Following Cecilie Stuart’s article (“Drawdown: Top 100 Solutions to Global Warming,” October 4, 2019), we thought to expand the concept of Drawdown by publishing a couple of the solutions at a time. It may be helpful to those without computers and others who like to glean their information by holding the Messenger Mountain News in their hands. Everyone else can find them all in one place at: drawdown.org.
Drawdown Solution #1—Refrigerant Management. The point at which CO2 levels peak and begin to decrease, or “draw down,” in our efforts to reverse Global Warming, is deemed by Project Drawdown as the most important aspect of daily human life that must change. Refrigerators and air conditioners contain chemical refrigerants that absorb and release heat to enable chilling. Drawdown.org reports: “Refrigerants, specifically CFCs and HCFCs, were once culprits in depleting the ozone layer. HFCs, the primary replacement, spare the ozone layer, but have 1,000 to 9,000 times greater capacity to warm the atmosphere than CO2. In October 2016, officials from more than 170 countries met in Kigali, Rwanda, to negotiate a deal to address this problem. Through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the world will phase out HFCs—starting with high-income countries in 2019.” That’s us. Now. Natural refrigerants such as propane and ammonium are already on the market replacing HFCs. It could be time to buy a new refrigerator this holiday season. Be sure to verify that it doesn’t contain HFCs before you purchase and dispose of your old one in an ecological way. This is one way we all participate in the new green economy and contribute to reversing global warming. Learn more: drawdown.org/solutions/materials/refrigerant-management
Drawdown Solution #2 (and #22): Wind Turbines (On-shore). On the way Palm Springs, you’ll see a vast increase in wind turbines. Project Drawdown defines these wind turbines as: “Onshore utility-scale wind power technologies. This solution replaces conventional electricity-generating technologies such as coal, oil, and natural gas power plants. Slowly and steadily, onshore wind capacity has increased by around 20 percent per year for the past decade, adding a record 63 gigawatts of new wind power capacity in 2015.” Today, wind power continues to push forward as a critical solution for global warming! Learn more: drawdown.org/solutions/electricity-generation/wind-turbines-onshore
Drawdown Solution #22: Wind Turbines (Off-shore). I remember not long ago my son, Gabe who is now 15, used to assemble Lego windmills as part of many sweeping and complicated Lego scenes and now, they are real. Thirty-two wind turbines, each double the height of the Statue of Liberty, have been installed off the coast of Liverpool, England and are owned by the toy maker, LEGO. This solution powerfully contributes to the reversal of global warming. Off-shore wind turbines save us $200 billion after implementation, while pulling 14 gigatons of CO2 out of our atmosphere. Thank you, LEGO, for inspiring years of our children’s imagination, which I tell my Drawdown students, will also be crucial as we envision and implement the new green economy. Read more: drawdown.org/solutions/electricity-generation/wind-turbines-offshore