Add yet another non-flat-earth Republican to the list of those who have accepted overwhelming scientific evidence on man-made global warming. Yesterday, a global warming "debate" between John Kerry and Newt Gingrich turned into more of a hug fest...well, almost, between the two men. As it turned out, Gingrich, the fiery conservative Republican, criticized the Bush Administration ("I agree entirely with whatever criticism the senator wants to make in general about the absence of American leadership"), acknowledged global warming and the need to do something about it ("the evidence is sufficient that we should move towards the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon loading of the atmosphere"), talked about the need to deal with this "urgently," and called for "a green conservatism."
What next, Gingrich and Hillary Clinton get together on health care? Whoops, that already happened too, back in May 2005. Well, Newt Gingrich is nothing if not surprising. But on global warming, I'll certainly take his conversion on the road to...global meltdown.
Gingrich's general arguments don't really hold water, because he sees no place for regulation, but his "Green Prosperity" is right in line with the needs of America in the new world of the climate crisis.
Just living off the dole of some big tax bailout isn't going to do anything, but proper "carrot and stick" incentives can right this ship. It was a great debate and one worth repeated viewing.
Unfortunately, it is not being touted by Silicon Valley and green venture capitalists as the "next" niffy invention to solve our climate problems. Others think of it as an inconvenient sacrifice similar to the 70's conservation movement.
For this reason energy efficiency and conservation isn't given its proper place in this debate/discussion in the media and in blogs for that reason.
When it comes to new sources of energy in the state of California, it is law that the "load order" the state must first consider Energy efficiency and conservation measures before renewables, distributed generation and clean fossil-fuel sources.
The electricity is already there in the grid, it just being wasted.
17.9% of all electricity generated is wasted and loss thru transmission and distribution by power companies - yet you are still charged of it.
40% of all electricity purchased by industry is lost and never used in its intended industrial process.
CFL in place of incandescent will save the average household 9% on all kilowatt hours used per year.
35% of electricity used by business is for lightning and the DOE reported that if all businesses changed to CFL, 21,000 megawatts worth of demand could be dumped from the grid.
There is an initiative in Texas where energy efficiency and conservation measures could eliminated the entire state electricity growth and reduce consumption 9% below current levels by the year 2022. Imagine the state of Texas not only not having to build one single power plant again, but having the opportunity to shut a few coal-fired plants or significantly reduce their operation because of energy efficiency and conservation.
This past Tuesday, Prince William County is the first county in Virginia to pass a resolution promoting demand-side management on county-owned facilities and to actively encourage its citizens to engage in similar activities with their electric utility provider.
This past Monday, the Governor of Virginia signed an executed order to enact the same on all state-owned facilities.
Other Northern Va counties have only enacted resolutions which would cut GHG but have missed the initiatives of energy efficiency and conservation and how they can quickly reduced GHG and mercury, all while saving county governments and residential homeowners money - all without any type of inconvenience of any kind.
Don't know about energy efficiency and conservation measures? Here's a primer http://www.dramcoali...
If you are a NOVEC customer in Virginia, which out this load management program here http://www.novec.com...