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WE CAN REACH ‘DRAWDOWN’ BY MID-2040’S ISSUE 60 • March - May 2020 ☀ Happy Golden Anniversary Earth Day! .... pp. 20-21 ☀ FREE! SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR VT, NH, MA, NY, ME and Beyond R S! EA Y 12 Energy Independence, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Living and MORE! www.greenenergytimes.org | 802.439.6675 Is COVID-19 We Can Reach ‘Drawdown’ a Precursor to A new report. The Drawdown Review provides the most in-depth assessment Climate Change? of climate solutions and their potential by Mid-2040s Jessie Haas to reduce greenhouse gasses and build a climate-safe future. San Francisco (March 3, 2020) – A new report from the world’s leading resource on climate solutions demonstrates that ‘Drawdown’ – the point at which green- house gas levels in the atmosphere peak and begin declining, stopping climate change – is feasible with existing, estab- lished technologies and practices. Project Drawdown’s new publica- tion, The Drawdown Review, builds on the The new coronavirus molecule. Image: Wikipedia organization’s inaugural analysis, pub- As Earth Day approaches it’s clearer lished in the 2017 New York Times Best- than ever: We’re all in this together. Seller Drawdown, and takes into account That’s always been true on the only the rapidly evolving landscape of climate living planet we know for sure exists, solutions available today. but COVID-19 has taught us to see it In order to reach Drawdown, the new and say it. Who is important now? Ev- analysis finds that we must not only eryone, but the heroes are healthcare quickly reduce emissions toward zero, but workers, grocery store clerks, delivery also support nature’s carbon sinks to help drivers, people who help us commu- sequester greenhouse gases that have nicate while physically isolated from already been emitted. This means climate All images: Project Drawdown each other, the plants that pull-down solutions fall under the broad catego- CO2 and give out oxygen, and the rich, ries of: emissions sources that must be Project Drawdown’s findings show Drawdown Review shows that meeting regenerative shield of biodiversity that reduced; natural and engineered carbon that we could cease global warming by these goals is physically and economically has built health on earth forever. sinks that can be expanded; and more the mid-2040s to the mid-2060s, thereby feasible but will require much more ag- As the economy slams on the fundamental societal solutions – espe- meeting the goals of keeping the world gressive and immediate action world- brakes, many are pointing to benefits cially improving access to education and below 1.5 or 2˚C warming – important wide. for our only planet. Emissions are health care for all – that accelerate the climate benchmarks set forward by the To reach Drawdown, and thereby bring down 25% in China. The canal water path to a climate-safe future. Paris Agreement on climate change. The us to a climate-safe world, the research in Venice is clearer because of the Cont’d on p.32 decrease in boat activity. Fine particu- lates are down 40% in San Francisco under shelter-in-place, 28% in New York, 32% around Seattle. That’s saving Time to Go Fishin’ IN THIS ISSUE: lives. Air pollution causes asthma and George Harvey E-Transport on 2 Wheels pp.4-5 lung inflammation. Studies of SARS, We have over ninety species of fish Electric Mustang p.6 closely related to COVID-19, show in the Northeast, and many of them are increased risk of infection and a dou- abundant, fun to catch, and tasty. With Community Solar pp. 9-13 bling of death rate among those who climate change and pollution, we have Sustainable Investing p.19 breathed polluted air. some cautionary notes, but the opportuni- So, as life slows down and the ties abound for sport fishing all through Earth Day Feature pp. 20-21 skies clear, it’s tempting to focus on the year. In fact, fresh water fishing may be Choosing Insulation p.24 silver linings. But Samantha Gross of one of the outdoor activities that has been the Brookings Institute says in Inside so far least changed by warming weather. Attic DIY Upgrades p.29 Climate News, “I actually worry about True, the ice fishing season may suffer environmentalists getting too happy with warmer winters. But the biggest Energy from Manure p.32 and worked up about the fact that threats to fish species are still in the future, Fishing in a stream in Vermont. Tim McCabe, USDA Serious about E-Mowers p.39 emissions are going down.” The effect rather than the present. Invasive species Natural Resources Conservation Service. is similar to losing weight when you’re that threaten aquatic environments exist, sick; usually there’s a rebound, and but their impacts are not as difficult as It is true that fishing is under pres- Please recycle or you gain the weight back. That’s not those felt by moose, for example, which sures that all anglers should be aware of. share this publication the same as signing up for Noom or are suffering declining populations due to While climate change has not yet altered Weight Watchers and really changing invasive ticks. fresh water fishing terribly, when finished Cont’d on p.37 Cont’d on p.21 A SOLAR This edition of Green Energy Times is brought to you, in part, from the generosity of these sponsors: G.E.T. IT! POWERED COMPANY Bringing G.E.T. to NY State EEN ENERGY T MES www.nyses.org GR... be energy independent! ™ GREEN ENERGY TIMES (G.E.T.) