Minutes of recent meeting of Climate Change Task Force

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

NEXT CCTF Meeting - October 2, 2011 @ 1:30 PM OMNI Center 3274 N Lee Ave, Fayetteville, AR  .   Number 6 - 15 September 2011  Advocate for actions that lead to the reduction of green house gases  through life-style and legislative change. A Newsletter of the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology's - Climate Change Task Force which is dedicated to the education about the impacts of C02 in Earth's atmosphere and the urgent need to cap and reduce CO2 emissions NOW! at levels below 350 PPM.The                                       Climate Change Task Force Newsletter.                                                 Read the current or archived issues. Dear Aubrey,     Below are the minutes from the last CCTF meeting. Thanks to Shelley Buonaiuto for serving as our recording secretary.   Nathan Wilson & Robert McAfee Co-Chairs, CCTF   MINUTES of September 11, 2011 Meeting    Next Meeting: October 2, 2011 Introduction; Robert McAfee Attendees: Robert McAfee, Solomon Aydani, Megan Wallace, Keaton Smith, Shelley and Michael Buonaiuto, Joanna Pollock, John Rule, Mikel Lolley, Dick Bennett, Gladys Tiffany, Karen Takemoto, Quinn Montana, Marilyn Shoffitt, Nathan Wilson, Linda Farrell, Shannon Joyce Announcements: 1. OMNI Peace Heroes Award Banquet, Sat. Oct 17th, 2. Book Forum on Climate Change, Sept, 18th, 3. Climate Change Task Force, Sunday 10/2/11, 1:30 PM, at OMNI building. Showing "Home" by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, composed of aerial shots of earth showing the diversity of life and how humanity is threatening the ecological life of the planet. 4. Al Gore' Climate Reality Project, will kick off on Sept. 14-15 with a "4 hours of reality"event. There will be one hour of presentation and discussion airing at 8 am, in each time zone around the world, one time zone at a time. Robert will make it available to Fayetteville this fall. 5. The Green Economy Group meets the first Friday of every month at 8 am. 6. Carlos and Audrey Velasquez present program on impact of global warming on the Inuit, First Sunday in Nov., 11/6/11 at CCTF meeting. Inuit society has been destroyed because of vanishing ice. 7. Online journal, 350 PPM is seeking contributions for online announcements. 8. Mark Pryor will be in Fayetteville at the Senior Center near Walker Park next Wednesday. Go to express support for green initiatives. (Pryor' site: Episcopal Church, Parish Hall.Fayetteville Library, discussing Eaarth by Bill McKibben. http://pryor.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Energy Minutes summarized and approved. Action items: 1. Letter to Gov. Beebe - (attached below) - Mikel Lolley: The Colorado Playbook for their successful initiative involved 4 factors: A citizen's ballot initiative asking two simple questions: 1. Would you support clean energy legislation and 2. Would you be willing to pay slightly more for clean energy? 2. An enlightened CEO crack the solidarity of the utilities, by finding the specific differences between the companies and driving a wedge between to get them to break ranks. 3. A broad and diverse coalition to represent the whole state. The CFC (Citizen's First Congress) and APPP (Arkansas Public Policy Panel) already have inroads into South Arkansas. 4. A well populated rally on the steps of the capitol, offering the legislators cover to vote in favor of the initiative. We decided to write a letter to Gov. Beebe without specifics or anything divisive, that would encourage action on an energy plan as part of the governor's economic development plan. We plan to get signatures from every district in the state. There has been no solid information coming out of the energy office about this plan and we have to rely on the infrastructure. Chris Bensen, the energy advisor who answers to Maria Haley of the Economic Development Commission, came to talk to the Green Economy Group about the plan but gave no specifics. An Arkansas Economic Development plan with a strong energy component will be Gov. Beebe's legacy, and will be packaged for 2013. Our letter should be a show of support, not a petition. It should demonstrate awareness of the legislator's need to create jobs. Ar has to recognize that new construction is not coming back but people can be put back to work with retrofits, insulation, HVAC jobs. Suggestion to go through University System for signatures, there are representatives from all over the state, and specifically architecture and engineering students could be affected. Suggestions to emphasize "Efficiency, Conservation, Jobs creation and Education" in bold in first bullet point heading. Mikel: The possible realities are 1. Nothing happens from the letter. 2. The entire state legislature is up for reelection and no matter how good the economic development plan if he can't get it past the house and senate it's worthless. 3. We have to try to populate the legislature with people favorable to an energy policy including incentives for retrofits. Uvalde is already speaking about PACE and an energy policy. 