Three Simple Rules for Climate-safe Living

Our fingers are glued to the global climate thermostat as we continue to pump ever more climate-altering gases into the atmosphere.

And, in a feverish delirium where the present has been severed from the future, we dial it higher and higher. Foolishly and dangerously.

An urgent shift to “Climate-safe Living” is necessary to dial down the temperature on our global greenhouse.

How can we make this shift?

Practice These Three Simple Rules:

1. Reduce.

Reduce fossil fuel consumption everywhere.

2. Eliminate.

Eliminate all non-essential activities and products that involve burning fossil fuel.

3. Demand.

Demand that business and government provide transport, activities and products that use minimize fossil fuel use.

Reduce. Eliminate. Demand. R.E.D.

Green Tips for the 21st Century

is dedicated to finding ways to shift to climate-safe lifestyles.

Please POST or SEND in your tips, ideas, suggestions and wacky notions.

You can reach me here: writer steve AT gmail DOT com (no spaces)

– Stephen Leahy, Environmental Journalist

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Top 7 Solutions To Create America’s New Energy Economy

1. No More Dirty Coal

America’s most abundant source of energy is electricity from dirty coal. Halting further investment in 19th century technology is priority #1.

2. Smart Transportation

With auto efficiency regulations accelerating, the focus of action is shifting to two other pillars of smart transportation policies: transit-oriented development and low-carbon fuels. The time has come to leave highway sprawl behind.

3. Building Codes

Buildings consume half of America’s energy output. There’s a simple fix that will make the building sector carbon neutral within 25 years.

4. Cap on Emissions

A steadily descending cap on emissions tied to firm deadlines will put a price on carbon. It’s the currency of tomorrow’s opportunity.

5. Clean Energy

We need a national clean energy target to aim for, and an all-out program to support the reach. It’s the next lunar landing.

6. Green Job Corps

America needs skilled labor to work the efficiency retrofits and hook up the clean tech. Job train the disadvantaged and get a double benefit.

7. Sign a Global Treaty

Time to transform America’s international posture — from obstructionist to global leader. Lead by example — China, India & the rest will follow.

via Top 7 Solutions | SolveClimate.com.

Van Jones: Beyond the Politics of Confrontation

Sarah: Some people say we just don’t have the money to deal with climate change because we have already spent so much on the financial bailout.

Van Jones (founder Green for All): The smartest things we can do in the short term pay for themselves. If we were to weatherize and retrofit millions of buildings in the United States, the energy cost savings would let you pay for that work in two to four years. So we literally are wasting money, time, and our planet when there are cost-effective, revenue-positive answers here that would put people to work.

The government needs to create a revolving loan fund so cities, hospitals, and universities can put people to work retrofitting buildings so they leak less energy. Slap some solar panels up there while you’re at it, and then use the cost savings to repay the government so the government can loan that money out again. Now that would be a smart strategy. Or the government could offer federal loan guarantees to get private capital moving in this direction.

That’s a way to put people to work.

via YES! magazine: Van Jones: Beyond the Politics of Confrontation.