I am struck daily by the lack of vision and imagination by the status quo when it comes to solving the immediate problem of global heating. The country holds the technology to seriously ramp down greenhouse gas emissions, yet it continues to be concerned over the profits of industries schlepping old technologies. (How global displacement of people and cities would impact said profits, none of these fossil fuel junkies will say.)
Clearly, our current political system is not going to change anything any time soon. Even some Democrats want to lecture the youth of the new environmental movement rather than contemplate that the world needs them to see things differently. But what if miracles do happen, and we get a new government in both the executive and legislative branches in roughly sixteen months? What would a dream-green machine-revolution look like?
Since my motto has always been Dream Big, I’m going to list everything – just on my short list - if I was queen of the world. (Please note, that I am not a scientist, but I do work in the sustainable buildings industry and have for the last twelve years. Prior to that, I gave dozens of presentations through the Climate Project initiative).
Below is my wish list, with the suggested logistics, and the ideas to pay for it. We need to see this as a war against climate change and mobilize as we have in every other world war efforts. The UN has given us eighteen months to act, and that was announced over two months ago.
Some of the below is already in AOC’s et al original Green New Deal, but let’s get engaged.
If the sky were the limit, what would be in your Green New Deal?
A Girl Can Dream Green New Deal.
The What:
- Build a Smart Grid. The problem with our current electrical grid is that it can’t sustain renewable power generation. And our current power grid is aging and loses 6% of the power through transmission anyway. We can use emerging energy storage technology to ramp up the potential for renewable generation on a macro scale. Besides powering our buildings and manufacturing, we can start powering a new fleet of electric cars and stop fighting wars for our oil addiction.
- Arrive at the 21st Century and build a countrywide high-speed rail. Everyone in the Westernized World is way ahead of the United States on this fast, lean and mean way to travel. Imagine if our cities were all connected via a mode of fast transportation that more people could afford? Imagine being able to get from downtown Denver to Chicago in half a day, in a relaxed manner without being treated like cattle or having to worry about any nasty air turbulence. Meet new friends in the dining car! Seriously, for those that have had the treat of modern train travel, it’s the only civilized way to go these days.
- Weatherize and Modernize Commercial Buildings. Tired of sweltering in the winter and freezing in the summer at work? Keep reading. Roughly 40% of the United States’ energy usage is spent on buildings. Half of that comes from commercial buildings (non manufacturing). As the US Green Building Council can tell you, we have the techniques to retrofit our buildings with insulation, better HVAC and smart building management systems to cut down on the energy while also being able to make everyone more comfortable.
- Subsidize Homeowners to do the same to their homes. Many cities, states and utility zones have been doing this for years, but not as aggressively as they could. The majority of American homes are drafty and uncomfortable. Helping people pay for energy upgrades would be both improve the American dream for the homeowners; and the small business owners that run most of the operations that can do this work.
- Build renewable energy generation. Once a smart grid is underway, the sky will be the limit on using the power of the sun, wind, and land to generate power rather than coal and oil.
- Plant trees. If the U.S. planted trees in our urban centers by the millions we would both a. cut down on the heat island effect. and b. add oxygen exhaling plants to help cut down on CO2 emissions. Not to mention city beautification projects for the parts of America that need some love.
- Upgrade our country’s infrastructure, including dams, bridges and levies. If you have been to New Orleans, you know what a treasure it is. Let’s save it. Additionally, the core of engineers regularly gives our infrastructure a D. Our dams, levies and bridges will need all the reinforcement they can get as flooding will be a growing threat while the globe heats up with all the green house gas emissions we’ve pumped into the atmosphere already. And we don’t have to reinvent any wheel, either.
- Start planting hemp and use it. Hemp can do almost everything that petroleum can do when it comes to the plastic products that we use every day. It is also an extremely sustainable product. Imagine the convenience of plastic products, without all that guilt or heavy glass?
- Help our U.S. manufacturers retool to build clean infrastructure and public transportation. Let’s face it, one of the main reasons we are where we are today is greed; and the fear from the industry built around fossil fuels and wars that their gravy train might be coming to an end. Just like in World War II, the government had to help manufacturers retool to produce goods for the war effort. We need to declare war on global warming to create a sense of urgency. Let’s talk to the gluttonous corporations in a language they can understand to get them on our side: money. Subsidize car manufactures to retool to make high speed trains; war contractors to help install the grid and upgrade our infrastructure. If you can’t beat them, bribe them to join us!
The How:
- Divert some of our bloated war budget to a Green New Deal budget. We fight wars in part to protect American interests in a mainline of cheap oil. If we remove our dependence on it, we can work towards peace, rather than endless war which uses the majority of our gas as part of our national expenditure — the vicious circle that enriches just a few.
- Tax fossil fuel use. An energy tax on petroleum, national gas and coal. It’s time. A Green New Deal will create lots of jobs, so we will be able to afford it in general. For those that still struggle financially, update a low-income tax credit to help them with the increase in their household budgets.
- Tax Capital Gains. It is an injustice that capital gains are not taxed the way it used to be. Our taxes are extremely regressive in this country. Successful capitalists have an advantage in our system because it takes money to make money. And once you have lots of it – as Thomas Piketty pointed out – it pretty much locks you in to the top of our very entrenched class system in this world. Tax the 1% and divert it to this war effort to fight for our – and our planet’s – lives.
- Rescind the 2017 Tax “cut”. It was an egregious money grab. Time for it to be clawed back.
- End Corporate Tax Deferral. Go here for a great summary of the unfair way corporations dodge taxes. This is something that Bernie Sanders has already proposed.
- Initiate a one or two-year civil service program for Americans between high school and college. Kind of like the Peace Corp but for those that want to be on the front lines of our battle against climate change. Serve time — much like you sign up for military service — and get training while you help rebuild our infrastructure, grid, and so much more that we need to do if we are going to save ourselves from this catastrophic emergency currently underway. This could lead to an agreement to help pay for a 2 or even 4-year college degree at the completion of a term of public service.
In the Short Term:
- Impeach. We must remove Trump. He is enabling and fast-tracking our Earth’s destruction. This climate crisis needs us to move forward progressively on this war against climate change. Trump is doing the exact opposite. He needs to go immediately. (Yes, I get that the Senate is in the way, but let’s make those complicit bastards back up that criminal publicly as his traitorous actions make prime time.)
- Vote for progressive candidates that champion a Green New Deal. Also, term limits! The Feinstein’s, Pelosi’s and almost the entire GOP that claim our only choice is to move slow or not at all are out of touch, insane, or both. The only way we will have a government that works for the planet and the people is to get new blood that understands the gravity of the moment. The “leaders” that keep slow-walking – or stopping – any progress on this are living in the past. Term limits will go a long way towards limiting these and all future dated delusions that are entrenched in a broken political system.
This is my Green New Deal for now, but I encourage you to tell me yours. Let’s bullhorn some action and resolve.
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”
— John F. Kennedy