4. We should get the college kids to ask their legislators if they will support Gov. Beebe's energy plan. (assuming it includes the initiatives and incentives for efficiency and conservation we are asking for) Joanna and Shannon will alert the RSO leaders to spread the word about getting signatures on the letter in their home districts. We won't know our legislators til 2012, so we have to educate the voters. and we need a mechanism for this. Uvalde and Greg approve of the letter as written. Suggestion: give letter to students on Moving Planet Day, tie it in with Thanksgiving for them to take home and get signatures. 10 each. Question: Who will be archivist for letters? Hubs could be the Green Economy Group, CCTF, U of A. Discussion about legitimacy of signatures and possible notarization. Decision to keep it simple, and have signatures on back of copies of the letter. There can be a continuous stream of letter submissions, not all at one time. Decision to add "as a component of a comprehensive economic development plan in introduction, after SEP. Also take out last sentence about carbon costs in bullet point 2. (completed in attached letter). 1. Letter will be distributed to university students and businesses. The time frame to have them back and delivered to Governor by Dec. 1. 2. Once Keaton does the rewrite he will send to USGBC, OMNI. 3. Possible use of Docusign online. Will contact Ryan Bancroft about technique. 4. Post on FB, as a page to be "liked". ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. Moving Planet Day, Community Sustainability Fair, Sept, 24th Town Center at 9:30 to bicycle to Old Main or go to Old Main Lawn for gathering from 10 am - 2 am. Event initiated by Bill McKibben of 350.org. Mikel Lolley and Michelle Halsell will speak. Bring gently used items for freecycle, drop off from 10:30-11, browse and take starts at noon. Activities, food and music. Can have table devoted to the letter to Gov. Beebe. 2. Carlos and Audrey Velasquez in Walker Room at Fayetteville library on Thursday, Nov. 3rd  3. Climate Change Challenge -Nathan Wilson.   http://www.omnicenter.org/events/2011/2/28/climate-change-challenge.html Please fill out the questions on the Climate Change Challenge to earn points toward a trip to South Africa. Here is a link directly to the Contest Page: points/ Also, http://www.practicallygreen.com/ about 400+ action items and they are pretty neat. you are and compare yourself with Facebook friends or other members. Its got 4.Please support OMNI, the CFC and the APPP financially. The CFC is our lobbying arm in the legislature. 5. Report on violations of water quality by natural gas drilling companies available. 6. Many thanks to Linda Farrell for bringing healthy delicious food. Respectfully submitted, Shelley Buonaiuto LETTER: Governor Mike Beebe State Capitol Room 250 Little Rock, AR 72201 SUBJECT: Economic Development and Energy Plan Dear Governor Beebe: Thank you for your leadership in directing the Arkansas Energy Office to leverage its expertise by creating an Energy Plan for Arkansas, as a component of a comprehensive Economic Development Plan. We, the undersigned citizens, businesses, and institutions of Arkansas support a strong Energy Plan that cultivates the market certainty needed to attract private investment to our State. Such an Energy Plan acknowledges future economic growth, increased demand for energy, and finite natural resources. We propose the following as a potential framework for the Energy Plan:   1. Education and Efficiency are Job Creators. An initial focus on energy efficiency and conservation in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors will result in immediate economic benefits for homeowners, businesses, utilities and our State. Investments in Centers of Excellence can be leveraged to retool our idle construction sector, putting Arkansans to work helping families and businesses increase disposable income and profits, respectively. Energy dollars would be retained in the Arkansas economy. 2. Affordable and stable energy prices for the next 40 years. Arkansas's businesses and residents will benefit from affordable and stable energy costs. Diversification of energy production away from finite, imported energy resources would insulate Arkansas's citizens and businesses from price shocks and market volatility. 3. Reliability of energy supplies for the next 40 years. Reliability of our energy supplies for electricity production and for transportation is paramount. Designing for robustness by moving toward more diverse generation assets and homegrown energy sources will help mitigate the risk of supply chain disruptions, the consequences of which are potentially catastrophic. 4. Environmental and economic soundness. As we anticipate our future energy portfolio, we must consider the full costs of all environmental impacts, since these are ultimately paid by society at large. Environmental goals should be specified and met, but this must be done in the most cost-effective manner to be truly sustainable policy. Lifecycle analysis and accepted metrics should be used to evaluate options and monitor performance. We support your inclusion of these principles as the foundation for Arkansas' Energy Plan. Such a plan has the potential to be an outstanding legacy for your administration. Time is of the essence. Whereas energy policy profoundly affects the economy of our State, we respectfully request that the formation of the Energy Plan proceed with all due urgency. We welcome all future dialogue about the Plan, and stand ready to support and assist you where we may. Thank you for your time and consideration, Signed, cc: Chris Benson, Maria Haley, Marc Harrison, etc.       