AWESome EarthKind

Happy New Year, Awesome People!

Welcome to 2022!

The turning of the year provides the opportunity to stop, see where we are, remember the lessons of where we've come from, and determine our intentions and goals for the future.

In the first AWESome EarthKind episode over a year ago, we interviewed Denis Hayes, the original organizer of Earth Day who then led the movement that made Earth Day the most widely celebrated secular holiday in the world, involving over 1 Billion human beings.

In that interview, Denis spoke about how there is Always Hope. He recounts several turning points in history where the future was dark and bleak – and yet, despite the odds, people held onto hope and snatched victory out of the jaws of impending defeat.

While today there is much to be rightly concerned about – there are also brilliant starbursts of light that ignite hope and show us a path forward.

Here are some excerpts from the Good News Network (https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/) and various other sources:

Despite a few national governments continuing to keep their coal and oil projects afloat, market demand and private entrepreneurship is driving what can only be described as a revolution in renewable energy.

These latest achievements were basically unbelievable when global climate change was first being discussed as a serious threat. But today, each successive development of renewable energy generation, clean heating & cooling, and electric cars, makes new achievements cheaper and easier to scale.

Solar for the Developing World

A half-million people living in 3 of the Northern Congo cities are going to be supplied with reliable renewable energy by a trio of United Kingdom, French, and Spanish solar power companies.

Citizens from that region suffer from the lowest rates of reliable electricity in the world. The solar power plants with battery storage will now resolve this problem.

In West Africa, 2 Senegalese cities will find 60MW of solar power available to them in the coming months as a variety of institutions offer government financing for sustainable energy. Senegal is a heavy net energy-importer, placing enormous financial burdens on people for the importatino of coal and oil.

In Nigeria, one of Africa's largest economies, the Solar Power Naija program will equip 500,000 homes with solar panels, generating electricity for 25 million Nigerians.

Solar on Demand – the least expensive energy source on the planet

The United States National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) reports that solar and storage costs have fallen dramatically over the past decade. The price of residential solar was reported down from $7.53/W in 2010 to $2.65/W in 2021,; utility-scale solar was $5.66/W a decade ago to $0.89/W today.

That was driven in large part by higher module efficiency and lower module cost.

The combination of low-cost solar farms and lithium-ion batteries has produced a dynamic new hybrid resource capable of providing energy from the sun after dark and reshaping America's power mix in the 2020s. The spread of these hybrid facilities has been fueled largely by plummeting solar-plus-storage prices, which have begun undercutting conventional fossil-fueled generation.

Levelized solar energy prices - Adjusted for inflation over the estimated 30-year lives of the projects - are in the 2 to 3 cents per kwh range, according to a recent report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Just a few years ago, solar-plus-storage prices were more than triple today's going rates.

Today, solar and battery storage provide the lowest cost energy on the planet. Last year, 3/4s of all new electric generation capacity in the world was built with solar.

The windiest on record

2021 was the single best year on record for wind turbine manufacturers with 93 new gigawatts (BILLION watts) being added—a 53% increase since 2020. The 2021 Global Wind Report summary states:

"Through technology innovations and economies of scale, the global wind power market has nearly quadrupled in size over the past decade and established itself as one of the most cost-competitive and resilient power sources across the world."

"Today, there is now 743 GW of wind power capacity worldwide, helping to avoid over 1.1 billion tons of CO2 globally—equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of South America."

HOT ELECTRIC CARS

Data assembled back in March from Germany's largest automotive industry review produced a startling statistic - 1 in 5 cars made in Germany can be plugged in.

The Schmidt Automotive Research Center found that 74,000 of the 374,000 cars that left German assembly lines were either electric or hybrid electric vehicles.

On the demand side, things are just as rosy. Germany is the fourth largest auto market in the world, and electric car registrations grew from a 4% national market share in December 2019, to a whopping 26% market share just 12 months later.

This is just in the background of a global surge in EV purchasing that climbed 40% during 2020, when most markets were suffering from COVID-related issues.

Bloomberg New Energy Fund "expects that EVs will make up 20-30% of sales in the United States, European Union and China by 2025, based on "proposed and confirmed rules" in those markets. President Joe Biden has set a goal for half of new passenger vehicle sales in the United States to be electric vehicles by 2030. And New York and others have banned the sale of gas cars by 2035.

2021 is estimated to be "yet another record year for EV sales globally," with 5.6 million sold. That is 83% higher than 2020 and a 168% increase over 2019 sales.

And global momentum towards zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) has "accelerated significantly," Bloomberg said. EVs will "capture a higher share of passenger vehicle sales, sooner than previously expected."

The green new pension

Since its green shoots 50 years ago, acceptance of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) considerations in institutional investing – especially at pension funds – has evolved with distinct shifts in investor preferences.

As the holders of the largest state-controlled pension fund on Earth, the South Korean monetary authorities released a statement in May that the $771 billion National Pension Fund will cease all investments related to coal power both at home and abroad.

The fund also announced that they would revamp guidelines for investment strategies to ensure a more sustainable pattern emerges in the future.

Worldwide, ESG (Environmental Social & Governance) assets surpassed $35 trillion in 2020 - up from $30.6 trillion in 2018 and $22.8 trillion in 2016 reaching a third of current total global assets under management, according to the Global Sustainable Investment Association.

ExxonMobil – long known for its anti-climate change positions - used to have bragging rights as the world's most valuable public company with $500 Billion of market valuation. Now, America's largest oil company is in steady decline. It's been kicked out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and has less than half of its peak market value.

Adios, coal: Spain hits 50% renewable milestone

Back in mid-May, the Spanish legislature announced it would be phasing out all oil, coal, and gas production by 2042, and that all carbon-emitting vehicle sales would be banned by 2040.

In the short term, the Spanish lawmakers want 74% of the national energy consumption to be entirely renewable by the end of the decade. They are quite close to that goal already, as the month of May saw 50% of the nation's energy demand fulfilled by green energy.

Romania also joined the effort, alerting the EU that through its National Recovery and Resilience Plan the country would cease all coal production by 2032, at which time it plans to have installed 34% renewable electricity to take over the baton.

