Your home accounts for around 24% of your personal contribution to global warming. If there were no people, there would be no global warming as is happening currently.
There are several things each homeowner can do to reduce his/her carbon footprint. Once again, if everyone decides that everyone else can solve climate change, that leaves no one left to do anything, and we will most likely see an acceleration in unwanted weather and tidal events.
There is an argument that individual actions have little impact on the overall problem. That is true if only a few try to reduce their carbon footprints. It will take a concerted effort by the great majority of individuals to make a difference.
I believe local government can have considerable influence on reducing global warming through community awareness, codes and ordinances. I am presenting this material in hopes that enough residents voice their concerns to our commissioners that they are moved to take action.
Insulation: R-values of 50-60 in walls and 100 in the artic help slow home, office and factory energy loss and resulting power generation pollution.
Roofing: choose as high a reflectivity as possible. There are also thermal products that can be installed as roofing underlayment.
Renewable energy: So far Arcadia.com is the only conduit, I have found, to renewable power to the home and small business. Arcadia works in concert with electric and gas utilities to make it very easy to have all the energy in a home or business come from renewable sources, either solar or wind. The process is just like an Amazon purchase, and is revocable at any time. It does cost a small monthly fee to be green. The alternative is far more costly.
The town can play an effective role in reducing home greenhouse gas emissions by upgrading our building codes to increase insulation requirements. Most importantly, the town could set an educational example for our community by joining Arcadia Power. Additionally the town could educate our residents about the advantages of renewable energy in the home and office.
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