Our Best Investment

By LUCIA MARTINEZ Washington Summit on Climate Stabiliza-
tion organized by the Climate Institute last
September. The Institute was established
make a quilt since the results are 20 years ago as the first nonprofit organi-
seen only at the end when each zation with the primary goal of addressing
PATIENT piece isENDURANCE IS REQUIRED
in place to create TO
a unique climate change.
design. The same happens on a much larger Scientists, politicians, business people,
scale with the efforts of millions of people media representatives, religious leaders
addressing the problem of global warming and young people met to build partner-
and the climate change it generates. The ships at all levels. It was an opportunity
fruits of these efforts came together at the not only to strengthen the efforts to
stabilize our planet's climate but also to
assess the situation. The challenge was
clear: governments alone are not enough
to reach the goal. Everyone could and
should be engaged in the process.
The first day, scientists from sev-
eral disciplines and countries presented
trends pinpointing types of human
activity that cause increased concentra-
tions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon
dioxide (C02) in the atmosphere-a

Organized by the
Climate Institute, the
Summit on Climate
Stabilization was held
September 18-21 in
Washington. Among
the speakers were
President Olafur
Ragnar Grimsson
of Iceland and the
Reverend Sally
Bingham (opposite
page, left), executive
director of the
Interfaith Power and
Light Campaign.

28 LIVING CITY. NOVEMBER 2006

---------------- ~

fact that no one doubts any longer. What
came into evidence was the sense of
urgency to control CO2 emissions that
could further endanger our civilization.
"The time is now" was an oft-repeated
refrain. It was a call to action. Several
facts give evidence that we are approach-
ing a tipping point from which it may be
impossible to turn back. One example
is the melting of the polar icecap which
normally reflects sunlight back into space.
Less ice means more heat reaching the
Earth, therefore self-fueling the warming
process.
Policy makers, and business and reli-
gious leaders provided hope and chal-
lenges. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the
ranking member of the Energy and Com-
merce Committee, and House Science
Committee Chairman, Sherwood Boe-
hlert (R-NY), agreed on the importance of
bipartisan collaboration to address global
warmmg.
Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar
Grimsson presented an example of what
political will can accomplish. He said
that when he was growing up, the capital,
Reykjavik, was full of smog from coal
fires. Now, almost 100% of the electric-
ity usage and houses are heated using
renewable energy. In just one generation,
the country has transformed its economy
to reach a point where 70% of its energy
needs come from clean sources, like geo-
thermal power and micro-hydropower.
Iceland set a powerful example that it
is possible to prosper economically and
protect the planet.
Presentations were made by Susan Joy
Hassol, writer of the HBO film "Too Hot
The challenge is clear:
governments alone are not
enough to reach the goal.
Everyone could and should be
engaged in the process.
Not to Handle," a film devoted to posi-
tive actions being taken around the world
that address global warming, and Karen
Coshof, creator and producer of the film
"The Great Warming." They demonstrated
the power of the media to generate climate
awareness to the public.
Goldman Sachs, a large banking
and investment company, is doubling its
investment in renewable energy from $1
billion to $2 billion. It demonstrated the
will and interest in climate stabilization
by the corporate world.
Experts from organizations such as
the World Bank and the Organization of
American States shared their efforts to
foster and encourage sustainable develop-
ment in different parts of the world.
Religious communities have also
played a crucial role in uniting to safe-
guard creation by addressing global
warming. Many consider the cause of
fighting climate change a moral issue.
They raise the question: How can we
love our neighbor or grandchildren if we
pollute the Earth?
The San Francisco-based association,
Interfaith Power and
Light, now oper-
ates in 20 states and
works with 4,000
communities including Jewish, Catholic,
Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian, Uni-
tarian, Buddhist, Muslim and Quaker. The
Presbyterian Church, for example, decided
to go "Carbon Neutral." Its members will
try to reduce their energy consumption to
lower their CO2 emissions by using energy
efficient appliances, reducing driving trips
by combining errands, and so on. Since
emissions can't be totally eliminated,
everyone-individuals or organizations-
are invited to offset them by purchasing
credits by investing in captured methane
projects. To offset the emitted carbon may
cost a family of four about $0.50 a day
(see Living City Aug.2006).
Trying to make their campuses carbon
neutral was the spark that ignited a grass-
roots movement among college students.
The initiative is not only developing a new
awareness of the problem, but it is also
developing new interdisciplinary fields
of study, combining business administra-
tion and the environmental sciences. The
passion of David Worth, founder of Campus
Carbon Neutral expressed the energy of
the younger generations in dealing with
the issue.
At the end of the summit, Elizabeth
Topping, a recent graduate in international
environment and energy studies, echoed
the feeling of all, "We should keep on
strengthening the patchwork of climate
stabilization." ~
More information is available at
http://washing ton_summit. ctimate. a rg

HBO's one-hour documentary, "Too Hot Not to Handle,"

a film devoted to positive actions being taken in the
United States and around the world to address global
warming, features contributions from leading scientists
in the field. "This issue of global warming is not a
political issue; it's a moral issue," the film's executive
producer Laurie David said.

LIVING CITY, NOVEMBER 2006 29