G7, the world's seven largest developed economies, all agreed to stop coal financing by the end of the year. Now that Japan is also on board, that leaves the African, India, and China as the last remaining holdouts.

In the US, 22 states now have carbon-free energy goals:

Arizona

100% carbon-free electricity by 2070

Adopted by order of the Arizona Commerce Commission in May 2021, extending and expanding the existing state RPS. Docket number RU-00000A-18-0284.

California

100% carbon-free electricity by 2045

2018 legislation (SB 100) extended and expanded the existing state RPS. State agencies are required to submit implementation plans by January 1, 2021. Also in 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown's Executive Order B-55-18 set a goal of statewide carbon neutrality by no later than 2045, with net negative GHG emissions thereafter.

Colorado

100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 for Xcel Energy

A 2019 law (SB 19-236) codified a pledge previously made by Xcel, whose service territory covers approximately 60% of the state's load. It is mandatory "so long as it is technically and economically feasible."

Connecticut

100% carbon-free electricity by 2040

Governor Ned Lamont's 2019 Executive Order (Number 3) set a 2040 goal for carbon-free electricity and asked the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to develop a decarbonization plan for the power sector, in line with previous legislation to cut economy-wide carbon emissions by 80% below 2001 levels by 2050.

District of Columbia

100% renewable energy by 2032 through the RPS

The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 (DC Act 22-583) amended the existing RPS to mandate 100% renewable electricity by the year 2032.

Hawaii

100% renewable energy by 2045 through the RPS

2015 legislation (HB623) made Hawaii the first state to set a 100% RPS for the electricity sector.

Illinois

100% clean energy by 2050

2021 legislation (SB2408) established a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, with interim targets of 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.

Louisiana

Net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

Governor John Bel Edwards' 2020 Executive Order (JBE 2020-18) established a Climate Initiatives Task Force to develop a roadmap and make recommendations.

Maine

100% clean energy by 2050

2019 legislation (LD 1494) increased Maine's RPS to 80% by 2030, and set a goal of 100% by 2050. Also LD1679 sets an economy-wide goal of 80% cuts to greenhouse gases by 2050.

Massachusetts

Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

In 2020, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs set a 2050 net-zero GHG emissions goal under the authority of 2008 legislation. The same goal was then included in a March 2021 climate action law (Bill S.9). A decarbonization roadmap was released at the end of 2020.

Michigan

Economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050

Governor Gretchen Whitmer's order in 2020 (Executive Directive 2020-10) set a goal "to achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality no later than 2050." It directed the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to develop a plan by the end of 2021.

Nebraska

Net-zero carbon emissions from generation resources by 2050 for Nebraska Public Power District and Omaha Public Power District; 2040 for Lincoln Electric System

Nebraska is the only state served solely by publicly owned utilities. As of December 2021, the three public utilities that serve the vast majority of customers have all adopted 100% clean energy goals.

Nevada

100% carbon-free electricity by 2050

2019 legislation (SB 358) raised the RPS to 50% by 2030, and set a goal of a net-zero emission power sector by 2050.

New Jersey

100% carbon-free electricity by 2050

Governor Phil Murphy's Executive Order 28 in 2018 set a carbon free goal for the power sector and directed the BPU to develop an Energy Master Plan, which was released in 2020.

New Mexico

100% carbon-free electricity by 2045

2019 legislation (SB 489) requires a zero-carbon power supply by 2050, with at least 80% from renewables.

New York

100% carbon-free electricity by 2040

2019 legislation (S6599) requires zero-emissions electricity by 2040 and sets a goal of cutting all state GHGs 85% by 2050. A Climate Action Council will develop a plan.

North Carolina

Carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2050

2021 legislation (HB 951) requires the North Carolina Utilities Commission to "take all reasonable steps" to achieve a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions from electric generating facilities in the state by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

Oregon

Greenhouse gas emissions reduced 100 percent below baseline emissions by 2040

2021 legislation (HB 2021) requires investor-owned utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity they sell to 80 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2030, 90 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2035, and 100 percent below baseline emissions levels by 2040.

Puerto Rico

100% renewable energy for electricity by 2050

2019 legislation (SB1121), the Public Energy Policy Law of Puerto Rico, set a timeline for reaching 100% renewable electricity by the year 2050.

Rhode Island

100% renewable energy electricity by 2030

Governor Gina Raimondo's 2020 Executive Order (20-01) requires the Office of Energy Resources to "conduct economic and energy market analysis and develop viable policy and programmatic pathways" to meet 100% of statewide electricity deliveries with renewables by 2030.

Virginia

100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 for Dominion Energy and 2050 for Appalachian Power Company

The 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act (House Bill 1526 and Senate Bill 851) requires zero-carbon utilities by 2050 at the latest.

Washington

100% zero-emissions electricity by 2045

2019's Clean Energy Transformation Act (SB5116) applies to all utilities. The state Commerce Department started a rulemaking process in August 2019. Utilities must file implementation plans by January 2022.

Wisconsin

100% carbon-free electricity by 2050

Governor Tony Evers' Executive Order (EO38) in 2019 directed a new Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy to "achieve a goal" of all carbon-free power by 2050.

Natural Gas Moratoriums & Heat Pumps Dozens of cities, including San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose in California; Cambridge, Mass.; and Seattle, Oregon have moved to ban natural gas hook ups in new buildings as a way to combat climate change. In Westchester NY, there has been a moratorium on new natural gas hookups since 2018. And on December 15th, 2021 - New York City banned natural gas hookups for new buildings starting in 2027. Previously, Geothermal or ground source heat pumps were growing at a rate of 7% per year. Since geothermal is the most efficient form of heating and cooling – with 500% efficiencies from using the stored heat in the ground beneath our feet – it is expected that the growth in both air and ground source heat pumps will soon reach double digits.

Green oil

All is not business-as-usual in the boardrooms of some of the world's largest petroleum producers.

In a landmark court decision, a judge in the Netherlands ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut emissions by 45% after 17,000 people brought a lawsuit that Shell's large greenhouse gas footprint merits a significant investment in CO2-slashing as a debt to society.

Elsewhere in Europe, the Italian oil company Eni became the first European oil company to launch a corporate bond that is linked to sustainability.

