Real Time Renewable Energy
Samantha Dynowski & Diane Lentakis
The goal of 100% clean and renewable energy is becoming more of a reality each day. Once a radical idea, 100% clean and renewable energy is now routinely featured in the news as cities and communities around the country commit to reaching this goal. Moving away from dirty fossil fuels and making an equitable and just transition to clean and renewable energy on a community-wide and statewide level is possible in the near future. Consider, 82 cities have already made this commitment.
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Last month, the Sierra Club released the 2018 Case Study Report on ten cities that have newly pledged to reach 100% clean energy and how they are doing it. Also last month, California approved a new law to reach 100% renewable in that state’s energy sector.
Action is taking place in the context of three important developments: climate change, new technology and advocacy by people like you.
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Weather and Natural Disasters Caught Our Attention
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Wildfires and stronger hurricanes have caught the attention of the nation. Here in Connecticut we are experiencing longer and hotter summers, more intense downpours, and worsening human and plant infectious diseases, such as Lyme disease and the migration of the Southern pine beetle, among other indicators of climate change.
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Renewable Technology Gives Us the Tools
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Climate solutions in the form of new and improved technology such as solar panels, wind power and electric vehicles are also capturing our imagination. This technology is getting better and less expensive.
Taking Action Drives the Movement
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Most importantly, 100% clean and renewable energy adoption at the community and state level is driven by people like you pressing your leaders for action. Your actions during the legislative session this year resulted in Connecticut requiring that 40 percent of our energy is generated by clean and renewable sources by 2030. Just last month Sierra Club volunteers organized events that brought together thousands of people taking action for climate, jobs and justice which you can read about in this newsletter.
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We are ready for 100% clean, renewable energy in Connecticut, and together we can make it happen. If you would like to be more involved in state or local efforts to move to 100% clean and renewable energy and to accelerate adoption of electric vehicles, please email me at samantha.dynowski@sierraclub.org.
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Samantha Dynowski is State Director, CT Chapter Sierra Club.
Diane Lentakis is coordinator for Ready for 100% Clean Energy in Connecticut.