10 Ideas for Energy & the Environment, 2009

8/14/2019 10 Ideas for Energy & the Environment, 2009

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Roose

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environment

energy

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10IEES2009

NDHilary Doe

CEBGracye Cheng

DCEERiley Wyman

AACbEAJ Singletary

SFwDan Blue

Cory Connolly

NEBClayton Ferrara

Frank LinFay Pappas

Melanie WrightYunwen Zhang

TRICNwARI

2100MSNW

S610W,DC20037

Copyright 2009 by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.All rights reserved.

The opinions and statements expressed herein are the sole view o the authors and donot reect the views o the national organization, its chapters, or afliates.


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This series was made possibleby the generosity o

Mr. Stephan Loewentheil.


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UAbDMRRwbSJames Hobbs

IzACFzAlex Greenspan

MWMFMalin Dartnell and Shanell Davis

EwIE-SRPaul Burger

RLFCSbPjAlex Wall and Naomi Harris

WzRPJohn Deisinger, Abigail Homans, Erin Kilburn, Dia Kirby,

Adam Marshall, Anne McShane, Emily Rhodes, and Will Skora

UzRwbEC-BMCory Connolly, Olivia Cohn, Daniel Blue

EWzAPSarah Collins and Valerie Bieberich

PCPOWPjDaniel Blue

DbSBTElizabeth Miller

TNBT:WCRiley Wyman

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PTable of Contents


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E he Roosevel Insiue Campus Nework adoped Think Impac, amodel ha re-emphasized our organizaions ounding goals o looking o young peopleor ideas and acion, win orces necessary in he pursui o change.

The ideas you will read abou in his years rs 10 Ideas series are he resul o he ad-mirable creaiviy, hard work, and scholarship o Roosevelers. These publicaionsonDeense and Diplomacy, Economic Developmen, Educaion, Energy & he Environmen,Equal Jusice, and Healhare also a esamen o hese auhors engagemen wih he

world. In environmens ha can be insular, Roosevelers show a willingness o look ou-wards, o hink criically abou problems on a local, sae, and naional level.

Bu, o his end, hese publicaions should only serve as a saring poin o a greaerprocess. Roosevelers mus be willing o ac in he communiies where hese ideas canmos eec posiive change. For conceps ha you nd inspiring, we hope ha you aremoivaed o leverage hem or he bene o your own campus, ciy or sae, and hayou seek ou channels and movemens hrough which o bring hese ideas o ruiion.And, in insances where you disagree, we hope ha you are challenged o see how you

migh improve on or adap an idea.

Gracye ChengChair o he Naional Ediorial Board

Letter from the Editorp


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E are in vogue. Polar bears pull a hear srings and hybridcars inundae he srees o LA. Bu beneah markeing acics lays a budding movemeno innovaive ideas ransorming he ace o Americas landscape and economy.

Many o he challenges acing he energy and environmenal movemen are no uniquelimied unds, vocal opposiion, and ragmened messaging all pose obsacles. The eco-nomic downurn his his eld paricularly hard, even hough environmenal and eco-nomic concerns are hardly muually exclusive. They are codependen soluions.

While energy and environmenal policy ace he same obsacles as many oher elds, heunique naure o poenial policy mechanisms provides is own se o challenges. Naionalclimae change legislaion has passed, bu much o he needed policy mus occur a morelocal levels. Quesions o auhoriy coninue o plague policymakers, as universiy, ciy,sae, regional, and ederal ineress rarely align in easily denable ways. Moreover, be-cause so much echnology is sill missing, policy mus boh creae soluions and developinrasrucure. In a eld requiring signican echnological and scienic background, i isdicul or policy o mainain a realisic and uncional scope.

Many o hese auhors have done more han pu pen o paper hey are bringing heirideas o ruiion. Alex Wall and Naomi Harris rom Norhwesern have worked wih heirschool o creae a revolving loan und (RLF) on heir campus, while simulaneously work-ing wih sudens rom oher schools o provide models and suggesions or urher de-velopmen. Cory Connolly and Dan Blue, Senior Fellows, have worked wih Van Jones,naional Green Jobs Czar in he Obama Adminisraion, on developing eed-in-arisand wind energy in Michigan. These are jus wo examples o how sudens are parakingin a new kind o suden acivism ideniying problems, conducing research, and hen

engaging he policy process wih pragmaic and innovaive soluions.

Wih he goal o developing boh uncional, progressive policy and innovaive, hough-ul leaders, he Energy and Environmen Cener has had a anasic level o success hisyear. Wih evens in Chicago, Washingon D.C, and Eas Lansing, wih hree journalsTheCaalys, Growing a Green Midwesern Economy, and 10 Ideas or Changeand wihgrowing membership and paricipaion, he sudens in his Cener have brough passiono paper and o he doors o policymakers. This is he generaion ha will inheri odayschallenges. An empowered group o creaive and inspired youh, hese sudens are he

nex generaion o public leaders.

Riley WymanLead Sraegis or Energy and he Environmen

Strategists Note P


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Using Anaerobic Digestors

to Meet Rural Renewable StandardsJames Hobbs, Colorado College

Saes wih high poenial or anaerobic digesion should ailor heir RenewablePorolio Sandards o bene rural communiies, reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions, and creae sable diversied sources o renewable energy.

In an anaerobic digesion (AD) aciliy, organic wase is processed o produce mehaneand carbon dioxide biogas which can be burned o generae hea or elecrical energy.Livesock manure is an inpu uel, bu i remains underuilized in curren manure man-agemen sysems. In ac, he same biochemical processes which could produce biogasinsead release mehane, a greenhouse gas roughly 25 imes more poen han carbon

dioxide. Naionwide, AD could preven he release o 96 billion 3/year, while generaing6.3 million MWh/year.The environmenal and ecologicalbenes o AD are widely acceped.Mehane emissions are miigaed,odors are reduced, and reliable re-newable energy is produced. Ruraland agriculural saes should recog-

nize he poenial energy which is lan-guishing on heir arms and mandaehe developmen o his resourcehrough srong and specic Renew-able Porolio Sandards (RPS).

Curren suppor or AD is pachwork a bes. The Environmenal Proecion Agency(EPA) AgSTAR iniiaive, he Unied Saes Deparmen o Agriculure (USDA) Environ-menal Qualiy Incenives Program, and various sae programs have no creaed broad

implemenaion.

Saes should urn o one o heir new ools in climae change legislaion, he RPS. Legis-laion mandaing ha sae uiliies generae a percenage o heir elecriciy rom renew-able sources exiss in weny-nine saes, and ve ohers have volunary goals. Saes hahave high AD poenial such as Iowa, Norh Carolina, Minnesoa, and Caliornia, shouldailor heir RPS and require a small percenage o elecriciy in he sae o be generaeda hese aciliies. Modes numbers, based on he EPAs esimaes or individual saepoenial could be used o se realisic goals.

The specic ailoring o sae RPS is already in use. Nevada and Colorado have ailoredheir RPS o require uiliies o use solar energy o mee 5% and 4% o heir demand re-specively. Saes are no alike and hey should implemen policies which encourage hedevelopmen o heir own abundan resources. This legislaion will ensure a diversiedenergy porolio while beneting he rural communiies o individual saes.

Key FactsAD echnolo gy prevened he release oover 700,000 meric ons o CO2 equiva-len in 2008 and he EPA esimaes icould evenually preven over y imes

his amoun.In Iowa and Norh Carolina alone, ADcould produce 1.4 million Megawat hoursper year.


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Analysis

The goal o his policy is o reduce he release o desrucive mehane, generae renew-able elecriciy, and boos rural economies. The EPA esimaes ha over 6000 livesockaciliies in he Unied Saes could run a digeser proably, bu he EPA idenies lesshan 150 such digesers which were in operaion in February, 2009.

Mandaing he use o his echnology hrough RPS would provide a policy orce, bu iwould no independenly mee he economic coss o digesers. A Gordondale Farmsin Nelsonville, Wisconsin capial expendiures were $748,000, bu he aciliy recoupedhose coss in roughly 6 years, a period o ime which is airly consisen in AD lieraure.For a small arm, he cos and risk o his invesmen are high. This would no be hacase or a large public uiliy, where he break-even poin would come much sooner haninvesmen in a coal or nuclear plan. RPS mandaes eecively shi he original capialcoss o uiliy companies. However, he gross capial invesmen is relaively small or

large corporaions, and hese invesmens have been shown o operae proably.

Opportunities

This policy has he abiliy o creaea new and lasing coaliion in a newenergy economy. AD will no creaean immense source o energy, bu ican reduce greenhouse gas emissionswhile providing growh and sable in-

come o rural areas. Cerain changeso RPS law could make his more pal-aable or uiliies as well. Any powergeneraed by a digeser, bu used onhe arm or used o power he digeserisel, should be couned owards he

overall percenage o renewable energy ha he uiliy mus provide. Even hough hispower never reaches he grid, i reduces demand and cus mehane emissions.