The €1 billion 7-year bond is linked to two key performance indicators: "Increasing renewable installed capacity to 5GW by the end of 2025; and cutting the net carbon footprint of its upstream business by 50% by 2024,"

Lastly, Engine No.1, a shareholder group of ExxonMobil, managed to get two of their candidates elected to the American company's board on the argument that the company's long-term business strategy didn't take into account all of the value loss potential from climate change, both from shareholders jumping ship, and potential damages from extreme weather events.

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager with $8.6 trillion in private capital, ensured the Engine No.1 candidates got the positions by utilizing their vote as large shareholders.

100% Clean Energy

On April 29th, 2021 over 29 million people in California got 95% of their power from renewable energy— and were contributing virtually nothing towards climate change as far as their electricity needs were concerned.

California follows another major population center, South Australia, which recently fulfilled 100% demand with renewables.

"It sends chills down my spine. It's amazing," said Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state's main power grid. "These types of transitions aren't always pretty. But we're getting a lot of renewable generation online, making a real dent in the state's carbon emissions,"

Mainzer recently urged the state to construct another 10,000 megawatts of renewables, an equivalent of one-eighth of the entire state baseload power, in order to cover the gaps in the grid.

Covering gaps in renewables is important for two reasons. The first is that electricity is the only resource that must be consumed as soon as it's produced. That means projections of demand must always be just about perfect.

The second reason is that renewables most often have no form of storage, and the electricity they generate goes into the grid immediately upon production.

To help navigate around these natural flaws in renewable energy, California has been a key leader in coordinating with other states in the west to share surplus power across state lines, creating a more robust grid, removing more need for fossil fuels, and taking advantage of other states' resources.

For example, California is much sunnier than Wyoming, but Wyoming has the most consistent wind power of any state. Utility companies in each place can exchange their baseload power with the strengths of the other and reduce fossil fuel input and increase grid stability.

This is the best method for protecting against blackouts and drops in supply due to changing weather until cost-effective and scalable storage technology become widely implemented.

A Clean Economy = Healthier Communities

Scientists at UC Berkeley are hailing the state's diesel engine standards for drastically dropping the amount of diesel particulate matter in the air, and reducing the cardiopulmonary deaths attributable to poor air quality.

If you never saw the pictures of the city of Los Angeles before the Clean Air Act, they look like something out of the movie Escape from L.A. But encouraging shifts away from high-sulfur fuels, and replacing diesel ships with electric ones, has gradually scaled the horror show back.

"Our analysis of mobile source DPM (diesel particulate matter) emissions suggests that many California sector-based policies have been highly effective," write the authors of the paper published in Science.

They found that from 1990 to 2014, the amount of DPM in the California skies fell by 78%, while cardiopulmonary and cancer deaths linked to diesel pollution dropped by 82%.

These are just some of the many positive actions that have been happening around the country and globe.

Obviously, there still much to be concerned about.

As I record this podcast, I have one son in Boulder Colorado whose former home community was destroyed by the recent wildfires. Only 1 mile away from his current home, 100 mph winds created a blast furnace of destruction for thousands of homes.

Thankfully, the massive snowfall has now contained that catastrophe. But my other son and his family were pummeled by 11 feet of snow on the way to their holiday vacation in Lake Tahoe.

Don't Look Up

If you haven't seen the new comedy film "Don't Look Up" – it's worth watching. While the insanity of ignoring science is pretty funny – the reality is that we can't allow ourselves to continue to be distracted by day-to-day petty politics and our ridiculous obsession with social media.

We all need to join together, find a way to overcome our differences, and remember that our children's future is the one overriding priority that we all share.

Creating a sustainable planet is a huge task. But as the recently deceased Desmond Tutu once wisely said: "there is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time."

Figure out how to take your bite – and let's all keep moving forward, one small bite at a time…

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Has your workplace conducted a Greenhouse Gas Inventory? Is there a clean energy plan to achieve sustainability goals?

Schedule an initial FREE Consultation with EarthKind Energy Consulting to discuss how your workplace can save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Contact us at www.EarthKindEnergy.com

• [email protected]
• P: 845-266-3723

Wherever you are on your clean energy journey – we're here to help you take your next step.

Please let us know what you need by going to AWESome EarthKind dot com and clicking on "Tell Us".

When you fill out the online survey, you'll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture worth $150.

Or… call just us at 845-266-3723

Quantum Quote: "I've got a peaceful, easy feeling…" – The Eagles

Did you know that - if you rent, or can't install solar panels at home for whatever reason - there is now a way for you to still gain the environmental benefits of solar - and save yourself 10% on your electric bill?

Do you know that with community solar, you can now enjoy the benefits of living a solar life - without actually having solar equipment in your house?

Community solar is a way for everyone to participate and enjoy a solar experience and save money on your bill, just through the simple act of subscribing!

With no cancellation penalties or fees, Central Hudson's customers can now participate in a community solar program that provides a positive environmental benefit and saves you $100 - $150 per year,

With the Ampion/ClearPoint Community Solar subscription, there's no need to build your own solar system.

Sign up and in just 30 days, you will witness community solar credits reduce your utility bill.

By paying 10% less on our electricity bills - just by signing a piece of paper, community solar is giving everyone the opportunity to help create momentum towards sustaining the planet and the 8 billion humans alive today - and the future for our children & all the generations to come.

Learn more and join us: Simply click this link: https://ampion.net/clearpoint. Please check "Yes" when asked if there is an agent or salesperson helping you and type in "Earthkind".

Angelo Chambrone leads Clear Point Energy, an energy consulting firm based in Syracuse, New York. He has over thirty (30) years of energy sector experience. His firm provides strategic and technical consulting services to retail energy suppliers, consumers, commercial enterprises, and institutional customers on a national basis. His firm's specialty is renewable energy, electricity, and natural gas.

Sign up for a free webclass to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)
• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch
• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system
• and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special web series that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

We'd like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you'll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture:

SEND YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY

SuperNova #1. Regardless of the situation that you're dealing with, whether it's consumer or commercial driven, bring some value to the table – information that they haven't heard before. Find that and bring that to the table. The last thing someone needs is someone coming, calling them, and talking to them about the same things that everyone else is.

