Energy issues are hot, and Sierra Club Miami Group is cooking. After only two meetings, the re-energized Energy Committee has already prioritized issues to focus on, identified leaders, and begun to take action. Our three initial campaigns will focus on data centers, green aggregation programs, and individual behavior change.
Issue #1 – Data Centers: Everyone has heard by now that hyper-data centers are spreading like invasive weeds, and just like honeysuckle steals the resources that native species need to thrive, data centers steal the energy and water needed to support Ohio residents. As of this writing, a SCMG petition to restrict local data centers has more than 250 signatures, and we’ve just begun.
Issue #2 – Green Electricity Aggregation: Since 2012, the City of Cincinnati has been buying electricity on behalf of about 80,000 residential and small commercial energy accounts. Those customers have received 100 percent green, renewable electricity for the past 14 years, and paid far less than the Duke Energy Price-to-Compare. Unfortunately, many other municipalities don’t offer an aggregation program, or power their aggregation with dirty energy from coal and natural gas. Do you live in one of those communities? SCMG wants to help your whole town save money with clean renewable energy.
Issue #3 – Personal Choices: Almost everyone wants to do the right thing. Few people want to be polluters or to give their money to dirty industries. But how does one stop when bad choices seem to be the only choices we are offered? There are thousands of success stories in Cincinnati, of people who’ve installed solar, or heat pumps, or induction stoves. Of people who have given up cars, begun composting, or washing clothes in cold water. There are hundreds of things each of us can do to be a little greener, and each step toward sustainability takes a little pressure off the planet and its ecosystems. So what’s your next step? Maybe to coach others on how to take action.
Interested in the work of the Sierra Club Miami Group Energy Committee? Join us. The next meeting is Monday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. RSVP to Larry Falkin at [email protected] to receive the meeting location.
