One Green Sanctuary Committee goal was to reduce energy consumption by the BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  According to credible research, between 61 and 86% of all energy used in America is wasted.  By reducing energy waste, we can lower our carbon footprint (amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization or individual) and save money for both the Fellowship and congregants.  Our initial goal was to do better than the seven percent improvement required of the United States by the Kyoto protocol.

We have been upgrading our building using a systems approach:  perform an energy audit, identify areas of concern and remediate.  Areas of concern identified in the audit were lighting and air leaks.  Lighting is in the process of being converted to light emitting diode (LED).  LED’s are more expensive but they are nearly ten times more efficient than incandescent lamps (the Edison bulb) and they last 25 times longer.  Dimmers and insulation are being installed, where possible, to drive even greater efficiency.

Climate Change

Global climate change, along with peak oil climate change, is the greatest threat to the American way of life.  The chief determinant of climate change is CO2.  The levels have been rising steadily since measurements began in 1959.  The average level in January 2014 was 397.80 ppm, but measurements above 400 ppm have been recorded.  Many climatologists insist that the safe upper limit is 350 ppm, but some think we can set that higher. Since we are observing some dramatic changes already, some indicating exponential change, like ice cover in the Arctic, there is evidence that even 350 might be too high.

Atmospheric CO2 is steadily rising, annual global temperatures are relentlessly rising, and weather related damage claims are wreaking havoc on the insurance industry.  Sea level rise, one of the more serious effects of global warming, has caused the Chesapeake Bay to deepen by a foot in the last 100 years and these effects can be observed around the globe. Entire nations are on the verge of being flooded out by sea level rise.

Now that scientists have reached a consensus that carbon dioxide emissions from human activities are the major cause of global warming, the next question is: How can we stop it?  Can we just cut back on carbon, or do we need to go cold turkey? According to a new study by scientists at the Carnegie Institution, halfway measures won’t do the job.  To stabilize our planet’s climate, we need to find ways to kick the carbon habit altogether.

Click here to see what actions you can take now to reduce your impact on the climate.

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