SuperNova #2. Renewable energy is a win-win for everybody. It is good and helps the environment; it's a natural progression and evolution of our technology. At the same time, it helps people and companies save money..

SuperNova #3. There isn't enough capacity for everyone to participate at the moment.

If you have a chance to participate, it's good to jump on it because of the fact that it's limited. When you have an opportunity - grab it.

Aha Moment: "We've had aha moments with some of our very large clients. We've shown them how to use community solar as an overall hedge against rising prices. You really need to understand the strategy to use community solar, to not think in boxes. It's one thing to do community solar because it'll save money, but it's important to consider the overall picture of how it all fits together. While this can be complex, once the customer understands that, that's kind of an aha moment that I'm not sure even homeowners realize like when we talked about the savings. Community solar is a natural protector against rising prices, because the higher the prices rise, the more credits you get." – Angelo Chambrone

Best Advice He's Ever Received: "I had a boss mentor. He said, when you're contemplating a decision that you're about to make or something you're going to participate in, think about if you read it in the newspaper, would you be pleased or would you be disappointed? And if the answer is pleased, then it's probably a good decision. And the reverse is true, obviously. That's a really practical way to think about lots of things in life. Would you want to read about it in the newspaper? Would you be proud? If so, it's probably a good thing. If not, you might want to stay away from it." – Angelo Chambrone

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "I'm a closet musician, a guitar player, because I don't play professionally. I take some time in my day, even if it's a couple of hours, to go play. It clears my mind, gets me back into life, whether it's supporting family or career stuff. Whatever that is for someone else – whether it's meditating for a while or going for a quick walk, I think you really got to cleanse your brain a little." – Angelo Chambrone

Internet Resource: NYSERDA Clean Energy Standard; NYSERDA New York Sun Initiative

Magic Wand: "I would ask everyone in the world to just take a minute and listen to the person they're talking to before passing any kind of judgments. Far too many times, people just don't give that a chance. It doesn't matter what your political views are. Just be civil to each other." – Angelo Chambrone

Most Energized About Today: "The sunshine! In Central New York, we get so very little of it. Today it's just an unbelievable blue sky. I'm really excited when I can do something outside." – Angelo Chambrone

Next Step: "Get more developers on board to spread the word in more utility territories in New York and other states, and find easier and easier ways to bring the parties together, to bring the consumers – so they have a good experience – and the developers together. That's what's next fo me" – Angelo Chambrone

Parting Advice: "It's always important to listen and be transparent." – Angelo Chambrone

Connect:

• Website: https://www.clearpointenergy.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://ampion.net/clearpoint Write "EarthKind" when asked who referred you.
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelo-chambrone-49216715

Heating and cooling concerns about 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions. With the convergence of advanced clean energy technologies, the chance of being fossil fuel free now appears!

In New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, more commonly known as the Climate Act, the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals have been turned into law. Did you know that it not only aims to achieve 40% reduction by 2030 and 85% by 2050, but also envisions giving 35% of all benefits to communities that have been most disadvantaged by climate pollution?

We have been successfully moving towards our 2025 goals, and now, through NYS Clean Heat, we can take another step forward with heat pumps!

The entire world is heading down this road. Why not do it today and be ahead of the game? Anyone who gets into this program now is on the cutting edge, ahead of everyone else. With numerous incentives, this is undoubtedly what contractors (existing or new) need to grow in the geothermal space.

Check this episode as we engage in a conversation with people who can help you increase your profit, lower your competition, and make a positive impact with geothermal installations!

Featured Speakers:

Wendy MacPherson is the Assistant Director of Clean Heating and Cooling for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Wendy leads New York State's efforts to develop markets that support renewable, high-efficiency, and clean thermal systems, including air-source, ground-source and water-source heat pumps. She is charged with conceptualizing & driving strategies to advance building electrification within New York State.

Steve Coulter is the Clean Heat Program Manager at Con Edison. In coordination with the statewide New York State Clean Heat Program, Steve implements Con Edison's heat pump incentive offerings - helping utility customers save energy and money with clean heating and cooling. Steve recently worked with Con Edison's Non-Wires Solutions team where he developed customer-sided solutions to reduce electric peak demand on constrained areas of the distribution grid as alternatives to traditional utility capital projects. Prior to his work at Con Edison, Steve has been passionately engaged in a range of clean energy initiatives in previous roles at Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Business Council Institute.

Mike Seidenberg is the Owner of Eco Energy in Rochester, New York. 14 years ago, Mike left his job as a Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning technician to start his own HVAC company and specialize in geothermal heat pumps.

Maggie Seidenberg is a BPI Building Analyst & Owner of Energyvana LLC. Growing up around the HVAC industry under the wing of her Dad, Maggie was never a stranger to the changing tides of energy efficiency. After intending to study Biochemistry as a possible energy source, she saw that the very root of energy efficiency lies within the user. Her goal and success is helping New York State homeowners make a lasting impact that promotes a greener future – and a greener pocket!

Moderator:

Ron Kamen is the CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting in Rhinebeck, New York. For decades, he's been catalyzing exponential change in sustainable energy adoption with governments, non-profits, and businesses through his expertise in the field. Ron hosts the AWESome EarthKind podcast and helps empower people to make clean energy transitions to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.

In this episode, Wendy, Steve, Mike, and Maggie join forces as they talk about the process on how a contractor can achieve greater success by becoming a Geothermal HVAC Contractor. Here, they discuss the Climate Act, the NYS Clean Heat Program Incentives, and answers questions with regards to geothermal installations and its benefit to you and the earth.

Valuable Resource:

• Please read Section 4 of the the NYS Clean Heat Program Manual to learn about the Participating Contractor requirements and how to enroll.
• Visit the NYS Clean Heat Contractor Enrollment Page for more information and application documents: https://saveenergy.ny.gov/NYScleanheat/become-participating-contractor/
• Call (844) 212-7823 for enrollment related inquiries.

Topics Covered:

03:14 – Ron introduces himself and this web class' speakers: Wendy MacPherson, Steve Coulter, Mike Seidenberg, and Maggie Seidenberg.

