Tag Archive for climate change

Climate Underlies It All

Climate and the environment are the root of all we do.  Solutions are what we can do NOW.

At All Our Energy, just because we are focused on the solutions: renewable energy and stopping pollution in all forms; whether it be an LNG Port, an unnecessary fossil fuel power plant, or the needless waste of single use plastic bags- doesn’t mean we should forget what drives our actions.
Climate change and the degradation of air, land, and water for human livability is where we spring to action from.

So you want to see what climate change “looks like”?
Earlier this year, the alarming “climate spiral” visualization was released, showing the months of the year represented as a circle, with recorded monthly temperatures added in, over time. It clearly shows the spiral getting larger then dramatically larger, representing higher temperature, as we reach the present.
The original was scary enough, showing the dramatic increase and acceleration in global warming up to the present day. This new projection shows the unprecedented temperature spike we are in now…. and takes us where it leads.

heres a 3-d representation:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cVt6ximM4hE

Here’s a graph that shows “yes, this is how quick (climate change) is happening“.

No one is coming to save us. No magic carbon vacuum is coming that costs less than the immediate “benefits” of fossil fuels. The free market isn’t coming. Its been nearly 30 years since James Hansen sat in front of congress imploring action on climate. Nothing has changed. We can not afford to wait. Maybe, too, we can not afford to be so focused solely on solutions. Maybe this focus on solutions hurts our public awareness by skipping the first step of the discussion: “we have a problem- something must be done- you can continue as part of that problem, or decide to become the solution”.
We need to make that change now. We have no time to wait for polluters and their employees in the field, in their law offices, or in government to “change their mind” or agree to some watered-down version of what needs to be done: a concerted, citizen-powered changeover to 100% renewable energy, with as much transportation, heating and cooking switched to clean, renewable-generated electricity ASAP.

To survive, we must transition to a renewable generated economy that values workers, the environment, local communities and empowers all to take part however they can, to foster that transformation of our society and ensure livability of the planet for future generations. Germany did this and produce more solar than the US in a fraction of the size and the solar resource. Denmark did this and got massive amounts of wind energy (and the leading international wind industry that goes with it).

The good news: we here on Long Island are finally have the potential to lead a massive switch to renewables in the form of our potential 35000 megawatts, (with realistic expectations at about 10,000-15,000) of readily available off shore wind power.
The bad news: this process, without encountering resistance(just elected), technical issues, policy or leadership changes(just changed), or any of a multitude of potential delays, has been decided to take at least 5-7 years, with reality possibly longer. This is only for the first wind farm. Policy has rendered commercial scale off shore wind development for the entire US to merely BEGIN operations in 2022-2025. It could be another 10-20 years after that for full deployment.
This is time we just don’t have. We have much to do now to avoid new fossil fuel and dangerous nuclear from being added, before we can offset any need for them.  tick-tick-tick.

Wind Farm Area Announced Off Long Beach

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced the official start of the process to create the wind farm area 11 miles south of our shores at Long Beach

boemLB

 

 
Read Long Beach Herald article here: Feds identify offshore wind farm site

Want to see what it might look like from the beach? Click here
All Our Energy will be advocating 100% FOR IT and advocating it be done to the highest environmental, wildlife, and shared-use standards possible for best outcomes. As residents of a 100 mile long island that is very vulnerable to climate impacts, we cannot afford to stay on the fossil fuels driving that climate change. The impacts of off shore wind would be minute, compared to more or continued dirty energy use.

If you have any questions about it, please contact us and we will address your concerns or find out the answers you seek. 

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Comes To Queens and Nassau

CCLapril23

The national organization is launching a new chapter for Queens and Nassau County, New York residents.

Find out what YOU can do to address climate change through the citizen empowering, free-market based, non-partisan plan this group of 4000 volunteers works towards.

Once enacted, the clean energy economy would be unleashed to solve the climate crisis.

You can find out more about them at http://citizensclimatelobby.org/

from their flyer:

___________________________________________________________

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Present
CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WORKSHOP
Wednesday 4/23 from 6-9:30pm.
Panera Bread
23-58 Bell Blvd
Bayside, NY 11360.

this event on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/639778242755951/

RSVP: Queens@citizensclimatelobby.org

You’ve changed your lightbulbs and insulated your home. You shop at the farmers’ market for local produce. When possible, you walk or ride your bike.

There is not much more you can do to address the climate crisis until…
….it is possible to buy an electric car you plug into the smart grid powered by renewable energy and help your neighbors to insulate their homes.

