Last week I wrote a blog post on the issues that we are facing as a planet as it relates to climate change. That post has generated a lot of interesting discussion and we have received a great deal of feedback. We wanted to share those conversations with you.
One topic centered around the comments from Jeremy Grantham on nuclear energy being necessary to stop climate change. I would like to clarify that this was Mr. Grantham’s position on nuclear energy, and that it was not reflective of the team at Hansen’s. The implications of using nuclear energy are severe and should not be minimized, and we wanted to clarify that. A solution that does not require the use of nuclear energy is exceedingly more preferable. Included here are some resources that provide more information on nuclear energy from local and national organizations. I would encourage you to review this information and reach out to the affiliated organizations to answer any questions that you might have
http://www.
Other comments that we received were focused on options that we as individuals can take to reduce our own carbon footprint.
One option is to transition your eating habits to incorporate vegan principles. A research study by Tulane University and the University of Michigan found that the consumption of meat, dairy and eggs is responsible for nearly 84 percent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
http://iopscience.iop.org/
Another step that can be taken on a personal level is to make our homes more energy efficient. For example, a lot of our energy is wasted in homes that are poorly insulated.
We also received comments on two larger considerations that need to be handled by our state, national and global leaders. At the state and national level, updating the power grid and decentralizing our energy production, (https://www.
Another resource that was recommended to us is a book entitled Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. In the interest of full disclosure, I have not yet had the opportunity to read this book. If you’ve read it, we’d be interested in hearing your thoughts.
There were several other speakers at the conference that shared some more optimistic thoughts on the future of our planet. They expressed how we have been innovative in the past and demonstrated such incredible ingenuity, and that there’s no reason to think we can’t find a way to stop climate change and save our planet. I look forward to sharing those thoughts with you next week.
In culmination, I will leave you with this final resource, which lists additional steps that you can take as an individual to combat climate change. (https://www.
I encourage you to give serious consideration to whatever is in your power to adopt, as I plan to. And please continue sharing your thoughts and feedback on this issue. I am always happy to bring this information to our friends, clients and colleagues.
Best wishes,
Katelyn