Next StepsThis policy should move hrough sae legislaures, hopeully wih biparisan sponsorship.I will be expedien o ocus on amending and modiying hese relaively new laws as heyare debaed and developed so ha specic, sae energy sources can be uilized wihousand-alone legislaion.

Talking PointsAD ca n reduce poen greenhouse gasemissions while creaing renewable en-ergy and boosing rural economies.Saes should recognize heir unique re-

newable srenghs, and uilize heir RPSo develop he energy sources which aremos prevalen and which will mos ben-e heir ciizens.

Annual Emission Reducions: CO2 Equivalen, char, The EPA AgSTAR program, htp://www.epa.gov/agsar/

accomplish.hml (accessed April 10, 2009).

EPA. Marke Opporuniies or Biogas Recovery Sysems: A Guide o Ideniying Candidaes or On-Farm andCenralized Sysems. htp://www.epa.gov/agsar/pd/biogas%20 recovery%20sysemsscreenres.pd (ac

cessed April 10, 2009).

Marin, John H., Jr. An Evaluaion o a Mesophilic, Modied Plug Flow Anaerobic Digeser or Dairy Catle

Manure. htp://www.ocusonenergy.com/daa/common/ dmsFiles/ W_RW_REFR_GordondaleFeasRepor.

pd (accessed April 10, 2009).

Renewable Porolio Sandards (RPS), map, Pew Cener on Global Climae Change, htp://www.pewclimae.

org/wha_s_being_done/in_he_saes/rps.cm (accessed April 10, 2009).

Sources

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Incentivizing Alternatives

to Chemical FertilizerAlex Greenspan, University o Colorado - Boulder

Agriculural reliance on chemical nirogen erilizer is environmenally damag-ing and increases crop price volailiy. The USDA can encourage adopion oorganic alernaives o chemical erilizer hrough expansion o he ConservaionSewardship Program.

The Conservaion Sewardship Program (CSP) provides echnical and nancial assisanceo armers or eligible conservaion pracices (Lehrer, 2008). The CSP was creaed in he2008 Farm Bill rom he previous Conservaion Securiy Program, esablished in 2002.Wihin is rs six years, developmen o he program re-mained limied by budge caps

and appropriaions delays. As o 2008, approximaely 2.1 millions acres o armland acrosshe Unied Saes have conracs wih he CSP. However, he 2008 Farm Bill auhorizesunds or he expan-sion o he programby 12 million acres peryear over he nexhree years, a an es-imaed cos o 18 dol-lars per acre (Lehrer,

2008). All conracsrom CSPs predeces-sor have been rans-erred o he newprogram, bu becausehis is he new CSPsrs year in exisence,he program has nosared enrolling new

land.

The agriculural ap-plicaion o chemicalerilizer consiueshe single larges con-ribuion o waershedpolluion in he UniedSaes (Booh and Campbell, 2007). Nirogen runo rom he Mississippi River Dela

causes he annual ormaion o he 15,000 km2 Gul o Mexico dead zone incapable osupporing marine lie. Addiionally, he producion o chemical erilizer is dependen onnaural gas consumpion, conribuing o greenhouse gas emissions and crop-price vola-iliy. Furhermore, American armers, on average, apply beween 24 and 32 percen moreerilizer han wha is needed or maximum crop yields (Trachenberg and Ogg, 1994).

Key FactsChemical n irogen erilizer producion is responsible or1 o 2 percen o global greenhouse gas emissions (Jens-en and Hauggard-Nielsen, 2004).From 2000 o 2006, a 17 percen reducion in naural gas

supplies doubled erilizer prices (Huang, 2007).24-32 percen o all nirogen erilizer applied in he USAis unnecessary (Trachenberg and Ogg, 1994).Manure can provide 7.5 percen o he Unied Saesnirogen requiremens Economic Research Service,2005).Nirogen xing cover crops can provide 72-158 pounds onirogen per acre a 32 o 51 dollars per acre, comparedwih 138 pounds o nirogen a 36 dollars per acre o corn

(Managing Cover Crops Proably, 2007).Cover crops reduce nirogen runo by 15 o 30 percen(Jensen and Hauggaard-Nielsen, 2004).Cover crops reduce a arms oal energy requiremensby as much as 20 percen (Jensen and Hauggaard-Niels-en, 2004).


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The CSP provides nancial and echnical assisance o armers or managemen prac-ices ha replace chemical erilizer wih environmenally sae alernaives and minimizenirogen runo. Such pracices include conservaive applicaions o chemical erilizer,he use o manure as a nirogen source, and use o nirogen xing cover crops (Lehrer,2008).

The wo main criicisms agains U.S. agriculural subsidies is ha hey give compeiiveeconomic advanage o American armers over hose in developing counries and en-courage environ-menally reckless crop producion. CSP paymens avoid hese sake-holder concerns by providing nancial suppor compensaing armers or he coss oenvironmenally conservaive managemen pracices raher han or he amoun o acommodiy produced.

Next Steps

The Conservaion Sewardship Program is he USDA organizaion bes esablished oaddress chemical erilizer dependency in he saus quo. However, he CSP currenlyprovides nancial assisance o arm-ers or conservaion aciviies in eighdieren caegories o Enhancemenaciviy. Ferilizer use is included di-recly or indirecly in he caegorieso Soil Qualiy and Waer Qualiy.In order o more eecively address

erilizer use, he CSP should cre-ae a ninh caegory solely and spe-cically ailored o reduce he useo chemical erilizers. Fur-hermore,uure legislaion could mandae haa minimum percenage o CSP con-racs all under his new erilizerenhancemen.

Talking PointsRuno rom nirogen erilizer is he singlelarges conribuor o waershed conami-naion in he Unied Saes.Producion o nirogen erilizer conrib-

ues more o greenhouse gas emissionshan any oher agriculural source.Reliance on chemical erilizer increasescrop price volailiy.Curren nirogen erilizer applicaion islargely unnecessary.Organic alernaives o chemical erilizercan reduce coss wihou impacing cropyields.

Booh, Mary. and Campbell, Chris. 2007. Spring Nirae Flux in he Mississippi River Basin: A Landscape Model wih Conservaion Applicaions.

Environmenal Science and Technology. 41(15): 5410 -5418.

Economic Research Service(US). Nirogen used on corn, rae per erilized acre receiving nirogen, seleced saes [Inerne]. US Ferilizer Use and

Price Daa Se: Unied Saes Deparmen o Ag-riculure; 2007, Oc. Available rom: htp://www.ers.usda.gov/Daa/FerilizerUse/

Economic Research Service (US). Populaion, income, educaion, and employmen [Inerne]. Unied Saes Deparmen o Agriculure; 2009, May.

Available rom: htp://www.ers.usda.gov/SaeFacs/US.hm

Huang, Wen-yuan. 2007. Economic Research Service (US). Impac o rising naural gas price on U.S. ammonia supply. Unied Saes Deparmen o

Agriculure. Oulook repor no. WRS 0702. Available rom htp://www.ers.usda.gov/Publicaions/WRS0702/

Jensen, Erik. and Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik. 2004. How can increased use o biological N2 xa-ion in agriculure bene he environmen? Plan

and Soil. 252(1): 177-186.

Lehrer, Nadine. 2008. Negoiaing a poliical pah o agrooresry hrough he Conservaion Secuiry Program. Agroores Sysems: 73:103-116.

Managing Cover Crops Proably (3rd ed.). 2007. Belsville, MD: Susainable Agriculure Nework.

Sheri, Glen. 2005. Ecien wase? Why armers over-apply nuriens and he implicaions or policy design. Review o Agriculural Economics

27(4): 542-557.

Trachenberg, Eric. and Ogg, Clayon. 1994. Poenial or reducing nirogen polluion hrough im-proved agronomic pracices. Journal o he Ameri

can Waer Resources Associaion. 30(6): 1109-1118.

Sources

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Moving Waste Management to the Future:

Implementing a Facultative BioreactorMalin Dartnell and Shanell Davis, The University o Georgia

The insallaion o a aculaive bioreacor in Ahens-Clarke Couny will providean ecien wase managemen mehod and will generae renewable and envi-ronmenally susainable energy or he Universiy o Georgia.

Bioreacors are a ype o wase reamen aciliy. They dier rom radiional dry-omblandlls in ha leachae, moisure generaed wihin he landll, and someimes oxygenare circulaed hrough he landll in an eor o break down wase more ecienly. As or-ganic wase breaks down, mehane gas is released, which can hen be capured and usedor energy. The increased rae o biodegraion increases he verical space o a landll in

a shorer imespan, creaing more room as wase breaks down.

Currenly, Ahens-Clarke Couny (ACC)has a permited Subile D landll ha willreach capaciy wihin he nex 5 years.The Wase Reducion Commitee, chairedby Commissioners Kelly Girz and DougLowry, will deermine he bes course oacion or uure wase disposal. In July

2008, ACC purchased 79 acres adjoininghe curren landll sie. I his land is ap-proved, i could be used as a sie or anew landll or bioreacor.

