The Newton Eco-Project

1. The Newton Eco-Project • The Challenge • The Project • The Goals Why Are We Here? Eco-team Presentation September, 2011

2. The Newton Eco-Team Project Climate Change Global Warming Climate Change The primary cause of climate change is global warming. Green house gases cause global warming, especially carbon dioxide which is emitted into the atmosphere through burning of fossil fuels: gasoline, coal, oil & natural gas The fuels we use to power our homes, our cars and produce the goods we consume. Greenhouse gases- CO2 The Challenge Burning Fossil fuels Power our Home,cars, Produce goods U.S. households produce far more CO2 than households in any other nation.

3. The Newton Eco-Team Project Why focus on CO2? Greenhouse Gases The Challenge U.S. Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas, 2001 (Million Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent)http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/brochure/greenhouse/Chapter1.htm CO2 emissions are the one source homeowners can most affect.

4. The Newton Eco-Team Project Current CO2 Status • 350 ppm of CO2 is what most scientists consider the threshold beyond which the dangers of global warming increase. • We recently surpassed 400 ppm http://worldforum.org/forum.htm The Challenge We are now at a critical junction

5. The Newton Eco-Team Project Our Part: The Challenge • The carbon footprint of the average —American household: 55,000 lbs. —German household: 27,000 lbs. —Swedish household: 15,000 lbs. Americans can reduce their carbon footprint without reducing their Standard of living.

6. The Newton Eco-Team Project 25% 5% CO2 Emissions Population Our part The Challenge US households directly produce about 8% of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions, and through our purchases we are indirectly responsible for another 17%. If the bad news is that individual Americans are a major part of the problem, the good news is that we can be a major part of the solution. We can have a major impact on reducing carbon emissions

7. The Newton Eco-Team Project America Now: Consumption:The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago. Housing: Average U.S.house size has doubled since the 1970s. Transportation: The Typical American family of four owns two cars and drive 24,000 miles per year The Challenge America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

8. The Newton Eco-Team Project America Now: The U.S. consumes about twice as much of the principal transportation fuels per capita as Western Europe. The Challenge Americans average four car trips a day, twice as many as Brits, and travel seventeen miles a day, almost three times as much as in the U.K. The average American travels almost twice as fast, too. America’s traveling habits create a is huge carbon footprint

9. The Newton Eco-Team Project America Now: Average U.S.house size has doubled since the 1970s. The Challenge Spec house circa 2000 3500-5000 sq. ft Spec. house circa. 1950 1700-2500 sq. ft. Living Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen, 2 bath, 3 bedrm.; 1 car garage Living Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen, 3-4 bath, 4 bedrm.; 2-3 car garage Family rm, Study, Mud rm. Master bedrm. Suite; Exercise rm., Play rm., Media rm. ; Wine Cellar America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

10. The Newton Eco-Team Project America Now: In the U.S., we spend 3-4 times as many hours shopping as our counterparts in Europe do.. The Challenge Shopping on main street Shopping at the mall America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

11. The Newton Eco-Team Project America Now: Each person in the US makes 4 1/2 #s of garbage/day That is twice what we each made thirty years ago. The Challenge = For every garbage can of waste we produce, there are 70 garbage cans of waste generated up stream to produce the goods in that single can. America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

12. The Newton Eco-Team Project The Challenge To really reduce Newton’s emissions we must address the residential sector.

13. The Newton Eco-Team Project What should we do? • Expect technology to solve the problem? Cape Wind is still a decade away • Wait for government to take action? Results of the Copenhagen Conference • Blame it on China and India? Chinese solar panels & electric cars The Challenge Inaction is no longer a viable alternative.

14. The Newton Eco-Team Project The structure: Eco-Teams Form Eco-Teams of 5 to 6 households The team meets 3 times. Each team member creates their own action plan to make simple home improvements & lifestyle changes to reduce their energy consumption, conserve resources and saving money. The Project Encourages a strategy of conservation as a lifestyle.

15. The Newton Eco-Team Project Sample Changes: •Drive (or fly) 5,000 fewer miles: reduce emissions 5,000 lbs.… and save $. • Reduce weekly waste by 25 gallons: reduce emissions 2,500 lbs., • Seal and insulate walls, attic & warm-air heating ducts: reduce emissions 2000 lbs.… and save $. • Change 10 frequently used light bulbs to compact fluorescents: reduce emissions 1,000 lbs.… and save $. • Change one household beef meal / week to vegetarian:reduce emissions 700 lbs.… and save $. The Project Changes that will reduce our carbon footprint

16. The Newton Eco-Team Project Change to make a difference: Household: Heating, Air Conditioning; Heating Domestic Water; Insulation; Weatherization; Lighting & Electricity usage The Project Lifestyle: Purchase habits; Waste disposal; Diet choices Transportation: Driving; flying Changes that will reduce our carbon footprint

17. The Newton Eco-Team Project Home Improvements: The Project Utilizing the utility’s incentive programs to upgrade your home

18. The Newton Eco-Team Project “We sometimes emphasize the danger in a crisis without focusing on the opportunities that are there. We should feel a great sense of urgency because it is the most dangerous crisis we have ever faced, by far. But it also provides us with opportunities to do a lot of things we ought to be doing for other reasons anyway. And to solve this crisis we can develop a shared sense of moral purpose.” Al Gore Work with us to become part of the solution

19. The Newton Eco-Team Project “All of us can do something to make the world better… and each of us should try.” Ted Kennedy