Climate change: So what do we do? Here are some ways to get involved

The climate that future generations experience depends on us. In a century the temperature will be from a few degrees to as many as 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer, depending entirely on us. We can avert the more serious consequences only by acting now.

When Earth Day was conceived four decades ago, we were urged to "think globally and act locally." This phrase applies equally today. Each of us can respond to the problem from the personal level up to the national level.

The personal level:

First, we should recognize that climate change policy is energy policy. Except when it comes from renewable resources, when we use energy, whether directly or indirectly, we are pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If we reflect on our daily energy consumption and reduce it whenever possible, we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

The space here precludes listing everything we can do, but at the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative website (cstl.semo.edu/SEMOCPI) you can find access to sites containing tips on how to go green and reduce your carbon footprint.

By reducing our energy consumption, we generally also save money.

It is worthwhile remembering that the cumulative impact of millions of painless choices can be immense. Individually, we cannot change the world, but through well-chosen actions collectively we can make a huge difference.

A couple of ideas might serve as teasers.

When driving, we can avoid driving (especially alone) during rush hour or idling the engine such as in restaurant drive-through lanes or while waiting for friends and family members.

At home, whenever leaving a room for more than a few minutes we can turn the lights and appliances off. Since many appliances switch to standby when turned off — and continue to suck electricity — we can unplug the guzzlers totally.

A broader response:

To have a statewide or national impact, political awareness becomes necessary. To bring climate change under control, it is generally acknowledged that global carbon dioxide emissions should be reduced to at least 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2050.

Federal bills are primarily cap-and-trade proposals placing caps on carbon production by emitting entities, then allowing the trade of unused allowances on the open market to entities failing to meet targets. The initial limits may be either assigned or auctioned to the highest bidder.

Corporations generally prefer the assignment approach, which would allocate permits based on historic production, rewarding industries that have not yet reduced greenhouse gas production while penalizing those that have. This allocates large profits — in the form of pollution permits — to companies that procrastinated.

Conversely, the auction system requires that entities bid for permits and thus pay to pollute, with profits going to the government potentially to invest in energy innovation. Proposals also include a system of stiff penalties for noncompliance. Further reduction is achieved by progressively reducing the emissions permits.

Sen. Joe Lieberman's 2007 Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (S. 280) first appeared in 2003. It mandates reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to 2004 levels by 2012, 1990 levels by 2020, and then to approximately 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. It also promotes renewable energy technology and innovation. Cosponsors included Senators McCain and Obama.

Related House bills are H.R.620, thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR00620:, (Olver) and H.R.4226, thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:HR04226:, (Gilchrest). Meanwhile, S. 2191 (Liebermann-Warner), America's Climate Security Act, would reduce emissions a little more.

Also in 2007, Senators Sanders and Boxer introduced the much improved Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 (S. 309). This reduces greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by 2020 and to the target 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. It also funds research into sequestering carbon dioxide, a necessary technology before clean coal becomes practical; sets emissions standards for new vehicles; and imposes a renewable energy requirement on electricity utilities (See Missouri's Proposition C below).

Parallel bill H.R. 1590 (Waxman and 125 co-sponsors) was also introduced in 2007.

A comparison of these and related bills, S. 317 (Feinstein) and S. 485 (Kerry), is available at www.eoearth.org/image/Provisions_of_Greenhouse_Gas_Reduction_Bills1.JPG.

A great benefit regionally is Missouri's Proposition C on the Nov. 4 ballot. This proposal, at ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Missouri_Proposition_C_(2008)2008, generated by citizen initiative and endorsed by our utilities, requires that Missouri utilities generate 15 percent of their electricity (the primary domestic cause for greenhouse gas emissions) from renewable sources by 2021. This proposition demands our support.

With the current high price for gasoline, many Americans are clamoring for greater domestic oil production by drilling offshore and on public lands such as wildlife refuges. Unfortunately, this plan is exactly opposite to what we should be doing. Increasing oil production and consumption can only postpone solving the problem. Additionally, the evidence suggests that producing a few more barrels of oil domestically will make barely a dent in the global market. While we consume 25 percent of the world's production, we produce just 3 percent. And it would provide a negligible to zero impact on supply and demand and U.S. pump prices. Climate change recognition demands that we oppose this proposal.

There should be no doubt that climate change represents the greatest threat to our collective future. From the personal and local level to the national and international level we must, if we care about future generations, take steps to address it — and take these steps as a matter of urgency.

Area residents who are interested in addressing the problem locally are invited to join the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative in promoting local action and awareness: cstl.semo.edu/SEMOCPI.

Alan Journet is the co-facilitator of the Southeast Missouri Climate Protection Initiative and professor of biology and environmental science at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.