08:40 – Wendy discusses New York State's climate goals. Here, she highlights the Climate Act and the NYS Clean Heat alongside the reason behind the need to focus on heating and cooling.

14:59 – Steve starts by introducing himself then proceeds to talk about the NYS Clean Heat Program Incentives, the opportunities, and the how-to's of enrollment.

26:50 – Father and daughter Mike and Maggie talk about their company and how their process keeps clients motivated in this transitioning movement towards a clean and green space.

31:24 – Maggie explains how helpful the manual is in seeing and understanding what your house actually needs. Moreover, they discuss the advantage they put forward as they help train customers into effectively knowing how to approach their own geothermal space.

36:19 – What are the certifications contractors need to plan about and have in order to be able to roll a product? Are there any upstate opportunities when you do the geothermal cycle?

39:37 – Mike shares what they do with hot water then proceeds to talk about the equipments geothermal installers need to make their practice successful.

42:40 – How long does it take for them to close a deal and finish the installation process? What is the difference between geothermal and air source heat pumps? What are the benefits?

45:36 – Are there any additional license requirements imposed by the State? What are the challenges in insurance? What are the terms of warranties? Are there maintenance contracts?

49:41 – Steve mentions the biggest incentive out there as people transition more into heat pump water heaters. Wendy talks about the best way to have that state support in trainings and the participation process a contractor needs to go through in order to apply.

54:28 – Contractors are too busy with traditional business. They cannot expand their business with this limited work force. How could this be accomplished?

56:14 – As we continue transitioning, we'll later on need to change codes. What is Wendy's take on this?

58:40 – A quick summarization of the speakers' stated points in today's web class.

Valuable SuperNovas:

"There is no way New York State is going to meet these decarbonization goals with the current workforce installing heat pumps at the current pace. We need public and private sectors working together to drive this significant change. We need you to install heat pumps. We need you to be a part of the electrification revolution." – Wendy MacPherson

"How do I become a successful geothermal contractor? Become a NYS Clean Heat Participating Contractor." – Steve Coulter

"It is a good environment to sell on because you're showing them that you care not only about their project but [also] their home, their comfort, everything that makes it up. It's like a full body investment in a house." – Maggie Seidenberg

"I'm pessimistic. I believe that everything is going to break someday, so it's nice to have two sources of heat, which makes the customers happy when it does break." – Mike Seidenberg

"There is nothing that is more important right now than building electrification." – Wendy MacPherson

Connect:

• Wendy MacPherson: [email protected]
• Steve Coulter: [email protected]
• Mike Seidenberg: [email protected]
• Maggie Seidenberg: [email protected]
• Ron Kamen: [email protected]

Quantum Quote: "We are running the most dangerous experiment in history right now, which is to see how much carbon dioxide the atmosphere can handle before there is an environmental catastrophe." – Elon Musk

As we get more individually committed to making our homes and this planet a healthier and more sustainable place to live in, slowly, we're starting to make the transition that we need in the first quarters of 2021.

Over 88% of all new electricity generation in the United States came from the construction of new solar, wind, and other renewable energy power plants. That 88% is because clean energy technologies tap into the forces of nature, and now provide the lowest total cost of ownership!

However, as we continue to pursue the positive impact we've been making these past few months, we also have to realize that despite everything, our efforts are just not enough.

Did you know that according to scientists' calculations, the amount of greenhouse gases we've got in the environment now has the same impact every day as though we're exploding 500,000 nuclear weapons every day, 365 days a year? That's how much energy is being captured in the atmosphere from the greenhouse gases we've all created!

There's no room for failure. We need to increase our impact now.

There are people and companies who are getting better at their game of greenwashing. We don't want to spend our hard-earned money on products that aren't actually produced in a sustainable manner.

Join us as we interview Emily Eckert, the CEO of GoViably.

Emily Eckert is a woman with a vision. With a degree in Global Economies, Human Rights, and the Environment, she was made to lead GoViably.com. As the Founder and CEO, Emily brings a lifetime of environmental passion and commitment to the role. She also brings empathy, sensitivity, determination, and authenticity – traits born from her experiences as an adoptee, woman, and person of colour. The obstacles she has overcome have equipped her to face challenges and thrive. She became the leader of a company poised to transform business in ways that will help save this planet.

Sign up for a free webclass to discover how easy is it to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)

• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch

• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system

and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

We'd like to hear from you! Please help us understand how AWESomeEarthKind can help you achieve your clean energy goals – and you'll automatically be entered into a Sweepstakes for a Free LED Light Fixture:

SEND YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY

SuperNova #1. There is a lot of rebates and incentives that are out there to help both businesses and residential customers, and I don't think they're looking at them. More utilities are getting on that bandwagon. More utilities might be having some requirement to offer something like that. So if your heating system dies at home, reach out and find out if your utility has any support.

SuperNova #2. We need to have more conversations about this. It's in the news all the time, but there's no comparison to having a genuine conversation with somebody that you know and learning about their perspective and sharing yours and saying how you can support each other. We've reached this point where there's a lot of independent living and thinking, but in the end, we're one society and one planet – our home. We're all in this planet together. Let's work altogether and support each other. Instead of saying "shame on you for not doing this or that", we need to say "I understand that that's how you've been taught, but have you ever thought about these ideas?" Giving suggestions and general conversations are really important.

SuperNova #3. Every one of us has an impact. It's up to us whether that impact is negative or positive. Oftentimes, we don't think about the impacts that we don't see. Let's think beyond what we can see even though it seems like our decisions and actions don't make a difference; they really do, because people are observing what we're doing all the time. They may not tell us and we may not know, but just when you don't think somebody's paying attention, somebody's paying attention. Whether it's friends, family, co-workers, they don't need to say they're paying attention, but they're seeing your actions – they're seeing what you're doing.