The Universiy o Georgia generaes hemajoriy o is energy rom burning coal,bu supplemens his source wih naural gas and biodiesel. In ve years, he Universiyo Georgia will have o reapply or a permi or he coal-red boiler ha was insalled

in 1965. Wih he curren ighening o environmenal regulaions, i is unlikely ha heoudaed boiler will be approved or use, hereore he universiy will have o urn oan alernaive source o energy. Biodiesel is no cos-eecive a his ime, and i i be-comes cos-eecive in he uure, his will no devalue he use o gas. Naural gas is noa reliable source o energy because Georgia Naural Gas reallocaes he resource whennecessary.

Costs and Benefits

I has been observed ha due o is increased capabiliy o rap hea in he amosphere,mehane gas is 20 imes more derimenal compared o carbon dioxide. According ohe Environmenal Proecion Agency (EPA), landlls are one o he larges sources oanhropogenic mehane emission in he US. They accoun or a oal o 34% o US meh-ane emissions ino he earhs amosphere, which in 2007 was 6,327 Gg. The nex woanhropogenic sources, naural gas sysems and coal mining emissions, which in 2007were 4,985 and 2,744 Gg respecively, do no come close o landll emissions. Wihin he

Key FactsLandll gas emissions accoun or aoal o 34% o US mehane emissionino he earhs amosphere.Bioreacors can increase verical

space o a landll by 15-30% wihin5-10 yearsMehane is 21 imes more persisanin he amosphere and has a greaerradiaive orce han carbon dioxide.


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nex decade, ACC LFG emissions will be oo high o allow i o be released reely inohe amosphere, as i will reach he EPA designaed limi o 50 Mg/year.

Stakeholders

When he landll gas is sold, ACC wase raepayers will bene nancially as sale o he

gas will preven ipping ees rom rising. Alernaively, he revenue could nance oherwase-reducion eors. The operaional and long-erm landll mainenance coss will bereduced, evenually decreasing he cos o curbside pick-up. The liespan o he landllwill be exended, and he new program will creae jobs ha will boos he local economy.By apping he gas ha will oherwise be released ino he amosphere, he program

will improve air qualiy in he sur-rounding area.

Next Steps

Wih he suppor and sponsor-ship o Commissioner Kelly Girz,his proposal will be broughbeore he Wase ReducionCommitee. This commitee wascommissioned by Mayor HeidiDavison in February o 2009 oevaluae he bes avenues oake concerning Ahens-Clarke

Counys wase disposal. I ac-ceped by he Wase ReducionCommitee as a easible courseo acion o increase he liespan

o he new cell, hey will make a ormal recommendaion o he ull body Mayor andCommission. A he same ime, he Universiy-Couny Relaions Commitee, he commu-nicaion body beween he Universiy o Georgia and ACC, will also deliberae he ea-sibiliy o his proposal and make heir ormal recommendaions o heir respecive ullbodies. Finally, hey would dra a ormal agreemen, and he policy would be enaced.

Talking PointsThe A hens-Clarke Couny landll will reachcapaciy wihin 5 years.The Universiy o Georgia will have o replaceheir coal boiler wihin he nex 5 years.UGA consumes approximaely 10-15 millionpounds o coal per year, producing approxi-maely 44lbs o oxide emissions per on ocoal burned. According o EPA regulaions, iisn required o measure mehane emissionsa his ime.A bioreacor could poenially solve hewase-disposal problem while providing a re-newable source o energy or UGA.

Bioreacor.org, Florida Bioreacor Landll Demonsraion Projec-Execuive Summary, Hinkley Cener or

Solid and Hazardous Wase Managemen, htp://www.bioreacor.org/publicaions.hm (accessed 13 Novem

ber 2008).

Bioreacor.org, Inormaion, Hinkley Cener or Solid and Hazardous Wase Managemen, htp://www.biore

acor.org/ino.hm (accessed 13 November 2008).

Corley, Jim. Inerviewed by Malin Darnell and Shanell Davis. Ahens, Georgia, 17 February 2009.Crowe, Ken. Inerviewed by Malin Darnell and Shanell Davis. Ahens, Georgia, 1 March 2009.

Unied Saes Environmenal Proecion Agency, 2009 Dra U.S. Greenhouse Gas Invenory Repor, US

EPA, htp://epa.gov/climaechange/emissions/usinvenoryrepor.hml (accessed 13 March 2009).

Unied Saes Environmenal Proecion Agency, Fac Shee: Final Air Regulaions or Municipal Solid Wase

Landlls, US EPA,htp://epa.gov/tn/aw/landll/mswac.pd (accessed 11 December 2008).

Unied Saes Environmenal Proecion Agency, Mehane, US EPA, htp://www.epa.gov/mehane/ (accessed

11 December 2008).

Sources

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Endowment Investment

in Energy-Saving RetrofitsPaul Burger, Michigan State University

Publicly unded universiies should allocae a percenage o heir oal unresric-ed endowmen unds o green reroting projecs or campus buildings.

Climae change is upon us, and i hreaens our uure. Many broad specrum echno-logical soluions are no easible a his ime, ye we mus ake immediae acion o slowhe environmenal degradaion ha is occurring. Our curren economic siuaion neces-siaes susainabiliy soluions ha are nancially easible; one such opion is o reroour buildings wih energy ecien echnologies. Green reroting is simply he exchangeo exising echnology or more energy-ecien opions wihin a building. I can come in

he orm o improved building insulaion, more ecien climae conrol sysems, low-owshowerheads, moion-sensor lighing, or any oher alernaive echnology ha perormshe same uncion as do curren mehods a a racion o he energy use.

Many universiies around he counry have already implemened energy-saving rero-ing programs on heir campuses wih much success:

StanfordUniversitysEnergyRetrotProgram(ERP) investedmorethan$10Mover 15 years. Sanord expecs o save $4.2M per year.

TheUniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaigninvestedatotalof$4.2Monalighing rero iniiaive, and expecs o save $900,000 per year.TheUniversityatBualoInvested$11Monacampus-wideretrotprogramandexpecs o save $1.2M per year.

Reroting or energy eciency is es-senially an invesmen wih a slow, albeinearly guaraneed reurn. I sucienime is allowed or he energy savings

o recover he iniial capial and main-enance coss, barring any unoreseenexernaliies, he invesmen will pay orisel and coninue o accrue savings inhe long run. The only variable is he raeo reurn, which depends on specic re-roting sraegies as well as energy priceucuaions.

Universiies provide an ideal economicseting or green reroting o ake place.As nonpros wih sable nancial models, degree-graning insiuions have he abiliy orecover over longer periods o ime, and do no run a high risk o bankrupcy. Furher-more, hey are prime arges or reroting because hey oen rely primarily on non-renewable, high-polluion energy.

Key FactsBuildings consume 70 percen o heelecriciy load in he U.S.

In 2007, 90 percen o elecriciy inhe U.S. was generaed using non-re-newable sources.Enrollmen in degree-graning insi-uions increased by 23 percen be-ween 1995 and 2005.Ten o eleven Big 10 universiies heldover $1 billion in oal endowmens in2007.


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Stakeholders

Many public universiies have large endowmen unds ed by privae donaions. Theseunds are invesed in diversied holdings wih an aim owards long-erm gains. Whilesome o hese unds are resriced or use in scholarships or oher programs, millions odollars are le o endowmen managers o inves in anyhing rom privae equiy o com-

modiy uures a heir discreion.

Publicly unded universiies should allocae a percenage o heir oal unresriced en-dowmen unds o green reroting projecs or campus buildings. By shiing hese en-dowmen unds ino reroting iniiaives, universiies can guaranee capial gains, whiledirecly beneing he campus amosphere and he environmen as a whole. Using heseunds or reroting programs will help solve many o he common problems ha uni-versiies ace regarding heir endowmen unds. Wih our curren marke condiions, hereurn-rae on mos invesmens opions is low or negaive. Reroting reurn raes, on

he oher hand, are based upon energy prices and energy savings, creaing a low-risk in-vesmen wih a reurn rae likely o improve. Also, universiies commonly ace pressureo inves in socially responsible ways, oen leading o non-ransparency regarding heseinvesmens o avoid public oucry. Reroting is no only socially responsible, bu i canbe markeed o bene he universiys repuaion in he eyes o sakeholders.

No only would a reroting program help he insiuion reduce is energy coss, i wouldalso creae social benes on boh local and global levels. For example, reroting pro-grams will require planning, consrucion and mainenance proessionals o ensure prop-

er uncioning, hus creaing jobs, a rained workorce and boosing he local economy.By invesing hese unds locally, a porion o each dollar spen will be injeced ino helocal economy as a whole, resuling in some level o social improvemen.

Next Steps

The benes o building eciency reros will surely ouweigh he coss in he long run.The curren economic siuaion provides a unique opporuniy or echnological inves-mens, and universiies are in a posiion o successully ake advanage. Given careulplanning and ample recovery ime, energy-saving reros will reap moneary as well as

environmenal benes or universiies or years o come.

