The Newton Eco-Project

• The Challenge• The Project• The Goals

Why Are We Here?

Partner PresentationDecember, 2011

The Newton Eco-Project

Everything we do involves burning fossil fuels- oil, natural gas, coal & gasoline. This creates a ‘carbon footprint”.

The diverse range of all human activity can be measured by its carbon footprint.

TheChallenge

Why Carbon?

Carbon has become the universal measure of our environmental impact .

ClimateChange

Greenhouse gases- CO2

BurningFossil fuels

Power our buildings & transportation; Produce & dispose of goods Support activities

Global Warming

The Newton Eco-Project

The Challenge

Americans can reduce their carbon footprint without reducing their Standard of living.

• The carbon footprint of the average

—American household: 55,000 lbs.

—German household: 27,000 lbs.

—Swedish household: 15,000 lbs.

Our Part:

Household CO2 Emissions

USA

Germany

Sweden

World US World US

CO2 Emissions Population

5%

25%

The Newton Eco- Project

The Challenge

America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

Consumption: The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago.

Housing: Average U.S.house size has doubled since the 1970s.

Transportation: The Typical American family of four owns two cars and drive 24,000 miles per year

America Now:

The Newton Eco- Project

The Challenge

America’s traveling habits create a is huge carbon footprint

The U.S. consumes about twice as much of the principal transportation fuels per capita as Western Europe.

America Now:

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Americans average four car trips a day, twice as many as Brits, and travel seventeen miles a day, almost three times as much as in the U.K. The average American travels almost twice as fast, too.

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are needed to see this picture.

The Newton Eco- Project

The Challenge

America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

Average U.S.house size has doubled since the 1970s.

America Now:

Spec house circa 20003500-5000 sq. ft

Spec. house circa. 19501700-2500 sq. ft.

Living Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen, 2 bath, 3 bedrm.; 1 car garage

Living Rm, Dining Rm,Kitchen, 3-4 bath, 4 bedrm.; 2-3 car garageFamily rm, Study, Mud rm. Master bedrm. Suite;Exercise rm., Play rm.,Media rm. ; Wine Cellar

The Newton Eco-Project

The Challenge

America’s consumption is driving our huge carbon footprint

In the U.S., we spend 3-4 times as many hours shopping as our counterparts in Europe do..

America Now:

Shopping on main street The ‘stuff we have

The Newton Eco- Project

The Challenge

To really reduce Newton’s emissions we must address the residential sector.

The Newton Eco- Project

TheChallenge

Inaction is no longer a viable alternative.

What should we do?

• Expect technology to solve the problem? Cape Wind is still a decade away• Wait for government to take action?

Results of the Copenhagen Conference

• Blame it on China and India?Chinese solar panels & electric cars

The Newton Eco- Project

The structure: Eco-Teams Form Eco-Teams of 5 to 6 households

The team meets 3 times.

Each team member creates their own action plan to make simple home improvements & lifestyle changes to reduce their energy consumption, conserve resources and saving money.

TheProject

Encourages a strategy of conservation as a lifestyle.

The Newton Eco-Project

The Project

Sample Changes:

• Drive (or fly) 5,000 fewer miles: reduce emissions 5,000 lbs.… and save $.

• Reduce weekly waste by 25 gallons: reduce emissions 2,500 lbs.,

• Seal and insulate walls, attic & warm-air heating ducts: reduce emissions 2000 lbs.… and save $.

• Change 10 frequently used light bulbs to compact fluorescents: reduce emissions 1,000 lbs.… and save $.

• Change one household beef meal / week to vegetarian: reduce emissions 700 lbs.… and save $.

Changes that will reduce our carbon footprint

The Newton Eco-Project

The Project

Change to make a difference:

Lifestyle: Purchase habits; Waste disposal; Diet choices

Household:Heating, Air Conditioning;Heating Domestic Water;Insulation; Weatherization;Lighting & Electricity usage

Changes that will reduce our carbon footprint

Transportation:Driving; flying

The Newton Eco-Project

The Project

Next Step Living

Take advantage of the utility’s free home energy audits

The Newton Eco-Project

The Project

Home Improvements:

Utilizing the utility’s incentive programs to upgrade your home

The Newton Eco-Project

Work with us to become part of the solution

Your Part:-Introduce the program to your faith group:

-Discuss the program. -Organize the interested.- Invite us to do a presentation.

-Create an Eco-teamThrough your faith groupThrough your own social circle of friends, neighbors & association

The goals

The Newton Eco-Project

The Goals

Supporting Our Teams

Eco-Team Project Introductory presentations: To describe the project goals and strategy.Partner Organization Liaisons To help your organization organize teams.Eco-Team training: To help team leaders start their teamsLiterature: The Action Planner and support materials.Web Site: To provide an ongoing resource.Promote our Partner Organizations: Help our partners collaborate and coordinate their green initiatives.

Supporting the Eco-Team Project strengthens your organization.

The Newton Eco-Project

The Goals

Promoting Mass SaveThe ‘Saving Energy in Your Home’ presentation: To introduce the Mass Save program.Liaison: Between residents and Next Step Living.Referrals: To local contractors to do the qualified workLiterature: Explaining the various incentive programsFollow-up: Help residents with improvements beyond the Mass Save program

Supporting the Eco-Team Project strengthens your organization.

The Newton Eco- Project

“All of us can do something to make the world better… and each of us should try.”

Ted Kennedy

The future