Aha Moment: "I was about 17 years old. At the time, I lived in Mystic Connecticut and I worked in an aquarium as an exhibit educator. Although I'm not a huge fan of those types of institutions now, for me, it made a positive impact education-wise. I remember, as an exhibit educator, I would have my preset spiel about whatever animal that I was talking about to the visitors, and then this particular day, I was talking about the beluga whales. We have three beluga whales there. I remember finishing that spiel and then thinking to myself, so I'm standing here talking about the conservation of animals, but then I go home and I eat them. And that was my light bulb moment. If I love animals so much, why am I eating them? And after that, I started doing more research about the industry in general, which then also sparked research about climate change and carbon and off I went from there." – Emily Eckert

Best Advice She's Ever Received: "Keep smiling." – Emily Eckert

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "Routines. I have a nightly routine because sleep is really important to me. I like to be clear headed and I'm not if I don't get enough sleep. So sleep and a nightly routine is a habit that I believe keeps me going." – Emily Eckert

Internet Resource: National Geographic

Book Recommendation: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Magic Wand: "Less fear. There's a connection between the lack of cooperation and fear. The more fearful people are, the less likely they are to cooperate. And so if we have less fear and more love, I think that we would cooperate together and drive these solutions and these actions together more." – Emily Eckert

WTF or F: "I'll pick the first one, although I did not personally experience it at the time, but I experienced the after effects. My dad lives in Massachusetts, and this must have been about 10 years ago. They had a tornado go through their town. Luckily, my father lived on the outside of town when the tornado went right through the town, and at one point, my boyfriend and I went to help volunteer to clean up some of the homes because there were some homes that were just levelled and I had never experienced seeing that devastation firsthand until that point. I didn't even have words to describe it. There was one woman that came in – we were going to help start clearing out the debris – and she didn't want us to touch anything. This was within a few days of it happening. So you could still see and it was palpable that she was still in shock. There was still a lack of full grasp of what had happened and just not even wanting anything to be touched because she's still processing what's happened. And we're seeing – we as in the world – is seeing more extreme weather patterns these days. Saw hurricanes and tornadoes. We still see in specific pockets, but we see them more often. There's more often than I will see a tornado warning in the New England area. But still, that devastation is, I mean a flood can cause that same devastation where you just can't rebuild the house that you already had there. You need to start completely from scratch. You can't renovate it. So to me, that was my experience of this is what nature is really capable of." – Emily Eckert

Most Energized About Today: "I'm most energized that it was actually sunny. We're in November and it's sunny and beautiful." – Emily Eckert

Next Step: "We're continuing to create a scoring system for our sustainability certification. But actually, what's very exciting and I'd like to share it today is that we are going to be posting a one-day sustainability event – The Viable Future Event – on March 3, which is a Thursday and it will be a virtual event, but the goal there will be that every attendee or participant will walk away with concrete action steps. So we have talking about getting away from green washing and showing that transparency and helping people realize what tools and resources are out there. I invite everybody to keep an eye on our website https://www.goviably.com and we will be announcing more about the events. But I'm very excited because I want to make it a fun, engaging event. I know people are tired of these Zoom workshops where somebody talks at them for an hour, so we're going to strategize and make it much more engaging instead of having the speakers talk for 60 minutes while everybody else is off their videos and sleeping." – Emily Eckert

Parting Advice: "Don't be afraid to try something new. Instead, be grateful that we actually live in a time where most of us – at least in our country – have the ability to try something new and have something new to even try in the first place." – Emily Eckert

Connect:

• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goviably/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goviably/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoViably

People are continuously working to help sustain this planet's life, and it is indeed great to have dialogues where concerns are shared and solutions are created and promoted.

Sadly, because some countries (especially the US) withdrew their commitments after pledging critically needed action, the climate movement – especially the Build Back Better Act – is moving slow...

We have all the evidence we need to take action. What's stopping you from standing up and moving forward?

We can't just wait and see what happens. We have to monitor and discuss what's happening right now!

There is nothing we can't do if we put our souls and minds into it.

COP26 is this year's crucial UN Climate Change Conference, which was hosted by the UK in Glasgow, Scotland, from 31 October until 12 November. The talks were organised under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty agreed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 in order to tackle global warming and deal with its effects. It came into force in 1994.

COP stands for "conference of the parties", and is a summit where the 197 signatories to the UNFCCC – 196 countries and the EU – come together to make decisions on how to implement the treaty. This is the first COP since COP25, held in Madrid in 2019. The 26th UNFCCC conference, COP26 was originally due to take place in November 2020, but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Featured E2 Panelist:

Chris Bentley is Clean Energy Activist, CEO of Good Energy Guild in Louisville, Colorado. Marilyn Waite is the Climate and Clean Energy Finance Program Officer of the Hewlett Foundation in France, formerly in California. Laura Berland-Shane is the Vice President of Blue Planet Systems in Santa Monica, California.

Moderator:

Ron Kamen is the CEO of EarthKind Energy Consulting in Rhinebeck, New York.

In this episode, Chris, Marilyn, and Laura engage in a discussion with regards to what has been happening in the movement towards saving the Earth. Here, they answer questions from the webinar attendees which concern what we can do next in order to save the planet and its people from complete destruction.

The most immediate climate issue that's on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act – the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet – and even exceed – our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue.

Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com (https://coderedcongress.com/)

Topics Covered:

01:57 – Webinar speakers introduce themselves before proceeding to shortly talk about what they do in relation to clean energy

04:35 – E2 members' perspectives on the current situation of the Earth in Glasgow – the good happenings, what drives those events, and also the things that hinder further progress

14:33 – Laura, Marilyn, and Chris share their sentiments about having people calling out the 'elites' in the middle of this crisis, alongside the things we need to do in order to be able to move and take a step forward

21:04 – Is anybody talking about annual CO2 reduction emissions that can be tracked by the country as progress goes?

26:10 – Can the private sector and companies like IKEA and others in combination scale their efforts to have a meaningful fraction of what the nations need to do but are failing to do?

32:40 – Do you think the ESG community is making a significant impact in making things change?

36:08 – Are the attendees connected to fossil fuel interest? Is there any transparency on that front?

38:46 – Are the speakers aware of other trade associations that are also setting carbon reduction targets?

41:47 – Is there talk about the importance of the Build Back Better Act in the congress for the US to show commitment to the climate change action? Are other countries questioning the USA's commitment because of the congress being slow to pass this package?

45:11 – Is the philanthropic sector shifting away in regards to investments for the climate or are they more committed than ever?

48:27 – Does everyone have to buy carbon offsets to fly to the conference?

