Spain: Landscapes in a changed climate

Greenpeace has launched a new book, Photoclima, in which images of some of Spain’s most emblematic places have been altered to show what they could look like if action is not taken to tackle climate change.

Full Report from Greenpeace

GreenHomeGuide, an incredible green building reference for homeowners, is building an archive of information around sustainable design. I recently wrote two short articles for them, found here:

What can I do to reduce my home’s carbon footprint?

Should I worry about the mercury in fluorescent light bulbs?

Al Gore wrote a wonderful opinion piece in the New York Times calling for some action, before it is too late.

…many scientists are now warning that we are moving closer to several “tipping points” that could — within 10 years — make it impossible for us to avoid irretrievable damage to the planet’s habitability for human civilization…

Next weekend, on Saturday July 7th, 2007, Gore is hosting the Live Earth Concert to raise awareness about the Climate Crisis.

In the words of Buckminster Fuller, “If the success or failure of this planet, and of human beings, depended on how I am and what I do, how would I be? What would I do?”

I am proud to be one of the founding council member companies for the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3). This morning was the kick off meeting at City Hall. I encourage you to get your company or business to JOIN BC3.

I love that some major companies here in the Bay Area are doing more than simply talking about Climate Change, we are actually doing something about it.

The official press release (via BusinessWire)

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The United Nations Global Compact, the City of San Francisco, the Bay Area Council and a wide array of Bay Area businesses have joined together in a unique partnership designed to provide meaningful actions that businesses around the world can take to combat global warming.

BC3 founding members comprise a diverse range of companies, including: 3 Phases Energy; AccessFlow; ARUP; CH2M Hill; Clif Bar; EcoAdvantage Network; Food from the Park; Gap Inc.; Gensler; Google; Green Impact; Green Squared Consulting; Hallisey & Johnson; HOK; Natural Logic; New Resource Bank; Organic Architect; PG&E Ponderosa Homes; Shaklee; SMWM Architecture; Solutions; Swinerton; Waldeck’s; Webcor; Wendel, Rosen, Black and Dean; and William McDonough + Partners.

In our projects, there are now only three items where cost is still a barrier to greening the building:

1. Specifying FSC Certified Wood.
This important Certification (demonstrating wood to be sustainably harvested, still adds a 20% upcharge to the cost of your wood framing. This is a tough sell to most clients, but we try to do it anyway. TIP: save money in one area, say removing the need for air conditioning, and divert that money towards the purchase of FSC Certified Wood instead.

2. Carbon Neutrality.
Innovative Carbon Trading programs now exist for both your car and your home, such as the TerraPass and DriveNeutral. While these are great ways to make yourself Carbon Neutral, they represent a small, but additional, cost that is a tough sell for many.

AND 3. Solar Panels.
While everyone seems to understand the obvious benefits and uses of Solar Panels, the cost can often be prohibitive. Even with the great State Incentives that exist for solar, and an average payback of 5-7 years, the $20,000 average up front cost is too much.

But now, a rental program called REnU is removing this barrier to entry. Delaware-based Citizenre, a renewable energy development group, will rent solar panels to US residents on a per-kilowatt basis on a one, five, or twenty-five year contract. With a tiny $500 deposit, paid back at the end of the contract WITH interest, homeowners can easily and inexpensively make the switch from local utilities to solar power. What’s more, Citizenre acquires all necessary permits for residential installation, making the process simple. I have not tried it yet, but I have already begun the process.

Despite what many people assume, I do not drive around in an all electric vehicle, nor do I walk everywhere either! After all, many of our projects are located far away, well outside of San Francisco.

To reduce our impact, we use ZipCar for the staff vehicle needs, and we purchased a TerraPass for the one company car to compensate for the emissions produced even just driving our relatively low 6,000 miles a year.

Now the good people at TerraPass have a TerraPass for your home. The Home TerraPass reduces carbon dioxide emissions by funding clean energy and efficiency projects. The greenhouse reductions from this purchase are in direct proportion to your home energy emissions.

TerraPass

For more on carbon emissions, read on…