U.S. Green Building Council. Press Releases. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://www.usgbc.org/News/PressReleaseDeails.aspx?ID=3124

Energy Inormaion Adminisraion. Elecric Power Annual - Summary Saisics or he Unied Saes. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://

www.eia.doe.gov/cnea/elecriciy/epa/epaes.hml#_n3

U.S. Deparmen o Educaion - Insiue o Educaion Sciences. Fas Facs. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://nces.ed.gov/asacs/dis

play.asp?id=98

NACUBO. 2007 NACUBO Endowmen Sudy. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://www.nacubo.org/Images/All%20Insiuions%20

Lised%20by%20FY%202007%20Marke%20Value%20o%20Endowmen%20Asses_2007%20NES.pd

Sanord Universiy. Susainable Sanord - Energy Iniiaives. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://susainablesanord.sanord.edu/energy_

iniiaives

Universiy o Illinois a Urbana-Champaign. (2008, December 2). Campus Lighing Reros. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom www.isc.illinois.

edu/abou/SeminarPresenaions/2008-12-02-Sweeney.pp

UB News Cener. As Energy Coss Soar, UB Takes Seps o Save. Rerieved February 25, 2009, rom htp://www.bualo.edu/news/as-execue.

cgi/aricle-page.hml?aricle=75990009

Sources

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Revolving Loan Funds

for Campus Sustainability ProjectsAlex Wall and Naomi Harris, Northwestern University

Colleges and universiies should esablish revolving loan unds as a way o -nance projecs ha increase campus susainabiliy. Revolving loan unds provideschools wih an opporuniy o promoe susainabiliy, reduce energy and re-source consumpion, limi projec-inhibiing up-ron coss, and encourage su-den enrepreneurship and innovaion.

In ligh o he curren economic recession, colleges and universiies have become in-creasingly limied in he amoun o capial hey can devoe o projecs ha rero cam-pus inrasrucure and increase susainabiliy. Since he middle o las year, many colleges

and universiies in he Midwes have seen heir endowmens shrink considerably. Be-ween June and December o 2008, he Universiy o Michigan esimaes i los 20-30%o is endowmen, while Norhwesern Universiys endowmen has aken a 20 o 25%hi since las Augus. Ye, by esablishing revolving loan unds (RLFs) hese schools canconineu o inves in susainabiliy projecs wihou acing signican projec-inhibiingup-ron coss.

Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) gransmall loans o members o he campus

communiy whose proposals or spe-cic susainabiliy projecs on campushave been approved by a managingboard. The und will be nanced bygrans, alumni and corporae dona-ions, campus undraising eors, andsuden ees. The savings generaedby energy eciency are paid back inohe und over ime unil he projec

is paid or, hus providing a revolvingsource o capial. RLFs can se up apayback sysem ha allows or growhby seting a arge payback percen-age greaer han he original loan.

By esablishing RLFs, Midwesern colleges and universiies can simulaneously praciceenvironmenal and scal responsibiliy, while providing vial educaional opporuniiesor sudens. Furhermore, RLFs will oser a sronger sense o campus communiy i

sudens, aculy, sa, and adminisraors are all represened on he unds board.

Costs and Benefits

A ew schools have already esablished RLFs and achieved remendous benes. Be-ween 2001 and 2007, Harvard Universiys Green Loan Fund nanced 147 projecs hareduced emissions by 33,227 meric ons o CO2 and saved 15.5 million gallons o waer.

Key Facts

Harsh econo mic condiions and depre-ciaing endowmens make i dicul orcolleges and universiies o inves incampus susainabiliy projecs.Revolving loan unds are proven mecha-nisms ha allow academic insiuions onance susainabiliy projecs while lim-iing up-ron coss.Projecs nanced by Harvard Univer-

siys Green Loan Fund reduced campusemissions by 33,227 meric ons o CO2and saved 15.5 million gallons o waerbeween 2001 and 2007.


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Is projeced annual savings o over $3 million and an average projec reurn on inves-men o 26% or 2007, demonsrae is ousanding economic viabiliy. Former HarvardPresiden and U.S. Treasury Secreary Lawrence Summers wen so ar as o claim hahe bes invesmen in he Universiy is no he endowmen, bu he Green Loan Fund.Suden iniiaed unds wih smaller budges, such as he Macaleser College Clean En-ergy Revolving Fund (CERF), are also capable o making vial conribuions o campussusainabiliy. Macalesers CERF has received over $97,000 in grans since is esablish-men in 2006, and is large enough o nance projecs ha rero inecien buildings ona smaller scale.

Criics migh argue ha poenial gran money or an RLF could direcly und a projec.However, RLFs oer signican benes ha isolaed projecs are unlikely o provide. Theesablishmen o an RLF will atrac donaions specically geared oward environmenalissues. Addiionally, he RLF board will ensure greaer projec visibiliy by markeing opoenial donors and projec applicans.

Next Steps

A working group composed o su-dens, aculy, sa, and adminisra-ors mus creae a charer ha de-ermines how he und will operaewihin he universiy srucure. Thecharer should esablish a board o

operae he und, requiremens orprojec proposals, and guidelines or loan disbursemen and payback. Once he chareris creaed, he working group should seek approval rom he adminisraion. In orderor an RLF o succeed, he universiy mus give i he auhoriy o evaluae and approvesusainabiliy projecs.

Teams in charge o RLFs mus obain upron capial o esablish he und. I he und isse up o be cos-neural or he universiy, board members mus solici unding rom ou-side sources such as grans, suden ees, and donaions rom alumni and corporaions.

Addiionally, he board should seek universiy unding rom academic deparmens anduniversiy grans. Universiy money will have a greaer impac hrough an RLF, because iwill cycle hrough muliple projecs raher han und single iniiaives.

Talking PointsDespi e curren nancial limiaions, col-leges can use Revolving Loan Funds oinves in susainabiliy projecs wihouacing projec-inhibiing up-ron coss.

The Michigan Daily, htp://www.michigandaily.com/conen/2008-12-08/%E2%80%98u%E2%80%99-

esimaes-endowmen-losses-20-30-percen-end-june, andThe Daily Norhwesern, htp://media.www.dailynorhwesern.com/media/sorage/paper853/news/2009/01/21/Campus/Endowmen.Losing.Value.

In.Markes-3591041.shml.

Green Campus Loan Fund: Harvard Oce o Susainabiliy, htp://www.greencampus.harvard.edu/gcl/

achievemens.php.

Green Campus Loan Fund: Harvard Oce o Susainabiliy, htp://www.greencampus.harvard.edu/gcl/.Macal

eser College Clean Energy Revolving Fund, htp://www.macaleser.edu/cer/nancing.hm.

htp://www.greencampus.harvard.edu/gcl/documens/gcl_case_sudy_100-05_hbs-shad_lighing.pd

Sources

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Weatherizing Rental Properties

in Kalamazoo, MichiganJohn Deisinger, Abigail Homans, Erin Kilburn, Dia Kirby, Adam Marshall, AnneMcShane, Emily Rhodes, and Will Skora, Kalamazoo College

Creae a moneary incenive or renal households o decrease environmenalimpac o heir carbon emissions and o improve he sandard o living in heCiy o Kalamazoo.

Households make up abou 22% o energy consumpion in he Unied Saes. Proper andeecive weaherizaion can decrease carbon emissions per household up o 20,074 lb.CO

2annually. Household uiliy use and paymens provides he bes measuring device

or an individual households carbon emissions. Currenly, low-income households pay

a disproporionae amoun o heir income oward uiliy bills due o poorly weaherizedunis. The U.S. Deparmen o Energy saes, Low-income households ypically spend16% o heir oal annual income on residenial energy coss, compared wih 5% or medi-an-income households.

In order o rs help hose wih hegreaes needs, renal properiesshould be prioriized or residenialweaherizaion incenives. Tax incen-

ives, housing grans, and abaemenswill enice landlords o weaherize,updae, and improve renal proper-ies, while also conribuing o localeors o reduce carbon emissions.

Economic Impact

The weaherizaion o a low-income house represens a long erm invesmen. A 2002weaherizaion sudy analyzed he cos o specic measures and heir eecs on CO

2

emissions and energy coss. The repor ound ha he several measures ha can beaken o reduce boh energy coss and CO

2including air sealing, wrapping waer hea-

ers, insalling programmable hermosas, insulaing atics and walls, insalling low-owshowerheads, and swiching o compac-uorescen bulbscos, or a low-income house(including overhead) approximaely $2,388. Furhermore, no all o he measures needbe implemened concurrenly. According o he repor, he mos eecive measures osave energy and reduce uel coss are air sealing (save $119/yr), atic insulaion ($55), andwall insulaion ($171). These hree measures (including overhead coss) would cos ap-proximaely $2,112 dollars, saving he house $345/year in energy coss.

Environmental Impact

As par o he naional and global eor o reduce carbon emissions, low-income housingweaherizaion can subsanially reduce carbon oupu by using less energy. The 2002DOE sudy concluded ha, aer implemening he $2,388 weaherizaion program, a yp-ical Midwes house could reduce emissions by almos 8,000 lbs o carbon dioxide per

Key FactsThe av erage uiliy cos or a home in Ka-lamazoo is $1406, per home, annually.For every $1,000,000 invesed, weaher-

izaion is said o creae 52 direc jobs and23 indirec jobs.70% o Americas 7 million lowes-incomereners pu more han hal heir incomesoward housing.