Meeting Agenda  Climate Change Task Force Monthly Meeting 7 August 2011, 1:30PM, OMNI House, 3274 N. Lee Ave., Fayetteville, AR Note: At this meeting we will begin building a network of people who will participate in educating legislators about renewable energy, energy efficiency and sound energy policy for Arkansas. Please bring your cell phones and folks you know around the state. We will have maps of the Legislative Districts so you can locate your potential contacts in each district. Thank you.                                 I.            1:00        Welcome  Nathan Wilson-Robert McAfee,                     II.            1:05        Way of Work     Louise Mann, Facilitator                             III.            1:15        Move Beyond Fossil Fuels-350.org event, 24 Sept 2011Nathan Wilson & Joanna Pollock                             IV.            1:30        The Power of 10: 18 month strategy for prep for the 2013 Legislative Session    Robert & Louise                               V.            1:40        PANEL: An Economic Development, Clean Energy and Green Jobs Plan for Arkansas. Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, PACE & REFITand more. Building the network to educate the Arkansas Legislature before and during the 2013 Session. Panel members will include Mikel Lolley, Keaton Smith, Orlo Stitt, and Gary Kahanak will The Panel will be moderated by Joanna Pollock.                             VI.            2:40        The Power of 10! Getting started on outreach and establishing the network.                           VII.            3:00        Announcements              VIII.            3:05       Open Discussion for those who wish to linger                                 IX.            3:30        Adjourn   BACK TO TOP    An Economic Development, Clean Energy, &  Green Jobs Plan for Arkansas By Mikel Lolley, President, Treadwell Institute Enabling Legislation cultivates a climate of market certainty which attracts private investment Arkansas has an opportunity to go from the bottom six states with no energy plan whatsoever, to the top six states with an assertive enough plan that recognizes that "the times, they are a changing," Bob Dylan. Economics 101 - early adopters that recognize and anticipate changes in market forces and create business models, shape policy and plan infrastructure around these forecasts, reap the greatest rewards and the steepest dividends. We are in the midst of a major paradigm shift the likes of which the world has not seen in at least a century if not longer. Like all paradigm shifts before, it has been wrought out of necessity, a necessity to change. But, why now? Why not before now? Why not later? Paradigms shifts choose the timing; not institutions, not governments, not even the people get to chose when the revolution actually occurs. Paradigm shifts occur when a combination of forces align to conspire together to urge the status quo, the governments, the institutions, and the people of the day toward change. When the tools, the ideolologies and the institutions that had been developed in the previous paradigm are no longer useful at solving the new challenges of the new day, they begin to loose their relevance. We are there. This new paradigm started 30 years ago with the recognition that for the first time in the modern human experience, we (humans) are entering a new age, an age defined by limits; limits on human population; limits on arable land; limits on available clean water and clean air; limits on natural resources; limits on energy as % of GDP; limits on healthcare as % of GDP; limits on C02 emissions; limits on just about everything and in every category we look. Manifest in the environmental movement, resulting in the development of the 1st Earth Day, an oil embargo, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts of the 70's. Now we find ourselves 40 years later in the worse market economy since the Great Depression, unemployment rates hovering at just under 10%, and at over 20% for the construction sector and for nearly three years now. What are we going to do about it? Some states have adapted, and have recognized the profound changes coming our way. Whether we want to change is no longer an option. It's here. Those states that have immobilized, created the enabling legislation, and cultivated a climate of market certainty have attracted significant private investment and are seeing the benefits of jobs creation in the new Green Economy; jobs in Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Clean Tech and Green Manufacturing. Arkansas needs to jump on this band wagon, follow suit and leverage investments and opportunities already made in our fair state. Arkansas has the perfect alignment of planets setting up "the Natural State" for a monumental advancement in 2013, and taking us from no energy plan whatsoever, to a comprehensive Economic Development; Clean Energy; Green Jobs policy that can ensure that Arkansas is leading the way toward this new paradigm and guaranteeing that our fair state is in the strongest economic condition possible to afford ourselves the luxury and the privilege to contemplate the loftier intellectual pursuits of Politics, Philosophy, Art, Poetry and the fate of our states natural resources and of our planet. If Arkansas should maintain the status quo, we will impoverish our fair state and we will find ourselves so utterly