Our plea to you

Hello,

Let's take a step back from t-shirts for a second. This is a "big picture" sort of post.

Because of my (Andy's) work as an environmental consultant over the past several years, I have read lots of reports about climate change/global warming. One recent report was particularly striking and I felt morally compelled to pass it on and add my summary of the most important points. If you don't understand why some people are all concerned about the effects of "climate change" and "global warming" - or if you would like to understand better - then hopefully the information I have outlined below will help bring some clarity to the situation.

The report linked to below was distributed by the UN Environment Programme, and it details the most recent updates to the scientific community's understanding of climate change and its impacts, collected over the last two years.

Here is my summary of some of the key points laid out in the report:

-- Even if the US commits to 73% GHG reductions from 2005 levels by 2050 (which it hasn't actually committed to) and the EU sticks to its 80% GHG reduction from 1990 levels by 2050 commitment, global average temperature is projected to rise 6.3 degrees F (that is a lot and is very bad).

-- The growth in GHG emissions from energy production and industry has exceeded even the most fossil-fuel intensive (i.e. worst case) estimates developed by the IPCC at the end of the 1990s. Global GHG emissions were growing by 1.1% per year from 1990-1999. This accelerated to 3.5% per year from 2000-2007.

-- Existing GHG emissions have already committed us to the following consequences:

• Global average temperature rise of roughly 4.3 degrees F (that is if all human GHG emissions stopped in 2006, which obviously didn't happen).
• Losses of mountain glaciers that supply fresh drinking water (as well as irrigation water and hydro power) to 20-25% of global population.
• Sea level rise of 1 meter by the end of this century – 100 million people currently live within 1 meter of sea level (significant levels of infrastructure are located there as well - think "big port cities"). Additionally, areas near sea level will be exposed to higher risk of storm surges, flooding, and erosion.
• Sea level rise of 5 to 10 meters during the following centuries – consequences similar to the 1 meter sea level rise, but worse.
• Ocean acidification (from absorption of CO2 by the oceans and formation of carbonic acid) that will certainly damage and possibly destroy our coral reefs and the many species that inhabit or depend on them.
• Shifts in Earth's precipitation cycle, with the basic result of "wet places get wetter" (i.e. more frequent, more intense storm/hurricane activity) and "dry places get drier" (i.e. more intense droughts).
• Shifts in the precipitation cycle that will result in the disappearance of regional climates with associated ecosystem destruction and species extinction as drylands shift poleward.

I know that sounds pretty terrible. But if we don't do anything, the consequences will only be worse. If you are wondering what you can do to help, here are three simple ideas:

1) Call/email your senators and representatives (http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml) and tell them you want strong and swift action on climate change, because the consequences we are already facing are very bad, and the consequences of doing nothing (or too little) are even worse. This is one of the most important things you can do. And don't take any "we're working on it" or "we're worried about the economy" or "we're worried about what other countries will do" or "we don't believe in climate change" types of responses. Be firm. (Don't be surprised if you hear some of those responses from both political parties.) [By the way, about the economy - the ecomomic effects of doing nothing will be *far worse* than the economic effects of acting now.]

2) Use less energy. If you own a home, get an energy audit (many states and/or utilities have rebates so you can get them for free or reduced price - see http://www.dsireusa.org/), then take the auditor's recommendations (you will save money at the same time). If you don't own a home or don't get an energy audit, then consider: increase insulation, set thermostat higher in the summer (wear short sleeves inside and use less A/C) and lower in the winter (wear a sweater inside and use less heating), insulate your hot water heater, install CFLs, turn off lights, drive less (bike/walk more - you will be surprised how helpful it is for staying in shape and hooray for spending less money on gas!).

3) Tell your friends. Tell your friends about the consequences we are facing regarding climate change, and give them some ideas on how they can make a difference. Feel free to forward this as an email or link to it from your blog/facebook page, if you'd like. Tell them what you are doing; not in a "I'm better than you way" but in a "hey this is a great idea and you should give it a try" way.

To those of you who made it through this post, thanks. I appreciate it and I hope it was helpful.

Peace,

Andy

--
Say it Green!
Your clothes. Your voice. Say it Green!
www.sayitgreen.com
801-368-9602

Report: http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=596&ArticleID=6326&l=en

Washington Post article about the report: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092402602.html?hpid=topnews