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year. Among he possible measures, he mos eecive were increasing wall-insulaion(saving 3,110 pounds/yr), air sealing (2170 pounds/yr), and increasing atic insulaion (1010pounds/yr). By simply applying hese hree measures o all renal unis (approximaely32,000 in Kalamazoo as o 2000), he ciy could reduce is carbon oupu by more han100,000 ons per year.

Social Justice Impact

For many low-income amilies, rening is he only housing opion. Wihin he Kalamazoo-Batle Creek area, 25.2% o rener households live below he povery level; many o hesereners experience diculy paying or basic living expenses. A governmen survey olow-income residens in Kalamazoo concluded ha nearly our in en could no pay rena leas once during he las year, and 36% had heir uiliies shu o.

Next Steps

Reners are characerized by higher levels opovery han homeowners, and hus have lessabiliy o inves in weaherizaion projecs.The Ciy o Kalamazoo should provide mone-ary incenives o landlords o weaherize heirrenal properies. Kalamazoos SusainabiliyCommission has already highlighed he envi-ronmenal impac o household energy use bycreaing a 5-year susainabiliy plan. However,

he plan currenly lacks policy on Land Use,Housing and Planning Policies, which should

be elaboraed o include he policy proposed here. Moreover, moneary incenives dono necessarily need o come rom ax-payers; unding is already alloted or urban de-velopmen. For example, he Communiy Developmen Block Gran (CDBG) under heUnied Saes Deparmen o Housing and Urban Developmen (HUD) provides annualgranso develop viable urban communiies by providing decen housing and a suiableliving environmen, and by expanding economic opporuniies, principally or low- andmoderae-income persons. Kalamazoo qualies as a meropolian area large enough o

receive unding hrough he CDBG and may also be eligible or unding rom a similargran program called he HUD HOME Invesmen Parnership.

Talking PointsThe wea herizaion o a low-in-come house can be adaped o various economic siuaionsand represens a long erm in-vesmen.Housing weaherizaion can sub-sanially reduce carbon oupuby using less energy.

Americas Renal Housing: Homes or a Diverse Naion. Join Cener or Housing Sudies o Harvard Universiy 2006. 14 Feb. 2009 .

Kalamazoo Couny Healh and Services Deparmen. Communiy Assessmens and Repors: Povery Repor 2008. Communiy Acion Bureau.

2008. 16 Feb. 2009 .

Naional Low-Income Housing Coaliion. Local Area Low Income Housing Daabase. Feb. 2004. 25 Feb. 2008 .

Schweizer, Marin, and Joel Eisenberg. Meeing he Challenge: The Prospec o Achieving 30 Percen Energy Savings Through he Weaheriza

ion Assisance Program . Oak Ridge Naional Laboraory (May 2002). 20 Feb. 2009 .

Unied Saes Deparmen o Energy. Deail o Whole House Annual Energy Use . Home Energy Saver. 6 Apr. 2009 .

Unied Saes Census Bureau. Quick Tables: Kalamazoo, MI. 2000 Census. 22 Feb. 2009 .

Unied Saes Deparmen o Energy Eciency and Renewable Energy. Program Areas. Weaherizaion Assisance Program. Mar. 2009 17 Feb.

2009 .

Unied Saes Deparmen o Housing and Urban Developmen. Communiy Developmen Block Gran Enilemen Communiies. Communiy

Planning and Developmen. Mar. 2009. 14 Mar. 2009 .

- - -. Communiy Planning and Developmen. Feb. 2009. HOME Invesmen Parnerships Program. 6 Feb. 2009 .

Sources

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Utilizing Renewable Energy through

A Community-Based ModelCory Connolly, Olivia Cohn, and Dan Blue, Michigan State University

The cooperaive ownership o renewable energy producion, coupled wih saeeed-in ari (FiT) policies, would increase he level o clean energy generaionin any sae. The combinaion can diuse sar-up coss, provide a pro o smallcommuniies and cooperaives, and creae a sepping-sone o more comprehen-sive energy policy.

Cooperaives can lessen he coss o a projec ha would oherwise appear dauning orindividual invesors. A cooperaive is a civil associaion ha uncions under he concepo shared ownership in order o minimize he coss o a specic enerprise. Elecric coop-

eraives exis hroughou he U.S. bu primarily uilize ossil uels. In his model, a coopera-ive would be composed o residens in a communiy ha wan o generae renewableenergy wih a pro. Through cooperaive ownership o a wind urbine or a se o solarpanels, coss such as insallaion, sie assessmen, and mainenance are shared. FiTs henguaranee a pro or communiy invesors.

FiTs mandae ha energy raes paido clean energy generaors are seabove he marke elecriciy rae per

kilowat-hour o energy produced. Apro is guaraneed or all renewableenergy generaors; across he coun-ry, uiliies are currenly guaraneeda pro, bu use almos all ossil uelsinsead o clean energy. This ari raeor clean energy is spread across heenire consumer base under he pro-gram, making he increased average

cos minimal.

A limied FiT program should be esablished or clean energy cooperaives ha areowned by a minimum o 10 members wih no single member owning more han 15% sharein he projec. The program would guaranee a proable ari rae rom he local uiliyor he energy ha he projec generaes. The se rae would be diereniaed based onhe size o he projec, ype o echnology, and availabiliy o he resource. Focused FiTpolicies, combined wih energy cooperaives, would maximize communiy susainabiliy,encourage disaggregaed clean energy generaion, and provide a sepping sone o u-

ure, more comprehensive energy policy.

Existing Programs and Recommendations

In Germany, eecive FiT sysems have been used or over ve years, wih over eenyears o policy sepping-sones. Since he program amendmens o 2004, over 250,000

jobs have been creaed.1 In 2006 alone, 97 million ons o CO2emissions were avoided

Key FactsIn M ichigan, he Renewable Porolio

Sandard mandaes ha 10% o energyproducion originae rom renewables byhe year 2015.In one year, Germany ose 97 millionons o CO2 emissions hrough he em-ploymen o renewable energy.Increases in energy pricing are negligible;average increases in elecriciy priceswould be less han $2.00 o $3.00.


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hrough he FiT clean energy sysem.2 These benes have been achieved while increas-es in energy pricing were negligible; he average increase in elecriciy cos in Germanywas beween $2.00 and $3.00.3

Broad FiT policies have been proposed in six U.S. saes, including Michigan.4 Minnesoaesablished a sae program called Communiy Based Energy Developmen (C-BED) in2007. This program uses ne-meering, guaraneeing energy credis or clean energyproduced. This is a less eecive clean energy policy han FiTs, as he renewable energyproducer is only graned credis, no a pro, or energy ha is produced.

In Michigan, Represenaive Valenine inroduced HB 4023 in January 2009 under heC-BED ile.5 This proposal is almos idenical o he curren sysem in Minneosa, whichuses ne-meering and ron-loaded raes.

We recommend ha insead o using ne-meering, he legislaion should use a coopera-ive based FiT sysem ha would guaranee a pro or communiies generaing cleanenergy. We also recommend ha eligibiliy is more selecively dened wihin he legisla-ion and ha i should ocus on energy cooperaives and communiy based projecs.Currenly, he legislaion is writen in a way ha allows ar broader eligibiliy, which is onereason ha he legislaion has lacked poliical momenum.

Conclusion

Much o he opposiion or FiTs originaes rom he poenial or increased energy prices

and increduliy abou program success. Energy prices are unlikely o rise a any signi-can amoun because he projec is limied in scope o communiy-cooperaive models.Moreover, even less ocused, more comprehensive programs have led o negligible pricerises o $2.00 o $3.00.

Communiy-based FiTs allow or exploraion o he program wih litle risk. While hispolicy would no maximize producion o renewable energy like a broad FiT migh, iwould prove he success o FiTs on a small scale, providing a sepping-sone or uure,more comprehensive policy. A FiT program wih a communiy-based srucure alleviaes

poliical opposiion and ses he groundwork or a clean energy uure.

[1] Feed in Taris SolarCenury,

[2] Bsgen, Uwe, e al. Feed-In Taris A guide o one o he worlds bes environmenal policies, BoosingEnergy or our Fuure. World Fuure Council, 2007.

[3] Energy Federaion o New Zealand ||| Index Home. 25 Apr. 2009

[4] Rickerson, Wilson, James Bradbury, and Florian Beenhold. The Oulook or Feed-in Taris in he Unied

Saes o America. World Wind Energy Conerence (2008).

[5] Sae o Michigan House o Represenaives. House Bill Number 4023, Inroduced 22 Jan. 2009, Repre

senaive Mary Valenine, reerred o he Commitee on Energy and Technology.

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Expanding the Weatherization

Assistance ProgramSarah Collins and Valerie Bieberich, University o Michigan - Ann Arbor

The Weaherizaion Assisance Program (WAP) mus be expanded o reach moreamilies, increase is educaional programming, and make houses more ecienby including renewable energy echnology.

