Let's Get it Right

“We’ve watched the summer Arctic disappear and the ocean turn steadily acidic. It’s not just that things are not getting better. They are getting horribly worse. Unlike any other issue we have faced, this one comes with a time limit. If we don’t get it right soon, we’ll never get it right,” said Bill McKibben.

Let's make some noise. Hope to see you at the People's Climate March in spirit if not in person.

It's Always Been About the Pace

Unable to keep pace with dramatic weather changes due to climate change, many species of birds will perish from the earth. Is this a Biblical prediction? No, a scientific one. Unfortunately.

Ever since life arrived, evolution has helped species adapt to changes if given some time, as in millions of years or generations. It is a pretty genius way to ensure the survival of life. Lately, however, time is not on the side of nature.

David Yarnold of the Audubon Society said that birds are resilient, but that climate change will test their limits. In a recent New York Times story he said:

“We just don’t know whether they’ll be able to find the food sources and the habitat and cope with a new range of predators. Maybe they’ll all be incredibly hardy and find ways to survive. That doesn’t seem likely, given, one, the number of birds affected, and two, the pace at which these things are happening.”

If this kind of news bums you out, there are things you can do to help birds and other species by slowing, and even stopping, climate change.

Like purchase renewable energy through your utility, drive an electric car, ride a bike, eat local, make your home energy efficient, support divestment from fossil fuel companies, support clean energy legislation and technologies, stay informed, and tell everyone you know that the time is now for the clean energy revolution.

I heartily hope you will try.

Specially Interested in One Thing

The good news is renewable energy continues to be more affordable.

"The price of a solar panel has dropped more than 60 percent since early 2011, and the price of wind power is down by more than 50 percent in the past four years. Approximately 29 percent of the power added in 2013 in the United States was solar energy," according to the Huffington Post.

The bad news is fossil fuel companies and utilities continue to fight the future.

"Edison Electric Institute released a report in January 2013 entitled "Disruptive Challenges" detailing the threat that distributed energy (especially solar) poses to the traditional utility industry business model. The group began taking action on the issue in 2013, pushing to repeal solar policies to protect utilities' financial interests.

The real genius of this attack by special interests is the widespread use of additional front groups to lobby, spread disinformation, and pressure decision makers to eliminate clean energy policies.

The fossil fuel lobby aggressively uses lobbying and propaganda to achieve their goals and self-identified "free market think tanks" are among the most effective advocates for the fossil fuel industry to lobby for policy changes," says Gabe Eisner.

Every small victory, every hurdle they throw into the path of clean, renewable energy makes it that much harder to stop climate disruption. High time to go on the offensive and defend our beautiful planet.