Roads to our energy future
Climate change and its consequences have already begun. These present us with the question of how to minimize the associated disruptions so as to preserve the planet for future generations.
If we look at the scientific studies, it is clear that we must move away from the use of fossil fuels and reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions quickly. And the best place to start is here in Tompkins County and in the surrounding region.
Tompkins County has made an important commitment to reduce our GHG emissions by 2050 to 20 percent of our 2008 levels. Hopefully, it can be done even more quickly. With this goal in mind, the county has produced the “Tompkins County Energy Roadmap,” a document that looks at three different combinations of energy sources and conservation measures.
What is the Energy Roadmap? How should we measure our GHG emissions? What are some specific things we can do to move us along on these paths?
To help us answer some of these questions, the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County will be holding a program for the public, “Roads to Our Energy Future,” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14 in the Borg Warner Room of the Tompkins County Public Library. Our speakers will be Katie Borgella, deputy commissioner of planning for Tompkins County, and Jonathan Comstock, a leader in developing the Heat Smart Program for 2016-17. The co-sponsors are the Campaign for Renewable Energy, Fossil Free Tompkins, Sustainable Tompkins and the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council.
The discussion will include an explanation of the Energy Roadmap; an analysis of how we should measure our GHG emissions, especially methane emissions; an explanation of heat pumps and why they are an important part of the solution; an update on the ongoing Heat Smart program and plans for 2017; and information about other efforts to reduce emissions in the county.
We hope that many of our residents will come to learn about these issues, think about what they might do individually to reduce GHG emissions, as well as how the county can move toward its goal while still supporting meaningful development. We know that more housing is needed, so what is the best way to build? We know that our cars emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, so how can we reduce this?
The Energy Roadmap stresses the importance of conservation by using less and also by using more efficient technology (e.g., replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs, heating and cooling with heat pumps). How much difference could these types of changes make? These are complex issues and questions, but the time to start working on them is now.
Kay Wagner is chair of the Natural Resources Committee of the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County.