Group brainstorms climate ideas

A local group is hoping a lot of brainstorming will be the first step toward making a dent in global climate change.

"In a nutshell the problem is: 'We are the problem,'" said Dr. Alan Journet, a biology professor at Southeast Missouri State University who helped organize the group. "The problem starts with us, and the solution must also start with us."

About 30 people gathered Wednesday at the Cape Girardeau Public Library on for the inaugural meeting of the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative. The group, led by Journet and Kathy Conway, also of the university, has a stated goal of promoting the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Southeast Missouri.

Journet said the time for action is now. He cited the popularity of former Vice President Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and a February assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as events bringing unprecedented attention to the problem.

The scientific community, Journet said, is unanimous on the reality of global warming.

"There is a consensus among the experts. ... Not one author dissented from the thesis that number one, climate change is happening and number two, human activity is contributing to it," said Journet, citing a 2004 study of peer-reviewed scientific literature.

The meeting began with participants breaking into smaller discussion groups to brainstorm individual or areawide changes to affect greenhouse emissions.

Suggestions included a mandatory green space requirement for incoming businesses, improved public transportation, promoting energy-efficient homes, discouraging cars from idling and encouraging building within city limits rather than outward expansion.

Idling buses

Betty Landre of Cape Girardeau said she feels strongly about the amount of time cars idle without moving. "In Germany when I visited, they had laws that buses are only allowed to idle for 10 minutes at a time. But at SEMO buses will sit and have engines idle for the whole basketball game," she said.

Mike Niswonger of Cape Girardeau favors a green space requirement. "Big-box retailers are the worst at that, if you realize how many forests Wal-Mart cuts down each year at 15 to 24 acres per store and all they plant for green space are two dead or dying twigs."

Phil Ivers of Cape Girardeau would like to see financial incentives for developers building new subdivisions inside city limits. Ivers said the group's approach to stop a global problem appeals to him.

"I think getting energized as an individual to tackle climate change on a grassroots level is the way to do it," he said.

Landre said she came to the meeting because, as a former elementary school teacher, she taught her students to believe something always can be done to help the environment on an individual level.

"I used to teach them there is something every child can do to help his or her family recycle. The kids were very enthusiastic and said, 'We can do that.' This is kind of the same thing," she said.

After brainstorming, the group divided into "working groups" to tackle five main areas of climate change prevention. The groups will return at future sessions with action plans. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 28 at the library.

Dr. Tahsin Khalid of Southeast attended the meeting and said the greatest impact will be from ideas shared friend to friend.

"If people start as a model and let other people see that you're turning off lights or using energy-efficient light bulbs or something like that, then they'll do it. If you tell a friend about it, he's more likely to say, 'I can do that, too,'" he said.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245