52:02 – A youth's perspective on everything that's going on in this movement.

54:34 – Where, when and how is environmental justice in equity integrated into the pledges with real solutions that will have equitable outcomes in climate justice for everybody?

56:33 – One major positive thing that can come out of this and what we should do next

Valuable SuperNovas:

"I think we need two things going forward. One is no more fossil fuel badges, and [two] we need to make sure that every delegation – especially of the rich countries – has a youth delegate." – Marilyn Waite

"If we're going to continue having these international dialogues – I suppose are all about action – then we do need to see some really big changes in how this is done, who's at the table, whose voices are actually heard, because being just on the outside doesn't work." – Marilyn Waite

"The youth can step out further and louder." – Chris Bentley

"Only think about the next five years. What do you want to do for the next five years? Because five years from now, it's going to be completely different – new technologies, new opportunities. Where can you have the most impact?" – Chris Bentley

"We need everyone to be engaged and take action. There isn't anyone that cannot do anything." – Marilyn Waite

"We've got to really monitor this by the minute. We can't just sit around and get back together in five years and see how we've progressed." – Laura Berland-Shane

Connect with E2:

• Website: www.e2.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/e2.org
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/e2org

Quantum Quote:

"Take advantage of clean energy incentives today – or pay climate penalties in the near future".

We have reached the tipping point.

Humanity's Greenhouse gas emissions are fueling extreme weather events that are becoming more intense, costly, deadly, and frequent.

Did you know that our greenhouse gas emissions are trapping the same amount of energy in our atmosphere as 500,000 nuclear explosions EVERY day, 365 days a year?

In 2019, the U.S. saw an average of one $1 Billion extreme weather catastrophe every month. In 2020 – Billion Dollar weather events increased to an average of 2 a month! And in 2021, Ida became the 5th most costly hurricane in US history, causing over $60 Billion of economic impact.

In Glasgow, Scotland, virtually every country in the world is participating in the "Conference of the Parties," or COP. Their mission is to create and enforce goals that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and stabilize our climate.

Did you know that in 2019 New York State passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA? Right now, there is $5 Billion of incentives to move everyone to clean electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation. But soon the cash incentives will be followed by changes in building codes and then penalties for not achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals. Starting in 2024 in New York City, any building owner with more than 25,000 square feet of space that does not meet the goals will start paying penalties of ~50c per sqft Per Year – and those penalties will increase.

The time is NOW to move to clean energy. Take advantage of the cash and tax incentives today – or pay the price in penalties tomorrow.

And - if you want to create MORE real change TODAY – pick up the phone and multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com.

Last week, Congress passed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill to rebuild the nation's deteriorating roads, bridges, and water supplies. This is the largest federal investment into infrastructure projects in more than a decade, touching nearly every facet of the American economy, and includes funding for the modernization of the nation's power grid and broadband.

In the Senate, the 69 to 30 vote was uncommonly bipartisan. But in the House – partisan bickering again nearly put self-interest ahead of the national good. Now the Build Back Better bill – which would fund the largest climate action in history and help ensure the very survival of everyone on the planet – is at risk.

The best part of the Build Back Better bill in Congress is not only that it creates millions of jobs and a stronger and healthier clean energy economy & environment - But it will be paid for by taking back just part of the $7 Trillion in Tax breaks that the last administration gave their billionaire friends.

Today's podcast is being sponsored by the Power of the Earth with Comfort by ClimateMaster. ClimateMaster is a 50-year-old United States manufacturer of Geothermal Heating, Cooling & Hot Water systems.

Heating and cooling is responsible for over one-third of our greenhouse gases, and is the majority energy cost in our homes and other buildings. if you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and download one of the FREE special web events that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

• EarthKind Energy Consulting: https://earthkindenergy.com/
• Ron's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronkamen/
• New York Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA): https://climate.ny.gov/
• Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2): www.e2.org
• Build Back Better Bill: https://e2.org/buildbackbetter/

Quantum Quote:

"If you can't love yourself, how the hell are you going to love anyone else?" – Ru Paul

Isn't it a bit ironic that we – human beings – don't really prefer plastic jewelry and other "fake" possessions - but it's been years and we're still living with plastics?

Don't we know that plastics are all fake? That's why it's such an insult when someone is called "plastic".

The most easily seen environmental issue on this planet is the continuous use of plastics. Virtually all plastics come from fossil fuels, and end up in landfills, or in the oceans and everywhere else…

We all have the power to choose what we bring inside our homes. And there are a lot of ways to recycle plastics into something more sustainable - for both our lives, and the planet's.

Before you buy any product, ask yourself: What is it made of? Who made it? How long are you going to use it? What are you going to do once it comes to the end of its life?

Considering these things whenever we purchase products might sound exhausting, but in reality, aside from saving money, it also takes us a step closer towards sustaining life on Earth.

Listen to this episode with Andrea Fox and check the Age of Plastic Podcast for more insights.

Andrea Fox is the host of the Age of Plastic Podcast – an environmental podcast with tips on how to live plastic free! Host Andrea Fox tackles big ethical issues in the hope of overcoming the climate change overwhelm and the guilt from our use of single-use plastics.

Sign up for a free webclass to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)
• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch
• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

The most immediate climate issue that's on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act – the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet – and even exceed – our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue.

Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com (https://coderedcongress.com/)

SuperNova #1. There are ways you can live life more sustainably. There are so many things you are able to do without even lifting a finger to be more sustainable and to live in a slightly more waste-free, plastic-free life.

SuperNova #2. Everyone is capable of doing a certain amount of research, and every small step is getting us to a better, more sustainable planet for everyone.

SuperNova #3. There is no one solution. It has to be a little bit of everything.

