A regional resource for Cape & Islands climate activists
February 11, 2021
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G.M. Will Sell Only Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2035
The move, one of the most ambitious in the auto industry, is a piece of a broader plan by the company to become carbon neutral by 2040.
The days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. General Motors said Thursday that it would phase out petroleum-powered cars and trucks and sell only vehicles that have zero tailpipe emissions by 2035, a seismic shift by one of the world’s largest automakers that makes billions of dollars today from gas-guzzling pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.
The announcement is likely to put pressure on automakers around the world to make similar commitments. It could also embolden President Biden and other elected officials to push for even more aggressive policies to fight climate change. Leaders could point to G.M.’s decision as evidence that even big businesses have decided that it is time for the world to begin to transition away from fossil fuels that have powered the global economy for more than a century.
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The shift toward clean cars
How big automakers are abandoning resistance
The decision by the companies had been widely expected, but was still significant: The shift may help the Biden administration move quickly to reinstate national fuel-efficiency standards that would control planet-warming auto pollution, this time with support from industry giants that fought such regulations for years.
The move also amounted to a U-turn for California’s influence on Washington policymaking. Read more here.
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Big but affordable effort needed for America to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, Princeton study shows
Molly Seltzer, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Dec. 15, 2020
The research is the first study to quantify and map with this degree of specificity, the infrastructure that needs to be built and the investment required to run the country without emitting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than are removed from it each year. It’s also the first to pinpoint how jobs and health will be affected in each state at a highly granular level, sometimes down to the county.
The study’s five scenarios describe at a highly detailed, state-by-state level the scale and pace of technology and capital mobilization needed across the country, and highlight the implications for land use, incumbent energy industries, employment, and health. Read more here.
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Net-Zero America is the ambitious and sweeping Princeton initiative that aims to decarbonize the entire U.S. economy by 2050 by outlining specific pathways at a granular level. The most important priorities for the remaining part of this decade include these six pillars:
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Get roughly 50 million electric cars on the road and install 3 million or more public charging ports nationwide.
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Increase by more than double the share of electric heat pumps for home heating (23% vs. 10% today) and triple the use of heat pumps in commercial buildings
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Grow wind and solar electricity generating capacity fourfold (to approximately 600 gigawatts), enough to supply roughly half of U.S. electricity (vs. 10% today)
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Expand high-voltage transmission capacity by roughly 60% to deliver renewable electricity to where it is needed
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Increase annual uptake of carbon stored permanently in forests and agricultural soils by 200 million metric tons of CO2-e
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Reduce non-CO2greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, nitrous oxides and hydrofluorocarbons, by at least 10%
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Energy & The Built Environment
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Consumer Reports
Solar Resources and Checklists
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How to Install a Solar System and Not Get Burned
Want to save thousands of dollars on your solar installation? Here’s how.
By Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Consumer Reports
Maybe you’ve seen ads for solar deals or you’ve seen solar panels pop up on rooftops around the neighborhood. You may be wondering, is a solar system right for me? Can it save me money?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Most solar electric systems last 30 years and pay for themselves in 4 to 5 years after tax credits and rebates. That means homeowners can enjoy free electricity for years.” But for an individual consumer, the answer is “it depends.” And saving money through solar depends primarily on three things: your home, your utility, and your contract. Here are a few tips to get the most out of a solar system. Read more here
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- ZE buildings are being built in Massachusetts today with virtually no upfront costs.
- Return on investment for ZE in Existing and New Office Buildings can begin in as little as one year for ZE ready buildings.
- Of the six building types studied, all can be Zero Energy Ready (ZER) for upfront costs of 0-7 percent, and all types breakeven in eight years or less when there are no additional upfront costs.
- Existing office buildings retrofitted to zero energy, with renewables, can produce a return on their investment in as little as five to six years in comparison to a code compliant renovation.*
- Building energy demand can be reduced 44 – 54 percent across all building types with technology that’s readily available today.
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Formerly known as the U.S. Green Building Alliance, Massachusetts Chapter, Built Environment Plus is a Boston-based membership organization advocating for green buildings at the state and local level.
Built Environment Plus provides green building education, networking, advocacy, and leadership opportunities for the sustainable building practitioner community and beyond.
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Most Teachers Don't Teach Climate Change; 4 In 5
Parents Wish They Did
NPR, April 22, 2019
More than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change. And that support crosses political divides, according to the results of an exclusive new NPR/Ipsos poll: Whether they have children or not, two-thirds of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats agree that the subject needs to be taught in school.
A separate poll of teachers found that they are even more supportive, in theory — 86% agree that climate change should be taught. Read more here.
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Connect instruction in meaningful ways to students’ lives
Provide opportunities for students to engage in scientific inquiry
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Educate about Green STEM Careers as solutions to climate change
Green STEM Careers are some of the fastest growing careers in the country, and there are many pathways students can take to become qualified STEM professionals. Check out the documentary and instructional supplement to bring career education into any subject area and grade level!
Incorporate racial and social injustice teaching
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Climate X Change
Deep Dive Webinar
The Road to 100% Renewable Energy
February 16
3:00 - 4:00 pm
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With the new administration, states and cities committing to 100% renewable energy or net-zero goals, this webinar looks at these policies under a microscope. What is the difference between 100% renewable, net-zero, and carbon neutrality? How can we protect jobs and ensure that vulnerable populations are protect in a massive energy transition? What technology is needed to achieve 100% renewable energy? How can we pass these policies in legislatures across the country? |
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MCAN Webinar
Net Zero Pathways & Opportunities under the B/H Administration: Prospects for Community Climate Action
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Join the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) and AE2C energy and climate policy experts on what promises to be a new era in the U.S. to address climate change at the domestic and international levels.
Experts will discuss economy-wide decarbonization pathways including electrification, U.S. energy workforce trends and the U.S. rejoining the Paris Agreement.
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MCAN Webinar
Social Media for Advocacy
February 17
6:00-7:00 pm
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Join MCAN and Digital Marketing expert, Angela Pitter (Founder and CEO of Live Wire Collaborative), to learn how to connect and collaborate with key decision-makers using social media. Angela will share how to leverage each social media platform's unique features to reach your target audience. This session will cover Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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Virtual Meeting
Plymouth & Barnstable Senate District Town Hall Meeting with Congressman Bill Keating
March 15
5:00-6:00 PM
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Congressman Bill Keating will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss pressing issues facing our community and our country.
This meeting also provides an opportunity for constituents to express their opinion on the proposed Machine Gun Range project at Camp Edwards, Joint Base Cape Cod, which the Climate Collaborative and partners have opposed. The meeting will be moderated by State Senator Su Moran and all are welcome.
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BSA & MCAN Webinar Series
Networking for Change
Working with Tenants to Make it Work
Affordable Housing as a Climate Solution
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(Past Events)
Join the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) and Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) for this 4-part series designed to inform, inspire, and connect industry professionals and advocates around the importance of affordable housing, housing stability, and housing justice as part of the climate solution.
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Two of the top three fastest growing occupations with the highest percent change of employment between 2019-29 are in the green energy fields, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. To learn what they are, read more here.
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Educators: Wondering how to combat misinformation about climate change? Check out Skeptical Science for activities to do with students to help them spot the fallacies! There’s also an app called Cranky Uncle on how to disarm climate deniers.
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The forecast is: Wild Weather in a Warming World, so bundle up! The polar vortex is experiencing an unusually long disturbance this year because of a “sudden stratospheric warming.” Read more here.
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Missed the Net Zero 2020 Conference?
Check out recordings of all sessions below.
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Watch 30+ videos and learn from experts around the region, state and country.
Join the conversation and get involved!
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MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATIVE RESOURCES
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The Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to reach carbon neutrality—or net zero—on Cape Cod and the Islands of Massachusetts by enhancing communication, collaboration, and activism among organizations, programs, and individuals committed to mitigating the climate crisis. We depend upon the generosity of our stakeholders to conduct our work.
All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
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CAPE COD CLIMATE CHANGE COLLABORATIVE
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The Climate Action Alerts newsletter is written and produced by Fran Schofield. If you've got a climate story or question, please be in touch! And don't forget to share this action alert with your friends and suggest they subscribe here.
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