Houston Group Tackles Climate Change
By Geoffrey Castro, March 2006
After spending nearly a year and a half listening to lectures and reading about peak oil, Nan Hildreth began to realize that our energy future is going to change. “I began going through a transformation process,” says Hildreth. “I started to realize that America is not marching towards a bright future.” Hildreth discovered that there is a growing consensus among scientists that climate change is already having disastrous effects. This inspired Hildreth to confront this issue head on by spearheading the formation of the Houston Climate Protection Alliance (HCPA), a group that works with local government leaders and educates the public on methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change, or global warming, refers to the major shifts in the earth’s temperature, caused largely by carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases attributed to human activities. These temperature changes can lead to altered weather patterns, changes in sea levels, altered ecosystems and devastated economies.
Hildreth recalls that Hurricane Rita scared her immensely. Her research led to the fact that many scientists blame climate change for increased storm activity. MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel, author of Divine Wind: the History and Science of Hurricanes, explains that higher sea surface temperatures, caused by climate change, lead to more intense and greater durations of hurricanes.
A report by the EPA shows that climate change poses serious threats for Texas and the Gulf Coast. It shows that over the last century the average annual temperature in San Antonio has decreased by 0.5 degrees while precipitation has decreased by up to 20% in some areas of the state. The report also shows that Galveston is already experiencing a 25 inch rise in sea levels per century and scientists are predicting a rise of 38 inches by 2100. Estimated costs to protect the Texas coast from a 20 inch rise in sea level by 2100 range from $4.2 to12.8 billion.
Texas, already plagued by frequent and severe drought, is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country and has a responsibility to reduce its emissions, according to Louis Smith, a co-facilitator for HCPA. Smith stresses the need to transition to efficient, clean and renewable energy, which will benefit the local economy. He explains that developing more efficient transportation strategies and reducing vehicle miles traveled are key to successfully reduce our climate impact. He believes HCPA can help tie these concerns into one cause that includes immediate payoffs. Smith credits Mayor White for his efforts to work with local CEO’s to rearrange working schedules for employees so they can work four days rather than five to reduce travel.
In its early stages of development, the alliance has established an e-mail forum, an online bulletin and a speaker’s bureau. The group is receiving attention from professionals in the oil and gas industry as well as environmentalists.
“Peak oil advocates prophetically and passionately warn that energy prices are going up. That recent increases are just the beginning. I think they are right,” says Hildreth.
“It will take time to adopt energy saving measures, so it makes sense to get started now. Besides it’s good for the climate.”
Hildreth was inspired by the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The agreement has led to an outpouring of Americans publicly pledging to protect climate by agreeing to meet or beat Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities: 212 mayors (including Austin and New Orleans), nine states, environmental groups and religious groups.
“On the whole, Houston citizens have not organized on this issue," Hildreth says. “Houston and Texas are laggards in the movement to protect climate. This is exactly why we’ve formed this group. The first step in educating the public about this issue is acknowledging that it exists.”
“I think the Mayor would like to address all of our environmental concerns. But he can’t do it without citizen support,” Hildreth says. “We want to help the mayor address climate disruption by building a constituency.”
The group has drafted and recently presented a set of resolutions regarding climate protection at the precinct conventions. It is now in the Senatorial District Conventions awaiting vote by committee.
“As an organization we need to make people change what they are doing to make this a priority in their life. A simple way to contribute to this cause is by not contributing to the problem.” Smith explains that the goals of the organization are to raise awareness about climate change and demonstrate why Houston area residents should be concerned about CO2 levels. Ultimately the group will work toward influencing decision making. Still in its early stages of development, the alliance is working primarily on building its message and data collection so it may work with local municipalities to develop CO2 inventories and educate youth.
Hildreth explains that by reading e-mail news on the Sierra Club National Global Warming e-mail list, she learned how other states were taking measures towards climate protection by limiting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane, low level ozone, nitrous oxides, freon and other halocarbons. For example, last fall New Jersey classified carbon dioxide as an air pollutant and joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). She also discovered that two studies ordered by California’s Governor reported that efforts towards energy efficiency and renewable energy would dramatically improve the regional economy.
“Energy efficiency used to be a challenge to Houston’s bread and butter industry. Renewable energy was the competition," Hildreth says. "Now the challenge for industry is meeting the demand for cleaner energy.”
"We owe it to our children to take a hard look at warnings about catastrophic climate disruption,” Hildreth continues. “Houston assumes the climate and sea level will be stable and predictable. Good weather makes a huge contribution to our prosperity, but we take it for granted,” says Hildreth. “It's as if, like Enron, we assume that being smart, rich and powerful means we will win. Could our pride lead, like Enron's, to our downfall?"
The Houston Climate Protection Alliance’s message is simple: Save energy to protect the climate. Minimizing your climate impact can be easy. The group recommends:
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Switch to a renewable energy electricity provider
- Install radiant barriers in your attic and insulate it
- Reduce trips, buy a more fuel efficient automobile, or learn to bicycle or use transit for some of your travel
The Houston Climate Protection Alliance meets at 2:30 p.m., every first and third Sunday, at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin. To learn how you can help protect the climate, join the Houston Climate Protection Alliance’s new list or visit their website.