preoccupied with survival with keeping food on the table and a roof over our heads that we will not afford ourselves the luxury of anything else, (Mazlow's Hierarchy of Need). Governor Beebe has asked the Arkansas Economic Development Office via Maria Haley and the Arkansas Energy Office via Chris Benson to develop an 'Energy Plan' to be a part of his legislative  package. This plan is ambitious and is to be his lasting legacy for Arkansas as a term limited Governor, and having gone on the record with no expressed political aspirations after he wraps-up his 2nd term in 2013. This Energy Plan is to build off of his Knowledge Economic Development Plan rolled-out several years ago. Acknowledgement that education, re-education, and re-tooling the work force will prove a significant component as we move Arkansas into the new paradigm, and the new Green Economy. We have several key State Legislators who have expressed a keen interest and even a commitment to sponsoring and actively advocating to their peers for a comprehensive Economic Development; Clean Energy; Green Jobs Plan in 2013. We have begun to build a broad and diverse coalition of key stakeholders in Business Leaders, non profits, agencies and institutions who have expressed a strong desire to get together on message and intent and to push our elected officials for real progress for Arkansas with regards to a comprehensive plan going into 2013. Potential Coalition Groups recommending for an Energy Plan, but not limited to, below: USGBC (US Green Building Council), Citizens First Congress, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Fayetteville Forward Green Economy Group, Treadwell Institute, Interfaith Power & Light, Arkansas Small Business Leaders for a Clean Energy Economy, Arkansas Alternative Energy Commission, Sustainable Building Task Force, Audubon, Sierra Club, Pew Charitable Trusts, OMNI, and various enlightened Mayors from around the State. We have identified systemic barriers in the old systems and institutions that have been self referential for decades and are thwarting the successful roll-out of the new Green Economy. Barriers identified as: 1) A Feed-in Tariff that guarantees a fair price by mandate to renewable energy producers that could jump start the renewable energy sector via Solar PV, Solar Hot Water, Solar Thermal, Wind, Micro-hydro, and Biomass. 2) Alternative financing mechanisms, such as PACE for bonding scale and capacity to help pay for Energy Efficiency improvements. 3) Adoption of an updated and more relevant version of the state Energy Code, ie from 2003 to 2009. Statewide enforcement of this newer code would create demand in the emerging sector of energy efficiency, energy audits. Requiring an Energy Audit as a part of the inspection process for properties bought or sold would provide consumers the necessary information re: energy usage. Mandate a blower door test and a duct blast test prior to every close on any property transaction in the state. 4) Provide state sales tax incentives on equipment for Energy Efficiency or Renewable Energy Improvements. 5) Mandate that the multi-listing used by realtors include new Energy Fields that include energy usage information and an energy score for any property being bought and sold, similar to an Estimated Mileage sticker when buying a new car. 6) Mandate that appraisers and lenders provide appropriate valuations for energy efficiency and renewable energy lending and improvements. 7) Mandate 'best practices' and 'water protections' to driller's fracking for natural gas, or fracking for oil, or strip mining for lignite, or for storage of coal ash. 8) Enhance the current net metering statute. 9) Create a Loan Loss Reserve to allow bonding capacity for financing a statewide Revolving Loan Fund to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits on existing buildings. Follow the Colorado Play Book: they tried and failed three times to pass comprehensive economic development; clean energy; green jobs legislation. When asked, Governor Ritter and Tom Plant credit the passage on the fourth try to (4) four key elements: 1)     A broad diverse coalition. 2)     An enlightened Big Energy Exec. willing to break the glass ceiling of unity among the Big Energy Lobby. 3)     A Clean Energy Rally populated by over 400 attendees on the steps of the State Capitol to demonstrate the public will and give the state legislators courage that they were in-fact representing their constituents and could afford to piss-off Big Energy. 4)     A ballot initiative, whereby they asked the base questions: Would you support a Clean Energy Policy for the State of Colorado? Would you be willing to pay slightly more for your clean energy? The voting respondents overwhelming said yes to these two questions and this again gave insecure legislators the strength to break ranks with Big Energy and support legislation that was representative of the peoples will. Once Colorado passed the enabling legislation they sent a message loud and clear to the private markets, "we support the new green economy and we have the state statues and incentives to prove it." Within the next couple of years they produced the following results: 1) They went from 40 Clean Energy Companies to over 400, and even attracted a major wind manufacture from Europe to build a new manufacturing facility in Colorado. 2) They created 3500 direct clean energy jobs, and in the worse market economy since the Great Depression. 