reflect best on the candidate to best move forward. That’s the grass roots. So let’s dive in, there’s work to do!

I remember an article in I think ‘Policy Affairs’ book/magazine in which Amory Lovins in around 1976 said that energy use can and most probably will be less than what most energy people were pridicting. Many people in the energy industry were predicting that by the year 2000, the United States would be using 160 Quid a year. Amory Lovins predicted that we would use much less.

Amory Lovins predicted with energy avoidance and energy efficiency of end uses, we could use less and be better off because of it. With increased insulation called out for in building codes, cars and furnaces being more efficient, all sorts better buildings, materials, processes and designs, much less fossil fuels was burned.

Sometimes we only consider what we can measure. But it’s not so easy to measure negawatts, a term that Lovins developed, to describe how much energy is saved from not using as much energy through better designs, materials, processes, construction or whatever it is that allows for less energy use.

But if you are insulated in the Senate with a pension for life and a rich wife, there is no need to know what is actually happening to reduce energy use, only to get elected and that oil, coal and natural gas companies give money to candidates to get elected.

Presidential candidates and Presidents are at the mercy of their advisors to get policy right, its hard to know alot about every subject. Does anybody doubt that McCain’s advisors in energy will be the same as Bush’s? Obama’s advisors on energy will be better than McCain’s.
This is not much of a choice.

We’d welcome you!

In Canada, as you know, we’ve got our own Luddite in power, and our progress on CO2 emissions is the worst in the world, and not likely to change under the current administration who is in the pocket of tar sands oil companies.

So I’m actually doing just as Rick says… I’m trying to start a grass roots movement for change and environmental action in the next month, to make global warming the focus of the next election. I have no idea if my plan will meet with success, or be roundly ignored, but I can’t throw up my hands in frustration anymore. I’m going to fight this fight, or die trying.

(And yes, Obama has to win).

I try to refrain from opening pushing my own blog but it seems appropriate here - for those interested in ideas for taking all types of action I suggest taking a look at my evolving checklist. I encourage any interested to download it, edit it for your local conditions, make it your own and distribute.
www.checklisttowardzerocarbon.wordpress.com