Article 19: ‘Green’ing Electricity
by
Nitin Chopra, Seeker, Environmentalist
Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for almost all of the increase in greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere over the last 150 years. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities in the United States is burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation.
Total U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2021, source EPA
In addition, wealthier families have a substantially larger carbon footprint. Transportation and housing are the two biggest contributors to the total domestic carbon footprint, accounting for 29.8% and 33.6%, respectively. In 2022, 4,243 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated, of which 60% came from fossil fuels. You can check how your region compares to the national average by entering your zip code here. One kWh of electricity production releases about 0.855 pounds of CO2 Crucially, our electricity consumption is only going to increase as the adoption of electric vehicles grows.
(Solution Alert):
So what can we do? Fortunately, we have more than one option
- Green Power: Very minimal effort, high return, and relatively inexpensive
- Go Solar: Great for the 🌎, needs some planning, and a diversified investment alternative
- Become a Prosumer: Solar + Green Power
In our upcoming workshop, we will focus on Green Power options and collaborate on:
- My family’s story from Green Electricity to Solar to being a proud Prosumer
- Composition of your electric bill and the potential cost of switching to green electricity
- What are your choices by state?
- Consumer-choice state
- For regulated state residents
- Walk-through of a couple of real-life examples
What you need to bring is:
- Your Electricity Bill
- Enthusiasm and desire to act either during or after the session 🙂
Action to Implement
Post your reflections & observations in the comments section below ⬇️
🌱 October 2023: 💻 Access your latest electricity bill and keep it handy for Oct 22nd!
Past Months Action to Implement
🌱 September 2023: 🔍Find a local community farm.
🍅 Sign up for a trial of their produce.
🌱 August 2023: (1) Download the Prthvi Seva guide. (2) Choose an idea from the guide to try before the workshop
🌱 July 2023: Register and join us for the Prthvi Utsava Celebration and spread the word.
🌱 June 2023: 🏢 In your workplace, join or initiate a “green team” that is committed to reducing emissions and educating people on climate change.
🌱 May 2023:
- 🏪 Make a list of places (local cafes, stores, etc) where plastic use is unavoidable.
- 📝 Create a plan to reach out to one place to reduce their plastic use.
🌱 April 2023: 💝 Gather your loved ones and plant native trees and native perennials!. 🌳 Track progress and share pictures with the Community to reach the goal of 1000 trees by Arbor Day! (April 28th).
🌱 March 2023: (1) Plant seeds to start a kitchen garden indoor or outdoor. (2) share pictures in the comment section below.
🌱 February 2023: Research a local environmental group and attend their upcoming meeting
🌱 January 2023: 🌍 Create your personal practices for the 6 fundamental virtues
🌱 December 2022: ✅Do the following:
- Simplify one closet or one drawer in your home every week. Remove items that have not been used in the last 1 year.
- Dispose of unneeded items in a responsible way.
🌱 November 2022: ✅Make a list of the gifts you usually give during the holidays.
🌱 October 2022: This month, add 1 or 2 regional plants from the Xerces Pollinator Conservation website to your landscape!
🌱 September 2022: This month, review the Green Building list & commit to 1 simple and 1 challenging item to implement in your community/center.
🌱 August 2022: This month, read the Prthvi Seva Guide & commit to at least one practice to make your center/community more sustainable.
🌱 July 2022: This month, take a closer look at your travel impacts:
🔢 Estimate the carbon emissions of your mode of travel, lodging, food, and purchases
🙋🏻♀️ Commit to making one change to reduce your carbon footprint
🌱 June 2022: This month, take a closer look and identify your food waste as:
🍌 food prep scraps
🍽️ plate waste (unfinished food)
🤦🏻♀️spoiled or unwanted foo
🌱 May 2022: Implement the following actions.
- Reduce food Packaging.
- Learn about local and seasonal foods.
- Support a local grower & shop at Farmer’s Markets.
🌱 April 2022: Sahasra Vrksha Sankalpa – As a CommUnity, bring your heart and hands to the ground to plant 1000 trees together. Track and share here.
🌱 March 2022: Contribute to the health of our planet and the health of beings by doing the following:
Each day take inventory of what goes in the trash.
Identify the most common item.
Find an alternative that eliminates this waste.
🌱 February 2022: Implement the following and encourage others to follow:
- Unplug chargers when not in use
- Use the ‘Energy Saver’ mode on phones & laptops
- Use cold water for laundry & line dry
🌱 January 2022: Identify 3 actions you do that help the environment and 3 actions that harm it
