The Energy Consumer's Bulletin- a New England energy news blog

2020 Could be a Good Year for Climate Policy in Massachusetts

In his State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Baker committed Massachusetts to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Then three bills touted by Senate leadership as a “next generation climate package” were released from Senate Ways and Means to be debated and voted on before month’s end. From carbon reduction goals to transit electrification and robust energy efficiency, efforts to address climate change in Massachusetts took a couple of steps forward this week. Now comes the work of turning these commitments into climate action!

Something for Everyone Who Understands the Climate Crisis

If you’re motivated to learn more about what you can do about the climate crisis as a consumer and a citizen, and what lots of smart, committed activists are doing – then join us at our Fall Meeting, November 19th. This year, we're thrilled to welcome Kelsey Wirth, co-founder of Mothers Out Front, as our featured speaker.

Winter is coming. But electric buses can handle it.

 

Green Energy Consumers Alliance has made it a priority to encourage the adoption of electric buses. This illustration summarizes our motivation:

Talking about climate change helps fight climate change

Here at Green Energy Consumers Alliance, we believe in practical ways for people to make green energy choices. You’re probably already aware that there are dozens of decisions you can make in your life to reduce your carbon footprint. But the carbon footprint of other people? As described in the news recently, it turns out that we can get others to act on climate by simply talking with them about it.

Hot Days Bring More Energy Demand, More Air Pollution, and More Harm to our Health

During periods of extreme heat, higher electricity demand is met with dirty, inefficient fossil fuel electricity generation. At the same time, heat exacerbates the effects of pollution because high temperatures and sunlight trigger chemical reactions that transform emissions from tailpipes and power generation into smog, creating unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone. The additional air pollution contributes to climate change and worsens local air quality. The health and environmental impacts of climate changing emissions are becoming more prevalent as extreme weather days occur more often.

Carbon impacts of flying got you down?

For a couple decades now, we've offered consumers an easy way to have their electricity usage met by renewable energy. That's simple — just plug some wind and solar into the grid. But how about air travel? Although progress is being made on electric planes (you read that right), it will be a while before you get on a jet powered by batteries. But we need to mitigate the impacts of flying because those impacts are real, huge, and growing.

Cutting carbon out of your daily commute

With the transportation sector contributing 39.7% of state carbon dioxide emissions in Rhode Island and 49.4% in Massachusetts, we find the topic of transportation emissions especially urgent. Getting places requires energy, right? But some ways are less carbon intensive than others. We at Green Energy Consumers wanted to share the ways in which we all commute to work. And we would like to emphasize one thing above all else - it's essential that public transportation be given more support by all of us - politicians, taxpayers, those who use use public transit, and those who do not. When buses and subways work well, we all benefit.

Most recent climate action report adds another measure of accountability to the mix

Carbon Free Boston, the latest in a series of climate action reports released in Massachusetts, further affirms that there are clear steps we should be taking now to mitigate climate change. The challenge remains in turning studies to action.

How much is climate action dependent upon really big projects?

The following is the third blog in a trilogy. In early December, we explained the importance of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and how they are used to quantify and track the green attributes associated with renewable electricity supplied to our grid. In late November, we explained how state renewable energy standards work to clean up the grid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by requiring the addition of certain qualifying resources, particularly wind and solar. Another way to reduce emissions from the electricity sector is to enable electricity suppliers to purchase and deliver large quantities of hydro and offshore wind to the region. But delays could significantly undermine fulfillment of our clean energy and climate requirements.

Puerto Rico Will Rise, Thanks to Renewables, Microgrids and Energy Storage

Our Climate Change Perspectives mini-blog series is a 3-part series that brings to light the personal impacts of climate change on Green Energy Consumers' staff members' lives. This series aims to clarify what is at stake for people around the world and how those realities influence the choices we make on a daily basis.

Yaima Braga is our Energy Programs Manager.