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Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Warming Planet

Explore the impacts of climate change and sustainable energy practices to combat global warming. Learn about deforestation, extreme weather events, and solutions like solar energy and biofuels. Take action to reduce carbon footprint and save the planet!

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Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Warming Planet

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  1. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR A WARMING PLANET Jack Parker, Professor Emeritus Environmental Science, Chemistry Florida International University

  2. {} GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE • Ocean Degradation/Pollution • Tropical Deforestation, Endangered Species • Water and Food Resources • Population Growth

  3. TROPICAL DEFORESTATION(ABOUT 15% OF GHG EMISSIONS) • Beef Cattle Grazing • Logging/Paper • Soybean production (food/animal feed) AMAZON: droughts/wildfires in 2005/6: more CO2 than 10yrs of sequestering SAVE THE RAINFOREST!

  4. THE HOCKEY STICK GRAPHNATURAL VARIABILITY??

  5. DENIALISTS: No Warming Last DecadeDISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNRoyal Society of London: criticized Exxon's funding of "organizations misinforming the public about the science of climate change" • LAST 12 MONTHS: WARMEST EVER RECORDED • 4 OF THE 5 WARMEST YEARS IN LAST DECADE 1 UP 1.6OF IN LAST 50 YRS

  6. THE CLIMATE CRISIS Up 4oC or 7oF more by 2100------>

  7. MAJOR FEEDBACKS Current (In Models) • Melting Glaciers/Sea Ice + • More water vapor + Future (Not in Models) • Methane from Permafrost & Seabeds+ • More clouds + or –

  8. ClimateChangeScience • U.S. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: A strong, credible body of scientific evidence shows that climate change • is occurring, • is caused largely by human activities, and • poses significant risks for a broad range of human and natural systems • 97% OF RESEARCH CLIMATE SCIENTISTS SURVEYED SAID HUMANS ARE CAUSING GLOBAL WARMING

  9. OBSERVATIONSENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

  10. SURPRISES:RECENT INCREASE IN EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAILAND 2011 AUSTRALIA FLOODING IN PAKISTAN (2010 AND 2011) 500 YEAR FLOOD EXPECT MORE PRECIPITATION IN SHORT PERIODS

  11. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT! ARCTIC SEA ICE NEW ALLTIME LOW 2012 ANTARCTICA WARMING WHAT HAPPENS IN THE ARCTIC DOESN’T STAY IN THE ARCTIC!

  12. BALLPLAYER ON STEROIDS Extreme Heat, DROUGHT, FIRE • JULY 2011:Oklahoma & Texas Hottest monthly temperature ever recorded • July 2012: United States Hottest month ever recorded • 2011/12: United States • Hottest 12 months ever recorded • Worst Heat/Drought and Wildfires since 1930’s

  13. SEA LEVEL RISE NEXT TWO DECADES • Saltwater • Intrusion, 2009 Well-field Area FLORIDA 2080? MIAMI BEACH FLOODING FROM SFWMD

  14. OCEAN and COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS“FUNDAMENTAL AND IRREVERSIBLE TRANSFORMATIONS” • Temperature up over 1oF • Ocean Acidification impact on calcifiers • Rapid decline in Phytoplankton MANGROVES CORAL REEFS BLEACHING

  15. SOLUTIONS80% REDUCTION IN CO2 BY 2050MIAMI-DADE 2% SOLUTION Up 4oC or 7oF more by 2100------> <------Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change------>

  16. HIGHEST PRIORITY: STOP BURNING COAL CLEAN COAL??? WHEN??? REPLACE WITH CHP AND NATURAL GAS FRACKING

  17. REDUCE NON-CO2 GHG’S(OFTEN MORE EASILY REDUCED THAN CO2) FOOD/YARD WASTES • METHANE • Landfills • Recycle • Compost • Methane capture • Meat production Eat less beef! • REDUCE TROPICAL DEFORESTATION “Save the Rainforest” • SOOT From cooking, waste burning, forest fires, diesel engines, ocean ships 20% REDUCTION IN SOOT & CO2

  18. PERSONAL CO2 EMISSIONSCARBON FOOTPRINT UNITED STATES • 20% of World’s Emissions • 22 TONSCO2/person/year • Car ~ 7 tons CO2/yr • Airplane ~ 2-3 tons CO2/yr • House ~ 13 tons CO2/yr

  19. WORST IMPACTS ON POOREST COUNTRIES, WOMEN, FOOD SECURITY DROUGHTS IN AFRICA IMPACTS ON WORLD FOOD SUPPLY

  20. CARBON OFFSETS SOLAR ELECTRIC LIGHT FUND (SELF.org) Haiti: Solar Electricity and Lighting for Partners in Health Clinics SOLAR IRRIGATION

  21. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURESUSTAINABLE COFFEE FAIR TRADED/ORGANIC/SHADE GROWN Reducing pesticides and fertilizers: Reduces fossil fuel inputs/water pollution Use agricultural waste to make BIOCHAR BIOCHAR BUY LOCAL …