The recenly passed simulus bill H.R. 1 expanded he Deparmen o Energys Weaher-izaion Assisance Program (WAP) by $5 billion. Since is incepion, he WeaherizaionAssisance Program has improved over ve million low-income homes hrough mehodssuch as weaher-proong, insalling insulaion, and sealing unnecessary openings. In ad-diion o weaherizing homes, WAP also encourages he insallaion o energy ecien

producs approved by Energy Sar, a governmen-backed program ha recommendsproducs meeing Environmenal Proecion Agency and Deparmen o Energy ecien-cy sandards. Because WAPs und-ing has been signicanly increased,is programs mus be expanded in hemos eecive way possible.

The aciviies o WAP should be ex-panded o include more amilies while

mainaining emphasis on amilies su-ering rom povery. For low-incomeamilies, WAP should no only per-orm weaherizaion and insall moreenergy-ecien appliances o lowerenergy coss, bu acively ou qualiy-ing households wih renewable energyechnologies, especially wind, geoher-mal, biomass, and solar echnologies.

Invesmen rebaes should subsidizehe coss o hese echnologies andlower he prohibiively high insalla-ion coss o hese energy sources. WAP can provide he means or average amilieso overcome hese high upron coss, and hese amilies may hen save money wihdecreased energy usage. The amoun sen back o he purchaser can be deerminedon a sliding scale or income, wih higher-income individuals geting less o he coss re-imbursed. These rebaes should be phased ou over ime as he indusry grows and heprivae marke akes over, increasing compeiion and driving down prices. For middle-

o higher-income amilies, WAP can ocus on disseminaing inormaion abou renewableenergy opporuniies, including how hey may be incorporaed ino daily energy use now.H.R. 1 conains a provision on ax incenives or increased energy eciency in homes;WAP should also ensure ha people know abou hese and similar benes while aidingmiddle- and higher-income households in meeing eciency sandards.

Key FactsOn average, WAP saves low-incomeamilies $358 (in 2007 dollars) in re-duced rs year energy coss.A FY 2007 unding levels, i would ake

151 years or he 13 million qualiyinghouseholds o be weaherized.I all hese homes were weaherized, al-mos 2.75 million jobs would be creaed.In addiion, savings per year would bal-ance coss wihin 8 years.Through eciency gains, renewable andeciency energy sandards and build-ing codes could save consumers $200

billion per year by 2030.


25/36

This expansion in aciviy can be unded in par by H.R. 1, because many o he proposedreorms merely aler he scope o exising programs. The majoriy o boh he public andpolicymakers perceive renewable energy echnologies o be unavailable and dicul oinegrae ino he average home. This is incorrec: he echnology or hese energy ormsis developed and available, and is reliabiliy and cos-eeciveness is sure o grow wihexpanded use.

In any comprehensive soluion o heenergy siuaion, we need renew-ables and we need improvemenso he grid or he ransporaiono energy rom renewable sources.Proposals are currenly underwayin Congress o address he needs orenewable energies on he grid anddirec acion a he ederal level. Al-hough building a new elecriciy cir-culaory sysem equipped o handle

o volume o energy being produced could cos upwards o $100 billion, his cos couldbe spread ou over several years and millions o people, making he projec less daun-ing. In order or small-scale renewable energies o be boh easible and successul, hiscos is necessary. The larger sysem mus be modernized.

Next StepsThe ederal governmen should require ha WAP expands is aciviies o more house-holds and incorporae renewable energies, and oer any addiional assisance neededor i o do so. WAP should adop he program beore he simulus unding is spen, andcould es i on a regional basis, mainaining is communiy-based ocus.

Talking PointsCurren energy providers may even payhouseholds i heir renewable energy gen-eraion ousrips radiional uel use.Wind, geohermal, biomass and solar en-ergy echnologies release ewer emissionshan radiional uels while poenially pro-

viding more power.

Schweizer, Marin & Tonn, Bruce. Nonenergy Benes From he Weaherizaion Assisance Program: A summary o ndings rom he recen

lieraure. Prepared by Oak Ridge Naional Laboraory or he U.S. Deparmen o Energy, 2002. htp://www.osi.gov/energyciaions/purl.cover.jsp?purl=/814309-YTc0vO/naive/, Accessed 7 February, 2008.

U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE. Energy Sar. htp://www.energysar.gov.

Unied Saes Deparmen o Energy. Weaherizaion Assisance Program Overview. Weaherizaion Assisance Program. htp://www.wapac.org/

sp.asp?id=1437, Accessed 6 March, 2008.

Unied Saes Deparmen o Energy. Weaherizaion Assisance Program: Program Funding. Weaherizaion Assisance Program. Washingon,

D.C.: U.S. Governmen Prining Oce, 2008.

Unied Saes Deparmen o Energy. Weaherizaion Assisance Program: Program Overview. Weaherizaion Assisance Program. Washingon,

D.C.: U.S. Governmen Prining Oce, 2008.

U.S. Deparmen o Energy. Energy Eciency and Renewable Energy. Weaherizaion Assisance Program. htp://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weaher

izaion/, Accessed 25 Sepember, 2008.

Unied Saes Deparmen o Housing and Urban Developmen. Ongoing Research. htp://www.huduser.org/research/ech.hml, Accessed 6

March, 2008.

Renewable Energy Sandard May Save $200B In Annual Energy. Environmenal Leader. 2009. htp://www.environmenalleader.com/2009/05/21/renewable-energy-sandard-may-save-200b-in-annual-energy/, Acessed 26 May, 2009.

Rascoe, Ayesha.US Senae o ackle renewable energy grid in weeks. Reuers UK. htp://uk.reuers.com/aricle/emailidUKN2333732420090223,

Accessed May 26, 2009.

Smih, Rebecca. New Grid or Renewable Energy Could be Cosly. The Wall Sree Journal. htp://online.wsj.com/aricle_email/

SB123414242155761829-lMyQjAxMDI5MzI0NTEyNDUyWj.hml. Accessed May 26, 2009.

Wald, Mathew L. Wind Energy Bumps ino Power Grids Limis. The New York Times. htp://www.nyimes.com/2008/08/27/business/27grid.

hml?pagewaned=2&emc=ea1. Accessed May 26, 2009.

Talbo, David. Lieline or Renewable Power. MIT Technology Review. htp://www.echnologyreview.com/energy/21747/page1/. Accessed May 26,

2009.

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Proactive Conservation Policy

for Offshore Wind ProjectsDan Blue, Michigan State University

The Grea Lakes Fishery Commission should1) conduc a ull sudy o he velakes o pre-designae areas in he Grea Lakes waers ha are criical o herecreaional shing indusry and ecological biodiversiy, and 2) esablish suc-cinc, science-driven crieria or local and sae governmens o use o evaluaepermis or oshore wind projecs ha ensure he healh o he Grea Lakes eco-sysem and shing indusries.

Poliical suppor or a naional carbon marke is growing and eecive clean energy poli-cies like eed-in aris are on he horizon. For he saes surrounding he Grea Lakes,

oshore wind will evenually be he chie source o clean energy. Wind resources areexremely abundan oshore and hus, more ecien. The Grea Lakes region will har-ves much o is clean energy rom oshore wind, bu hese energy projecs come wih ahos o addiional complicaions, including disruping shery populaions. Governmenapproval processes should consider impacs on he ecological sysem and recreaionalshinga wo billion dollar indusry in Michigan alone, wih counless linkages.

Policymakers and ocials in charge o permi processes are no aware o he poenialimpac o oshore arms on sheries and migraion paterns. Hisorically, similar conser-

vaion issues end o be ignored and hen policymakers reac only aer i is oo lae opreven desrucion.

A coninual and disinc challenge or environmenal proecion surrounding he GreaLakes is jurisdicional complexiies. Eigh saes in AmericaMinnesoa, Wisconsin, Il-linois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Yorkall have Grea Lakes shore-line, no o menion he inernaional presence o Canada o he norh. Moreover, naiveshers have a dieren se o regulaions and righs o he shery resource, ypicallyincluding using nes, which are prohibied or mos shers. The hos o sakeholders who

have righs and responsibiliies o he highly conneced lakes presen a problem or com-prehensive lake managemen.

In 1955, in order beter coordinae shery managemen, he Canadian and US governmenscreaed he Grea Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC), unded by boh governmens andled by an eigh-person board wih our members rom each naion. The ecological sys-ems and waerways o he Grea Lakes are all conneced. Fishery migraion paterns arecomplex and require serious scienic invesigaion o ruly undersand. Generally, share highly sensiive o environmenal perurbaions and any small change in he climae

or habia o one species by a wind urbine could drasically impac he shs spawningand migraion paterns, impacing he river sysems and inland recreaional shing.

In he pas, a relaively minor change in weaher or habia in he Grea Lakes has aleredhe migraion paterns o seelhead rou in he inland rivers in Michigan. Anglers comerom across he counry o sh seelhead in Michigan rivers and he sae canno aord


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o lose he economic aciviy ha hese migraion paterns generae.

