Guest Post: A donor’s perspective.
India vowed to be net-zero by 2070 and the USA by 2050, but I already have zeroed my impact for 2022. I have reduced my emissions and erased the rest with a donation to Solar Sister.
I’ve done my fair share of climate action.
Solar Sister is very effective climate action. I also talk to people about our climate, but it’s difficult to know when I’ve made an impact.
With Solar Sister, I know I’m making a difference.
You can buy offsets, but mine are gifts. Maybe you can’t buy peace with the climate crisis, but I’ve gained it through donations.
Braiding Sweetgrass, a bestseller, says a gift creates a relationship while a purchase does not.
My gifts to Solar Sister have made the Africans part of my community.
It’s a scandal the crude and inefficient energy tools they use. Kerosene lamps and three-stone fires; yuk. Upgrading them results in a lot of bang for the climate buck.
Yes, they don’t use much energy, but there are a lot of them. Nearly a billion folks use kerosene lamps and more cook on crude stoves with firewood or charcoal.[i] A $25 factory-made stove will cut their firewood use in half. A $15 solar lamp will save them $4 a month in kerosene. The majority of the benefit from trashing kerosene lamps is an end to their black-carbon pollution.
Black carbon is in the smoke from inefficient burning. Experts agree black carbon is very bad for our climate. Jim Hansen said it’s about as big a deal as methane.[ii] A big deal.
Climate and Clean Air (CCA) Coalition says it has 450 to 1500 times more impact per pound than carbon dioxide. 88% of black carbon pollution is from developing countries. 58% from residential fires for cooking, heating, etc. [iii]
While upgrading kerosene lamps and crude stoves in developing countries significantly reduces black carbon emissions and improves both health and the environment, the need for more efficient heating solutions isn’t confined to rural areas alone.
In more developed regions, households and businesses can also make a substantial impact on energy consumption and emissions by upgrading their heating systems.
Just as a factory-made stove or solar lamp can drastically reduce energy use and costs, installing energy-efficient furnaces can improve air quality, reduce carbon footprints, and save on long-term heating costs.
Whether it’s a rural village switching from firewood to cleaner alternatives or a modern home upgrading its furnace, these changes collectively contribute to a more sustainable future. For businesses and homeowners alike, taking this step with the help of outstanding services from climateexperts.ca can contribute significantly to the overall reduction of harmful emissions and help create a more sustainable future for all.
I like my electric car, but Solar Sister accomplishes more per dollar. With my car, each $300 invested saves a ton of emissions. With improved cookstoves, just $7 reduces a ton of carbon dioxide.
If I installed solar on my roof, the investment would be $120 per ton of carbon dioxide eliminated over 30 years. When a tiny solar lamp replaces a kerosene lamp, for example, d.light’s S3 lamp, emissions are reduced at 2 cents a ton of carbon dioxide equivalent.[iv] That’s 1,000 times more impact per dollar.
The average American emits 16 tons of carbon dioxide a year. You can figure out your footprint by using this online calculator. Don’t worry about being precise; the goal is an estimate. The calculator will also give you ideas about how you can reduce.
To maximize the benefits of solar energy and ensure a smooth installation process, partnering with a reputable provider such as Lone Star Solar Services can be advantageous. Their expertise can help you navigate the complexities of system design and integration, ensuring that you get the most out of your investment. By leveraging their experience, you can make an informed decision about how to best incorporate solar technology into your home and contribute meaningfully to reducing your carbon footprint while enjoying the financial and environmental benefits.
I could insulate my walls, but making donations has more impact and is easier.
Once more folks take the climate crisis personally, then it will quit being a crisis and just become a task on our to-do list. Like most scary things, once you face them, they quit being so scary.
Have you taken our climate personally?
Nan Hildreth, Houston, Texas, USA
713-504-9901 NanHildreth@riseup.net
[i] https://drawdown.org/solutions/improved-clean-cookstoves
[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_carbon
[iii] https://www.ccacoalition.org/en/slcps/black-carbon
[iv] https://www.science20.com/news_articles/kerosene_lamps_billion_people_big_source_black_carbon-97480