TEDx – Climate Change Urgency:
This week’s blog was inspired by a Ted talk, titled “Countdown Session 1: Urgency.” We urge readers who are unfamiliar with the data on climate change to consider watching this video series. Hopefully, it will light the fire inside of you to take real steps in creating a better future for your life and community. This kind of personal responsibility has to be alive if we are to end our collective destruction of the planet. In our throw-away society, we sometimes forget that our trash doesn’t just disappear. We forget what it took for us to have our conveniences. The energy we use and all of our technology has consequences and a whole backstory. Most people do not see these consequences coming until it’s knocking at their back door.
After watching this video, there were quite a few takeaways that we, at BarrierEnergy, really resonated with. Firstly, we recognize life on Earth to be supported by a very finite and rare balance. This is called the Goldilocks principle. Within our solar system, Earth has the distinction of orbiting far enough away from the sun so as to not be burnt, and close enough to so as not to freeze. Similarly, within the microcosm of the planet, life exists most abundantly within a specific temperature range. If the earth is one giant living system, then just like in our bodies, a couple of degrees in temperature change can throw off the whole balance. What happens when we get a fever? Yes, it does not feel good because our bodies are trying to fight off the infection. Climate change then becomes obviously impactful in terms of how we will survive the next 100 years.
To reconnect with the idea of urgency, the changes that we need to make, such as cutting down global emissions by half, need to happen within the next decade in order to avoid the “domino effect” of human habitat decline. Secondly, there need to be some big changes in the way we engage with the world as a species. Probably the most singularly impactful shift we can make is that of our consciousness. Currently, capitalism is largely concerned with profit over anything else. We need to see a shift in values toward an economic logic that balances human well-being. Otherwise, the system we’ve created to serve us could backfire on us. This means people’s values literally have to shift. Thankfully there are so many leading-edge thinkers, inventors, educators, and more spreading this awareness, we have high hopes we will be able to see this shift in consciousness more clearly.
Lastly, our engagement with the land itself needs to change. There need to be more protections in place for what is considered to be “global commons.” This includes our oceans and land, and the natural resources contained therein. To combat emissions, we also need to focus on carbon sequestration. This can be accomplished when we have more biomass rooted in the ground. Trees are popularly known for their capacity to create their bodies from carbon molecules in the air, and for their capacity to sink carbon into the earth they grow on. The same applies to all growing plants and can easily translate into the way farms produce food. Transforming the agricultural sector in such a way that it replenishes the land and creates biodiversity rather than strips it of life is a critical factor.
Santa Barbara – BarrierEnergy’s Mission:
Santa Barbara is taking a leading stance on implementing systems to protect the environment and reduce climate change. Ted Talks hosted a virtual meeting with leaders in Santa Barbara to discuss Climate Change. This video series boasted input from celebrities and big thinkers throughout the world, all talking about the same thing: Urgency. The conversation highlights the timeline we’re working with as a species, how long we’ve had the data, the technology that drives change, and how much time we have to make these critical changes. That’s why this video series hit especially close to home!
One core value BarrierEnergy holds dear is stewardship of the planet. The forms this can take might include cutting carbon emissions through reducing dependence on fossil fuel, reimagining agriculture to be more biodiverse so as to reduce the need for pesticides, or implementing carbon sequestration through replanting forests. There are so many ways every individual can make changes to be responsible stewards of the Earth. One way is to educate ourselves and stay current with ideas, events, and innovations surrounding energy and food production, as well as waste and land management.
At BarrierEnergy we take an active role in supporting a cleaner, greener future. Our company tests and enforces California State energy efficiency building codes. What does this mean? The California Energy Commission has put these codes in place to regulate the efficiency of building materials and systems. This means any new or altered real estate will be made with quality in mind, as well as waste reduction. From the HVAC system to windows, everything you can think of in a home or business must pass efficiency standards. This is one step towards California’s end goal, to be 100% carbon-free by the year 2050. As Santa Barbara locals, we are doing our part to help reduce carbon emissions and make a difference in our community. To learn more about BarrierEnergy, visit our page.
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