The governors o he eigh Grea Lakes saes, saring wih Michigans Governor JennierGranholm, should reques ha he commission do wo hings: 1) conduc a ull sudy ohe ve lakes o pre-designae areas in he Grea Lakes waers ha are criical o herecreaional shing indusry and ecological biodiversiy and 2) esablish succinc, sciencedriven crieria or local and sae governmens o use o evaluae permis or oshorewind projecs ha ensure he healh o he Grea Lakes ecosysem and shing indusries.

The pre-designaion would pre-emp he conics ha uiliies and developers will uli-maely have. The areas could become de aco preserves, simply hrough GLFC desig-naion and spreading he inormaion conained in he repor. The se o crierion orlocal and sae governmens could be included in he permi approval processes or anyoshore wind arm in he Grea Lakes. The crierion would include he pre-designaiono areas o shery imporance as well as ake ino accoun he disrupions o he syseminvolved wih he insallaion o he lines and ransmission o he elecriciy. The Depar-mens o Naural Resources and Fisheries and Wildlie in each o he saes would also

provide resources o he commission,under he direcion o he respeciveGovernor.

The adminisraive coss associaedwih mandaes are avoided hroughhe opional naure o he approvalcrieria and pre-designaion. Localand sae governmens will be ableo use he inormaion and crieriono cra and re-wrie heir own permiprocesses over he nex ew years.

Next StepsWind developmen is likely o happen very quickly in he lakes once eecive policy is

enaced. Developers and uiliies will prioriize heir developmens and some will pushor ignoring he impacs on sheries. Hisorically, conservaion issues and heir economicimpac end o be ignored by policymakers unil i is oo lae. Wih a pro-acive policy, wecan pre-emp conics and save our waerways and our sh.

Talking PointsOshore wind resources in he GreaLakes are among he highes in he na-ion.The Grea Lakes ecosysem and involv-

ing waerways are highly conneced.The recreaional shing indusry is a ma-

jor source o economic aciviy and our-ism or Grea Lakes saes.

Michigan annual average wind power, Naional Renewable Energy Laboraory, htp://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/

pubs/alas/maps/chap3/3-17m.hml

Snyder, Brian and Kaiser, Mark. Ecological and economic cos-bene analysis o oshore wind energy. Renew

able Energy: An Inernaional, Volume 34, Issue 6, June 2009, p 1567-1578

Sporshing in America, American Sporshing Associaion, 2002

Sharp, Eric. Seelhead aciviy rises wih emps Deroi Free Press. March 26 2009.

Governor Granholm has shown regional leadership on he issue, demonsraed by he recen esablishmen

o he Grea Lakes Wind Council in February 2009.

The Sae o Washingons Deparmen o Fisheries and Wildlies wind power guidelines rom March 2009

could be used a reerence poin.

Sources

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Disposable Shopping Bag Tax:

Curbing Dependency on Oil & PlasticElizabeth Miller, Northwestern University

By implemening a weny-cen ax on paper and plasic bags, ciies would gen-erae emporary revenue or local governmens, help businesses cu down oncoss, and ake seps o reverse he ecological damage inficed by disposableshopping bags.

In America, nearly every reail ransacion ends wih he placemen o purchased goodsino a disposable shopping bag. However, hese symbols o modern convenience arederimenal o he environmen in a muliude o ways. The bigges problem wih plasicbags is he ac ha approximaely 12 million barrels o oil go ino he producion o he

100 billion plasic bags used annually in America.1

Conrary o popular belie,paper bags are no moreecologically benecial hanheir plasic counerpars.The manuacure o paperbags requires nearly veimes more energy 2511

BTUs vs. 594 BTUs hanhe producion o plasicones. Furhermore, 14 mil-lion rees are cu down omake he 10 billion paperbags used every year in heUnied Saes, which has conribued o he ac ha 80 percen o he earhs nauraloress have been los o deoresaion.4 Finally, plasic bags cos approximaely one cenper bag and paper bags cos abou ve cens each, so large grocery sores such as hose

in Evanson, Illinois spend subsanial sums o money o purchase housands o bagsevery year.5

In recen years, hree policies have emerged as ways o decrease usage o disposableshopping bags: bans, recycling programs, and axes. When San Francisco implemeneda plasic bag ban, consumers merely swiched o using paper bags insead o beginningo use reusable ones. Bag recycling programs, anoher opion, are no economically ea-sible. I coss $4000 o process and recycle one on o plasic bags, which can be soldon he commodiies marke or $32.6 Furhermore, i akes 1444 BTUs o recycle a single

paper bag.7 While New York Ciy passed a bill in January 2008 requiring all businesseswho give ou ree plasic bags o also collec hem or recycling, Mayor Bloomberg hassince proposed implemening a six-cen ax on plasic bags.8

This hird alernaive, axaion o disposable shopping bags, has been proven o be hemos eecive in changing consumer habis and decreasing usage o disposable shop-

Key FactsIn he Pacic Ocean, a oaing mass o garbagewice he size o Texas has accumulaed, much owhich is comprised o buoyan plasic producs.3

According o he World Resources Insiue, morehan 80 percen o he Earhs naural oress havebeen los o deoresaion.Every year, Americans use 100 billion plasic bagsand 10 billion paper bags.


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ping bags. Irelands ax on plasic bags led o a 90% drop in consumpion and raisedhe equivalen o 9.6 million dollars in is rs year alone.9 Even more imporanly, i haschanged consumer habis. According o The New York Times, carrying plasic bags in Ire-land has become socially unaccepable.10 In July o 2008, Seatle also passed a weny-cen ax on paper and plasic bags, which is prediced o decrease consumpion by aleas 70%.11

Next Steps

Cusomers o reailers dened byhe ciy code as grocery sores,convenience sores, and combina-ion drug/grocery sores would paya 20 cen ax on every disposableshopping bag used. Ocials in

Seatle deermined hrough heirresearch ha 20 cens would becosly enough o creae a mean-ingul impac on shoppers bu nooo high o simply cause ourage in-sead o consideraion, so i would

be an appropriae amoun o charge in all ciies implemening his program.12 To avoidhuring low-income individuals, people who are enrolled in he Supplemenal NuriionAssisance Program (ormerly known as he Food Samp Program) will be exemp rom

his ax.

Talking PointsIn Ireland, a 20-cen ax on plasic bags de-creased consumpion by 90% in he rsyear aer implemenaion and raised mil-lions o Euros or he governmen.Implemening a ax on paper and plasicshopping bags in he ciy o Evanson, Il-

linois would decrease packaging coss orbusinesses and generae revenue or heciy governmen unil disposable bags areno longer used.

1. The NumbersBelieve I or No. Reusablebags.com. htp://www.reusablebags.com/acs.php?id=4

2. Plasic-Bag Ban Full o Holes. USA Today. htp://sks.sirs.com/

3. Garbage Mass is Growing in he Pacic. Naional Public Radio. htp://www.npr.org/emplaes/sory/sory.

php?soryId=89099470

4. Paper Bags Are Beter han Plasic, Righ? Reusablebags.com. htp://www.reusablebags.com/acs.php?id=7,

and Fores Holocaus. Naional Geographic. htp://www.naionalgeographic.com/eye/deoresaion/eec.

hml

5. Plasic-Bag Ban Full o Holes. USA Today. htp://sks.sirs.com/

6. Recycling Can Fix This, Righ? Reusablebags.com. htp://www.reusablebags.com/acs.php?id=5

7. Paper Bags Are Beter han Plasic, Righ? Reusablebags.com. htp://www.reusablebags.com/acs.php?id=7

8. Ciy Council Passes Bill or Recycling o Plasic Bags. The New York Times. htp://www.nyimes.

com/2008/01/10/nyregion/10bags.hml, and In Mayors Plan, he Plasic Bag Will Carry a Fee. The New

York Times. htp://www.nyimes.com/2008/11/07/nyregion/07bags.hml?pagewaned=2

9. The PlasTax - abou Irelands Plasic Bag Tax. Reusablebags.com. htp://www.reusablebags.com/acs

php?id=20

10. Moivaed by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plasic Bags. The New York Times. htp://www.nyimes.com/2008/02/02/world/europe/02bags.hml?pagewaned=1&_r=211

11. Seatle Mayor Nickels Proposes Green Fee on Shopping Bags o Curb Environmenal Impacs. U.S. Mayor

(April 2008): htp://www.usmayors.org/climaeproecion/documens/COM_040708_00_00_011_b.pd, and

Green Plasic Bag Fee o go beore Seatle Voers. Seatlepi.com. htp://www.seatlepi.com/local/404422_

bags30.hml

12. Disposable Bag Fee and Foam Ban FAQ. Seatle.gov. htp://www.seatle.gov/mayor/issues/bringYourBag/

docs/disposable_bag_ee_&_oam_ban_FAQ.pd

Sources

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O covered 70 percen in waer, in bodies ha are made up o 60 percenwaer, and wih showers, sinks, oiles, and sprinklers everywhere we urn, i is no surpriseha waer scarciy is no an issue a he oreron o many minds. While many expeccheap waer o be coninuously and readily available, renewable waer resources aredepleing. Amids increasing wase and climae change impacs such as reduced runo,earlier snowmel, and increased evaporanspiraion, he world is nearing a crisis poin.Wihou addressing he main issues acing waer resources odayenergy, conservaion,and qualiywe canno even being o imagine he consequences.