What you need – what we all need- is an economy-wide global switch from fossil fuels to renewables. The USA must lead and Congress has to pave the way.

How in the world do you make THAT happen?

We’ve got a clue! Come find out from the experts.

Please spread the word about this event to anyone who you know that may be interested!

and please feel free to email any questions to Queens@citizensclimatelobby.org.

___________________________________________________________

NY State Department of Environmental Fracking Conservation?

 

New York Dept. of Fracking

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials and Fracking Interests are running hand in hand… so what about the Environmental Conservation interests of New Yorkers?

 

Disturbing news is emerging that despite public outcry, the NY State Dept of Environmental Conservation(DEC) is succumbing to intense lobbying efforts from the fracking industry,
***stop press as we just learned ***
or worse may actually already be in bed with them.

It was recently reported in this Huffington Post article “Fracking Industry Enjoyed Privileged Access to Controversial New York DEC Environmental Review” that while public and environmental groups were getting the runaround and being forced to jump through hoops to be heard (and 70,000 chimed in against!), the fracking lobby has not only had direct access to the DEC, they had:

  • several months’ (reports range from 6-10 weeks) early notification of impending regulations and recommendations so they could strategize, organize and maximize their lobbying efforts properly,
  • they have had input on tailoring upcoming regulations, and
  • may have even steered the environmental review process.
  • at best, the DEC have left all these accusations highly questionable-at worst they’re all true.

Then Came this article from Brendan Demelle at desmogblog.com: Science Trumped by Politics In Cuomo’s NY Fracking Plans?

After Governor Cuomo said the regulations would be based on science conducted (which seemed to support the public outcry) and not politics, it seems state employees and regulators may not necessarily see it that way since they allowed fracking industry:

access to drafts of the state’s permit plans,… used that information to lobby hard against testing for radioactivity in wastewater, for example.

it goes on to say

seventy New York state legislators on both sides of the aisle pointed out six major issues they said were under-addressed …
Instead of focusing on issues like these, DEC staff were busy discussing zoning questions with industry lawyers and providing drillers with a chance to weigh in on the expense of complying with environmental protections.

We love the one where the fracking industry is now talking about getting rid of fracking waste “water”- by legally spraying it on local roadways!
You must read it.

****stop press*****
As if this all wasn’t outlandish enough…
it is now coming to light that the person at the DEC in charge of all this, is being outed as a fracking and drilling proponent who also publicly supports climate change denial.

Is that who we want in charge of our state’s Environmental Conservation!!

Read about it here: Top New York Regulator Promoting Shale Gas Signed A Climate Denial Petition Stating That Increases In CO2 Are ‘Beneficial’

It begs the key question:

So is Bradley Field, the petroleum engineer and drilling proponent who can’t remember if he is a climate change denier; the holder of a singularly influential position to determine the outcome of shale gas development in New York state as the issuer of permits and the overseer of regulations — Is this Bradley Field nonpartisan? It’s a relevant question.

Not only relevant, it begs other questions:

  • should any singular unelected government official wield so much power?
  • Shouldn’t that person in charge of environmental conservation always err in favor of environmental conservation?
  • and who is watching the “watcher”?

Now, Grenpeace’s Executive Director Philip Radford has weighed in, and we need to stand with them:Why Is Governor Cuomo Letting a Climate Science Denier Regulate Fracking?  They are asking Mr Field to step down and asking you to sign the petition telling Governor Cuomo to get rid of him. 

 

We will continue to follow this story…

editors note:
Truth be told, I’ve started and stopped writing this artcle 3 times, the original story here goes back weeks…and I can’t let it go.

To now, All Our Energy has sought to remain pragmatic on political issues and it is overwhelmingly clear, we cannot. Our voice must be heard.

Moved by Moving Planet and 350.org

Moving-Planet.org

Moving-Planet.org

My friends, community wind leaders Windustry,  made me aware today, September 24, is slated for a worldwide positive demonstration called “Moving Planet”. 

According to Moving Planet organizers, today is “a day to put our demands for climate action into motion—marching, biking, skating » Read more..

Why Wind?

 

Why wind?

 

“You mean not even getting into the bigger picture issues like: why change, why renewable energy, why stop polluting, why stop causing climate change and a hundred other ‘whys’?”  I ask myself.

 

Well, let’s look at some readily checkable facts when we ask, “Why wind”?

It’s generally agreed » Read more..