  22. BUS TUBE CURITIBA URBAN SUSTAINABILITY GREEN ROOF ELEVATED BUS URBAN DESIGN TREE-SHADED SIDEWALKS BIKING/WALKING

  23. REDUCING YOUR TRANSPORTATION CARBON FOOTPRINT 2010 Prius-50 mpg NEW U.S. Standards 27.5mpg 35.5mpg by 2016 54.5mpg by 2025 • Average Car ~1#CO2/mile • Conservation • Empty the trunk • Inflate to max psi on tire (usually 35psi) • Combine trips • Car/Truck Purchase: • each extra mpg: 700#CO2/yr 2012 PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID ~90MPG BIKE SHARING CITY CAR

  24. REDUCING THE UHI WHITE REFLECTIVE ROOFS AND ENERGY EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMMUNITY HOMESTEAD

  25. AUTOMOBILE FUEL ALTERNATIVES?? • Canadian Tar Sands—low net energy, high pollution, high CO2 • Hydrogen Car • NOTan energy source, 30 X more costly • Not within 20 yrs, maybe never; need fuel cell breakthroughs • High pollution if made from coal • Clean and renewable if made from solar/wind • Biofuels—Ethanol, Biodiesel

  26. SUSTAINABLE BIOFUELS • Substantial reductions in CO2 emissions • Use plant/agricultural Wastes or algae grown in eutrophic water • Minimal competition with food production • Uses sustainable agriculture, preserves soil CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PLANT ALGAE IN WASTEWATER

  27. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Cogeneration--Combined heat and power—80 GW Biomass—Agricultural and municipal wastes, wood Wind Solar—local and utility scale Geothermal Ocean Energy—Tidal, Waves SUSTAINABLE ELECTRICITY

  28. EFFICIENCY/CONSERVATIONTHE GREENEST ENERGY • Saves money • Lowers trade deficit and increases national security • Increase in jobs (particularly local jobs) Energy Efficient Lights CFL LED

  29. HANDOUT ON RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY • Hot Water: Low-flow Showerhead, Solar • Electronics/Computers/Cable Boxes: turn off when not used • Energy-efficient Appliances: • front-loading clothes washer • Refrigerator • dishwasher

  30. Reduce Air Conditioning by 50% • SMALL, HIGH-EFFICIENCY (SEER 16) AIR CONDITIONER • White Reflective Roof or Radiant Barrier • More Insulation and weather-stripping • Plug Duct Leaks • A.C Thermostat up 1oF (saves ~5%) • Ceiling Fans (particularly in bedrooms) • ENERGY EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING

  31. ENERGY-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPINGReduces air-conditioning by 20-40% • Drought-resistant Shade Tree: 60#CO2/yr sequestered BUT600#/yr if energy-efficient landscaping • Plant on East, South and West so that MATURE CANOPIES ARE ADJACENT TO BUILDING 6o cooler WALL UP TO 25oF COOLER

  32. WIND ENERGY • Increasing almost 30%/yr for last two decades, very large potential • World: 240,000MW, most in Europe, China, and U.S. (Texas, Mid-west) • Major advances in Carbon-fiber blades,Variable speed turbines, Tubular towers • Low Environmental Impacts (birds, aesthetics) • Renewable and NO CO2 • Costs: 6-10c/kwh, boon to ranchers OFFSHORE WIND & SOLAR WERE TWO THIRDS OF NEW EUROPEAN POWER, 2011

  33. SOLAR HOT WATER & ELECTRICITY SOLAR HOT WATER SOLAR PV CELLS • Increasing about 40%/yr, • Minimal environmental impacts, NO CO2 • But High Costs/Low Efficiency: 12c/kwh 26c/kwh GREEN JOBS Zero-energy Habitat- For-Humanity House

  34. CENTRALIZED SOLAR(10-15c/kwh) • Photovoltaics • Concentrating Solar Power/Solar Thermal • trough systems, • dish/engine systems, and • power towers.

  35. SOLAR ENERGY AND CHEMISTRY ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS 8% EFFICIENT SOLAR LEAF (Silicon Wafer) H2O O2 + H2

  36. Global Warming is “Breathtaking opportunities disguised as insoluble problems” John Gardner, Founder, Common Cause

  37. IMPACT ON HURRICANES

  38. IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE • Longer growing season in cold areas • More frequent heavy down-pours • More intense droughts, heat waves • More pest, weeds SUMMER 2012

  39. WIND ENERGY: KITE,ROOFTOP AND SKYSCRAPER WINDMILLS

  40. Urban Ecologyparking lots, EMPTY MALLS

  41. CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE

  42. URBAN TREES AND SUSTAINABILITYSOCIAL JUSTICE AND EDUCATION Florida Urban Forestry Council Award: Outstanding Tree Advocacy Group 

  43. Health Impacts

  44. {} GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE • Ocean Degradation/Pollution • Tropical Deforestation, Endangered Species • Water and Food Resources • Population Growth

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