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1749 Wright’s Mountain Road • Bradford, VT 05033 Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Every Day t/f: 802.439.6675 • [email protected] G.E.T.’s COMMUNICATIONS TEAM: G.E.T. Staff NEWS AND HAPPENINGS ...................3 The Green Energy Times team wants to share some ideas with VT TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE ................... 3 Publisher/Editor/Production ...................Nancy Rae Mallery you on what you can do now to help the planet and reduce your General Factotum ............................................ George Harvey carbon footprint. We hope you learn some new ideas that you can RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE POLLUTION .......... 3 Coordinating Director ..................................Michelle Harrison adapt to your everyday lives. Look for more ideas in the next issue. TRANSPORTATION ................................4-6 Copy Editor ..................................Ray Brewster, Susanna Lewis 1. If you drink coffee or tea every day at work, consider bringing in a PROGRESS IN E-TRANSIT ............................. 4 Recreational Editor ............................................... Roger Lohr ceramic mug from home rather than relying on disposable paper A huge special thank you to all of our contributing writers! cups and plastic lids. They may not seem like much, but those paper E-TRANSPORTATION ON TWO WHEELS ......... 4 Lori Barg, Dr. Alan K. Betts, David Blittersdorf, John Bos, Randy cups and plastic lids add up month after month. Besides, everything E-CARGO BIKE PROGRESS ............................ 5 Bryan, Michael Canavan, Anna Chaffe, David Cohen, Chris tastes better in a mug. Cusack, EarthTalk® (Doug Moss and Roddy Scheer), Pablo Fleis- ELECTRIC MUSTANG .................................... 6 chmann, David Fried, John Gage, Worth Gretter, Nate Gusa- 2. Avoid eating meat one day a week (Meatless Mondays or kov, Jessie Haas, George Harvey, Cassandra Hemenway, Henry whenever works for you!) Image: electricsaver1200.com NH EV-RELATED POLICIES ............................ 7 Herndon, David Keefe, Evan Lawrence, Roger Lohr, Johanna 3. Purchase second hand when possible. For example, buy used books or use the library SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS (PV) ............ 7-13 Miller, Catherine Paplin, Larry Plesent, David Roberts, Evelyn when possible. Swett, Barb and Greg Whitchurch VT SOLAR CARPORT .................................... 8 4. Grow food on the nearest patch of land you have access to. You need sun and a way to Ad Design/Layout .........................Nancy Rae Mallery, PJ Fischer water plants. Good soil can be built from the ground up. Use low-till or no-till organic ST. JOHNSBURY SOLAR STORY ..................... 9 Printing ....... Valley News W. Lebanon, NH using 100% recycled methods. Growing your own food can reduce the carbon impact of dinner by 68% VEC COMMUNITY SOLAR ........................... 10 paper & eco-friendly EPA approved environmentally-safe inks (cabaus.org/gardening-carbon-footprint). Advertising Team: 5. Change over incandescent lightbulbs to LEDs. They use 90% less energy, while NH COMMUNITY POWER .......................... 11 .................... Nancy Rae Mallery, Bradford, VT 802.439.6675 producing much less heat in your house (important in the summer). Since they also last COMMERCIAL SOLAR IN THE MONADNOCK 12 [email protected] much longer, there can be a good return on investment (www.tcpi.com/lighting-calcula- COMMUNITY SOLAR NY ............................. 13 ...................Michelle Harrison, Londonderry, NH 603.437.0167 tor). [email protected] INCENTIVES ................................ 14-15 ..................... Don Smallwood, So. Hero, VT 802.373.3309 6. Get involved. Help plant trees or milkweed, pick up plastic trash, carpool to a protest [email protected] or a meeting, or start a hyper-local environmental group, to learn, take strength and RENEWABLE ENERGY ................... 16-17 Distribution: Sally Bellew, Larry Chase, Johnny Hinrichs, comfort from the company of others and take action. THE WOODLANDS GOES SOLAR.................. 16 Hippo Distribution, Manchester, NH, Daniel Hoviss, George Law- 7. Drive smart. Slow down; go the speed limit or less. Brake and accelerate gently. Good ton, Rosalyn Moore, our New York Team: Joanne Coons, Steve ENERGY TARGET FIXATION ......................... 16 Ellsworth, Wyldon Fishman, Bob Freeston, Peter Hudiburg, driving can make a 33% difference in efficiency. DON’T IDLE. Your car gets zero mpg David Kupras, Joan Rech; Russ Lanoie, Alan Phenix, Marty Phil- while idling (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp). NY LARGE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS 17 brick, Larry Plesant, George Plumb, Alisha Scudder, Don Small- 8. Schedule a weekly sabbath for your car.