Climate Change
Why We Care:
Our region is experiencing and will continue to experience a shift to warmer average seasonal temperatures, higher levels of precipitation, and more frequent and intense severe weather events. These changes all have implications and increased risk to the health of our great lakes, agriculture, forests and ecosystems as well as creating challenges for public health and economic stability.
Per the Union of Concerned Scientists, we may have a reasonable chance of not going beyond the tipping point of 420 giga tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide. Assuming the global emissions remain steady at the 2017 level we have 10 more years before the average global temperature would be set to 1.5 degrees C.
We already see how dangerous our 1 degree C warmer world is as extreme weather events become more frequent. Michigan suffers damages from extreme heat, coastal property damage, and crop damage due to extreme temperature swings. Invasive insects are killing entire species of trees.
Our Big Goal:
Plan for a sustainable future and address climate change in our county.
Take Action!
First, motors, appliances, infrastructure, transportation have to become more efficient. Have all the simple things been done: light bulbs, motion switches, insulation…? Plan to replace small vehicles with EV (electric vehicles).
Second, decarbonize electricity generation by transitioning from coal and natural gas to low and no-carbon resources wind and solar.
Third, electrify everything as stated by Patti Poppe, past CEO of Consumers Energy and General Manager of Cherryland Electric, Tony Anderson, June 2020 County Lines: Beneficial Electrification means using electric water heaters, home heating with air-to-air heat pumps or ground source heat pumps, electrify transportation.
Fourth, suck carbon out of the atmosphere naturally by planting trees. Require the Road Commission to replace trees as they remove dead trees from the road shoulders. Use Kama Ross’ list of introduced trees from 150 miles south in Michigan - our new native trees. There are 6 specific trees recommended.
Anyone using fossil fuel to drive a car, heat a home, turn on the lights, is responsible for adding to the problem. Transportation using fossil fuel has replaced power generation as the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions.