26 Sep Cooler, Smarter

This week I got a chance to interview one of the three authors of Cooler, Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living. Jeff Deyette was in town for the Renewable Energy Markets conference and we had a lovely chat about the new book that comes from the team at Union of Concerned Scientists. If you don’t already have a copy, here’s a brief preview straight from the source!

Here are my top 5 takeaways from our talk:

1) Choose – Commit – Do It – Tell Others!

UCS has a web-based tool that will help you select up to 20 actions you can take within 20 days to reduce your carbon impact by 20%. Go do it! Then engage others to do the same. The book is divided into three parts to inform, empower you to take action and then inspire you to encourage others to participate.

2) Focus on Transportation and Home Energy Use First.

Transportation and home energy use (electricity, gas, heating oil) are the top two areas where people can make a difference. If you live close to work and have a big house or big electric bills, tackle the energy first. Use a programmable thermostat, replace bulbs with LED and other low-watt choices and get an efficient refrigerator.  If you have a big commute, see what you can do to reduce your vehicle miles traveled through carpooling, using transit, telecommuting or flex working. If you are in the market for a vehicle, choose a vehicle that gets 40+ MPG. Or consider downsizing your vehicle. Many people who claim they need that cargo room or third row may only use it 10 times per year. If that's the case, many individuals/families will save a lot more by purchasing a smaller vehicle and renting a truck or using a carsharing vehicle appropriate to your expanded needs on those occasions.

3) Food Production Methods Trump Transportation.

When it comes to food miles (I asked him specifically) he said that the method of production has WAY more to do with the climate impact that the transportation, which only accounted for 4% of the impact. The notable exception is food shipped by airplane which is way worse, even if it's organic. Jeff lamented the reduction of pineapple in his diet since he learned this fact.  Of course I know there are many other reasons to shop locally, such as supporting our local economy, keeping/putting ag land in production, freshness and flavor of the food, and more. I’m just sharing (surprising) the facts.

4) Climate Science is done by interesting scientists.

Jeff thinks the book Cooler, Smarter has the best chapter on climate science he has seen anywhere. He attributes that largely to the approach they take to introduce readers to the climate scientists doing the research.  

5) Talk to people about what matters to THEM.

When talking to others about boring things like carbon, talk to them about what is important to them – saving money, saving the environment, reducing foreign oil dependence or other topics near and dear to their hearts, not yours.

You can read the official UCS press release about the book here.