Water and Energy

The energy crisis o oday is orgeting an imporan elemen: he precious commodiieso each oil and waer migh soon debiliae he use o he oher. In order o generaeelecriciy, we consume incredible amouns o waer, and in order o deliver clean waer,we consume incredible amouns o energy. Waer and energy are inexricably linked.

Waer consumpion does no occur only when running auces or waering he lawniis used when urning on lighs and plugging in he oaser. The power used o generae

elecriciy comes rom a number o sources in he Unied Saesnuclear, coal, hydro-elecric, and more. Thermoelecric (coal) power generaion aciliies demand signicanvolumes o reshwaer o uncion, and accoun or 40 percen o he naions reshwaerwihdrawal and abou 3 percen o he naions reshwaer consumpion. This is secondonly o agriculural irrigaion. Nuclear plans, on he oher hand, consume 40 percenmore waer, and naural gas combined cycle plans consume 60 percen less.

Wih changes on he horizon in he ypes o energy we use, waer concerns mus be ahe oreron o hose decision making processes. Clean coal echnology will demand an

esimaed 4 o 6 billion gallons o waer more a day, no o menion he poenial impacson waer qualiy. Carbon sequesraion echnology could more han double he amouno waer consumed per uni o elecriciy generaed. Wind energy requires very litlewaer, while solar plans require signican amouns o waer. Solar plans use as much,i no more, waer as nuclear power plans, which poses a signican problem or saeslike Arizona, who have a lo o solar poenial, bu very litle waer. And he ransporaionsecor brings in anoher whole se o problemswih elecric cars requiring 10 imes asmuch waer as gasoline and biouels demanding 20 imes as much, shiing he way weuel our cars can have major implicaions. The quesion o he amoun o waer needed in

boh curren and upcoming mehods o power generaion is an imporan one.

Worries abou waer consumpion in he atemp o drive energy away rom dependenceon oreign oil mus be considered. A decrease in dependence on oreign oil will lead o adependence on domesic waer, and he implicaions o his are widespread. Solving heparadox o he oil-waer link requires inegraed policy, managemen, and echnologieso help enhance one resource wihou depleing he oher.

The Next Big Thing:

Water CrisisRiley Wyman, Colorado College


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Water Conservation

Insead o simple coninued developmen o new waer projecs, waer conservaionmechanisms are imporan o creaing susainable pracices and responsible use o whais oen a nie resource. Aquiers are being depleed aser han hey can be rechargedby he naural waer cycle, and many areas rely on piping in waer rom aar, as local sur-

ace waer resources are requenly limied.

Conservaion is no jus abou urning he waer o when brushing your eehi is aboupolicies and programs ha sandardize incenives or boh consumers and municipaliieso use less. Pricing, reuse, and sorage are jus hree mechanisms ha are becoming veryimporan o he world o waer conservaion.

In many areas across he counry, especially around he Wes, waer prices are ariciallylow relaive o he cos o providing he waer (piping sysems, reservoirs, puricaion,

ec.) and he exernaliies associaed (excess efuen, recreaion, environmenal, ec.).Economic principles sugges ha anyhing scarce and in demand commands a price,and as such, waer pricing is becoming a more and more accepable policy insrumen.There are many mechanisms or doing hisselecive meering, block pricing, waer-usecharges, polluion charges, efuence charges, and many more. Regardless o he mecha-nisms, movemen owards pricing srucures ha more adequaely reec he price o hecommodiy is necessary owards incenivizing conservaion and encouraging awarenessamong consumers. This is especially imporan a he agriculural level, where prices areheavily subsidized and use is excepionally high. The unds accrued rom such aciviies

are also imporan owards invesmen in waer inrasrucure, mainenance o exisingsysems, and developing new echnology.

Though no ully acceped by he public ye, as echnology emerges or he reuse owaer, saes and local governmens are nding more ways o conserve. Waer reuse canbe very eecive, especially in he indusrial and agriculural secors, as issues o waerqualiy are no as sringen. Addiionally, as echnology caches up in wasewaer rea-men, healh and qualiy concerns are minimized and oile o ap becomes an increas-ingly viable and cos-eecive opion or meeing demand. Pubic educaion is imporan

here, as here is a naural disase or he reuse o waer or consumpion. Legal changes,oo, are imporan, as experimenaion and reamen sandards change he need orproecive legal codes and as downsream waer righs complicae maters. Many Wes-ern saes have eecive regulaions owards atemping o encourage waer reuse, whilesimulaneously monioring healh and saey issues. Ensuring ha laws are reecive ocurren echnology, coss are manageable, and ha he public is on board is imporanand provides oules or polluion abaemen and wasewaer disposal.

Conserved waer during non-drough periods can be eecively sored underground and

accessed laer when waer supplies are less readily available. As public accepabiliy osurace sorage such as dams and reservoirs decreases, he imporance o groundwaersorage grows. The inerconnecion beween surace and groundwaer in waer soragehelps recharge aquiers, increase capaciy o lowered and over draed waer ables, andallows he augmenaion o waer supplies in an environmenally riendly way. This alsoprovides an oule or eecive conservaion measures by having a sae way o proeche conserved waer. Ulimaely, waer sorage can provide a buer agains waer scarciy

29


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and variabiliy, hough is overuse could poenially creae diculies in regulaed supply.Various legal barriers sill exis o he ull implemenaion o waer sorage projecs andmus be anicipaed and addressed.

Water Quality

Beween urban developmen, increased agriculural land use, and climae change, waerqualiy concerns are no longer jus or developing counries. Wihou access o cleanwaer resources, preexising waer scarciy is magnied and healh concerns becomeincreasingly signican.

As ciies grow and urban sprawl increases, waer supplies ace conaminaion due oimpervious areas and careless developmen echniques. Cemen sidewalk, roads, andbuildings preven waer rom being reabsorbed ino he waer able, causing increasedruno. The waer hen carries wih i he many polluans and chemicals o ciy lie, which

evenually makes is way back ino waer supplies. Urban runo in conjuncion wih prob-lemaic home sepic sysems have been shown o cause pharmaceuical conaminaiono waer supplies, which poses an even more signican problem because much o heconaminaion is no lered hrough waer reamen. Urban conaminans pose a uniqueype o hrea, as municipal waer supplies are already sreched. Increased developmenwill only perpeuae hese dangers.

Perhaps one o he bigges acors impacing waer qualiy, especially in he Wes, is ir-responsible agriculural pracice. Irrigaion no only pus a burden on already scare waer

resources, bu i also creaes heavy sal loading in he waer supply. Irrigaion causes salso be leached rom underlying soils as he waer moves hrough he subsurace, resulingin a 150% increase in saliniy. This causes severe problems no only or crops and waerin he area, bu especially or supplies downsream where sal levels already end o behigher. Crop producion alls wih increases in saliniy levels, household waer appliancescorrode and clog sooner, and waer reamen coss go up. Waer rom he ColoradoRiver alone undergoes around $376million dollars per year on reclamaion rom sal load-ing. Furhermore, when combined wih pesicide use, irrigaion and rain cause chemicalruno ha endangers he groundwaer supply, increases surace acidiy, and can have

more widespread impacs like coasal europhicaion and disrupions in he waer cycle.

The bigges acor impacing waer qualiy in he near uure will be rising emperauresrom climae change. As emperaures rise, oxygen levels decrease. As sreamow andlake levels all, polluans ace less diluion. Climae change causes he increase in herequency and inensiy o rainall, hus producing more polluion and sedimenaion dueo runo. The ow magniudes also increase, which can carry more conaminans hroughwaer supplies and overload sorm and wasewaer sysems. As sea levels rise, he in-crease in saliniy o coasal rivers and bays would lead o salwaer inrusion, causing he

desrucion o groundwaer resources in coasal areas. Drinking waer supplies are hemos imporan o preserve amids severe climae change impacs, however, he recre-aional uses are imporan consideraions oo as waer qualiy aecs shing, ecosysems,swimming, and more.

To see how his opic develops, join he Cener or Energy & he Environmen awww.roosevel.campusnework.org


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For more inormaion, visi hese sources:

htp://www.scienicamerican.com/aricle.cm?id=he-uure-o-uel&page=5htp://www.nel.doe.gov/echnologies/coalpower/ewr/pubs/2008_Waer_Needs_Analy

sis-Final_10-2-2008.pdhtp://www.congressional.energy.gov/documens/3-10-09_Final_Tesimony_(Bauer)_

(NETL).pdhtp://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/conen/ull/310/5756/1944htp://www.oecdobserver.org/news/ullsory.php/aid/939/Pricing_waer.hml

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Documents

10 Ideas for Energy & the Environment, 2009