3) They created 17,000 soft jobs as a result of the 3500 direct jobs. 4) They encouraged Big Coal to invest instead in Natural Gas conversions for their aging coal plants and save in the tremendous upfront costs to upgrade with new scrubbers, but take advantage of an instate energy source in Natural Gas, and instead of importing coal from Wyoming. There have been significant investments already made within Arkansas that can and should be leveraged to maximize a good return on these investments and ensure and guarantee their future success such as: 1) The Centers for Excellence, created in 2009 via federal ARRA funding, to retrain the construction sector in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energy. 2) The PSC dockets for Energy Efficiency benchmarks for 25%, 50% and 75% by 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively, and the rate increases approved by the PSC requested by the public utilities to off-set real costs associated with providing incentives to reach those benchmarks via aggressive incentives or rebate programs. 3) Governor Beebe has paved the way with his Knowledge Based Economic Development Plan that needs the Clean Energy; Green Jobs components added in to fully recognize the (3) three major components of any paradigm shift - (A). New market desire, (B). Education and re-tooling of the workforce, (C). Deployment and mass-market. 4) A nationally recognized research university with a research / technology park. In summary: the new paradigm, this new Green Economy will be utilizing the new tools of the day, such as, whole systems thinking and integration to arrive at the elegant and inclusive solutions that mimic what we find in the natural world. Correct the "Dilbert's" that are the all too familiar hallmarks of the previous century of self referential systems and institutions that have become preoccupied with greater and greater specialization to the point that the left hand doesn't know what the right had is doing. The new Green Economy has new tools via 'collaborative loops' powerful main frame computers, the internet and social networking sites that have allowed for a real integration of disciplines to help break down the silos of thought and problem solving and allow us to arrive more inclusive and elegant solutions to the monumental challenges that confront us today. Exciting times! BACK TO TOP   2011 - 2013 CCTF Meeting Schedule  The Climate Change Task Force Meets on the first Sunday of each month at 1:30PM at the OMNI House, 3274 N. Lee Ave, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Except CCTF will meet on the second Sunday, September 2011, January 2012 and September 2012. More details about future meetings will appear below as they are finalized. Also other important dates are are included in this calendar. 2011 CCTF. Sunday, 7 August. Panel & Discussion: An Economic Development, Clean Energy and Green Jobs Plan for Arkansas. With members of Fayettevilles Green Economy Group: Joanna Pollock, Mikel Lolley, Gary Kahanak, Keaton Smith and Orlo Stitts. Come learn about how you can be part of the Power of 10. CCTF. Sunday, 11 September. Moving Beyond Fossil Fuels. http://www.moving-planet.org/ .Join CCTF in preparations for the event on September 24th. Also CCTF will continue to mobilize for the Power of 10. Saturday, 24 September. A day to move beyond fossil fuels.Moving Planet is a worldwide rally to demand solutions to the climate crisis-a single day to move away from fossil fuels. For too long, our leaders have denied and delayed, compromised and caved. That era must come to an end.Come on bike, on skates, on a board, or on foot. Come with your neighbors and your friends, your family and your co-workers. Come be part of something huge. It's time to get moving on the climate crisis. CCTF. Sunday, 2 October. HOME-The Film. Directed by photographer. Glenn Close.HOME takes you on a visually stunning, spectacular voyage around the world. It is a unique film that approaches the current debate about climate change from a whole new angle, giving viewers the opportunity to see for themselves how our earth is changing. Going well beyond the scientific reports, charts and graphs, this film is an inspiration that speaks to our hearts and touches our souls.Spanning 54 countries and 120 locations, all seen from the air, the film captures the Earth's most amazing landscapes, showcasing its incomparable beauty and acknowledging its vulnerability. HOME is a compelling emotional reminder of what is at stake: the Earth, in all its beauty, and the people who live on it.HOME is the first major film about climate change that has been made using only aerial photography. The film marks artist and activist, Yann Arthus-Betrand's feature film directorial debut. HOME is a non-for-profit film project, produced by the French film director and producer Luc Besson (Europacorp), Denis Carot (Elzevir Films) and supported by the PPR group. In the United States, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment represents the film.  BACK TO TOP   The mission of the OMNI Climate Change Task Force (CCTF) is to educate Arkansans about current realities of climate change and scientific projections. The CCTF is committed to actions that lead to the reduction of green house gases through life-style and legislative change, which includes partnering with like-minded organizations.