Worst Career Moment: "In terms of not being the most energy efficient I could have been and maybe not considering the climate. There was one year where my husband and I probably went on a trip every single month, and a few of those were long haul trips. Looking back, that was a heavy carbon footprint year. That was definitely a time where I look back and go, 'I'm gonna offset my carbon footprint.' Please don't buy stuff that people don't need. There's a lot of stuff in the landfill that I wish I didn't buy." – Andrea Fox

Aha Moment: "AirCarbon is very exciting. Plastic alternatives really are exciting in terms of decarbonizing the economy. I also think Juliet Davenport is a great example. She used to be the CEO of Good Energy here in the UK, and now she works on energy research and renewables. Realizing that there can be some green washing around your energy provider, but even just saying 'I want a renewable energy provider' is a message to the energy market. I think everyone is capable of doing a certain amount of research, and every small step is getting us to a better, more sustainable planet for everyone." – Andrea Fox

Best Advice She's Ever Received: "Done is better than perfect. Don't let perfection ruin just creating and starting something." – Andrea Fox

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "The Pomodoro Method where if you're really struggling to start something, just set a timer for 20 minutes and concentrate on it for 20 minutes. Normally, by the time you've done that, you're on a roll and you've already made a big start." – Andrea Fox

Internet Resource: Amyam Nguyen from @sustainableandsocial

Book Recommendation: "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron; "Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism" by Aja Barber; and "Is It Really Green?: Everyday Eco Dilemmas Answered" by Georgina Wilson-Powell

Magic Wand: "I would ban virgin plastic and fossil fuel extraction. Whether we do that with an out and out ban or whether that's tax incentives or disincentives, I would love to see us using the plastic that we have already created and turning that into plastic products and really using our recycling, because so little of our recycling actually is turned back into new products. I think that would definitely speed up the move to more renewable energy sources, more renewable energy jobs, and ending this endless cycle of fossil fuel plastic that we're stuck with at the moment." – Andrea Fox

WTF or F: "We've had some extreme weather in London recently which has seen the tube flooding. I remember someone on a podcast saying we need to think about the climate for the next generation. Why not just be selfish and think about the climate for yourself? And he was like, I love skiing. I'm not going to get to do that in a rapidly warming Earth and I was like, I love skiing. So yeah, I suppose my extreme weather would be - let's keep the temperatures as they are so I can continue to skate, please." – Andrea Fox

Most Energized About Today: "I'm most energized about social connections and connecting to nature. I'm looking forward to seeing my family very soon. I'm looking forward to seeing some friends later on this year. And to get out in nature. I'm asking everyone who's listening to the Age of Plastic podcast this season to listen to the podcast when you're outside and tag me on your post on social media to encourage me to get outside. Because I need to do it more. I think we all feel energized by that, don't we?" – Andrea Fox

Next Step: "I love supporting petitions from my guests on the podcast and campaigns, and stopping the oil field is one at the moment. Putting pressure on the Prime Minister here in the UK to not to open up the extra oil field and prioritize renewables. But I want to sort of work on my own magic wand. Maybe the Age of Plastic podcast could ban virgin plastic in the UK. Who knows? But I want to focus on one doing something like that with the community we built around the podcast." – Andrea Fox

Parting Advice: "It's okay to fail. No one really knows what they're doing, frankly. So just try and start it and they will come." – Andrea Fox

Connect:

• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast: https://podfollow.com/age-of-plastic/
• Instagram: @ageofplasticpodcast
• Instagram: @helloiamandreafox
• Twitter: @andrea_fox

Quantum Quote: "Rule #1: do the right thing. Rule #2: do the best you can in the time you have. Rule #3: treat other people the way you want to be treated." – Lou Holtz

Heating hot water is 15-20% of the average family's energy consumption, costing $400 to $800 a year or more. Most people face hindrances in having an energy efficient water heater because of their high initial cost of installation, warranties, and replacements.

With new hot water heaters coming out next year with Torii, you can finally have a highly energy-efficient water heater that will also be reused and recycled.

A highly efficient induction coil will heat Torii's graphite foam core to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in just three seconds, using two to three times less energy than the average hot water heater, and providing a LOT of energy and financial cost savings.

Torii is creating a subscription water heating service that will cover 100% of your installation, maintenance, and replacement costs. And, their advanced technology will let you know what's going on with your water pressure, temperature, inflow, and usage through an app or web interface filled with all the sensors and information you'll ever need. Their technology will also allow the water heater to talk to the grid and reduce energy usage during peak demand periods- providing a way for you to create additional cost savings.

About 80% of 5000 water heaters wind up in landfills every day. Because water heaters have metals that do not easily decompose, this is a terrifying contribution to Earth's shortening life span.

Don't you want to join Torii as they reuse and recycle water heaters and not allow toxic metals to ruin the planet we live in?

Check out this interview with Torii Industries' Co-Founder / COO – John Hynds.

John Hynds was born in Long Island, New York, and raised in Clearwater, Florida. He has lived and worked in twenty countries.

Upon graduating high school, John entered the United States Marine Corps. After the Marines, John followed his passion for technology and for 30 years has been involved in high tech. John completed the 2020 Acton School of Business, Austin, TX. Following another of his passions, John opened one of the first low carbohydrate food stores in the country, the LoCarb Outlet, learning firsthand what it's like to build a business from scratch.

John has served in senior leadership roles in sales and engineering organizations, in startups, and in multinationals. John created two patents, one personally and one professionally. Along his career journey, John has donated his time and leadership to organizations that directly serve the poor.

Helping co-found Torii Industries, John has the unique ability to visualize the future, speak to that vision, and most importantly, create practical steps to achieving goals. As COO at Torii Industries, John enhances business strategies and helps steer the company through the ever-changing energy technology landscape.

Sign up for a free webclass to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)
• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch
• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system

and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

The most immediate climate issue that's on the table RIGHT NOW is passing the Build Back Better Act - the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meet - and even exceed - our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue.

Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com (https://coderedcongress.com/)

SuperNova #1. Don't be afraid to bring your ideas to the table and present and defend them, but then listen to the counterpoints – to the arguments – and get int0 the discussion. There's a phrase I love; "Prefer clarity to agreement." When you're clear, there's no resistance to the message. When you're trying to understand, there's no resistance. It allows you to take things differently and deeper. Then you can actually change your mind. If everybody just brings their ideas in order to be clear, that's fantastic. I think that has really helped navigate different barriers and ways to get around them.

SuperNova #2. Don't ever have a firm plan. Start out with something, go for it 100%, but learn along the way and make the appropriate changes.

SuperNova #3. "Water is at its most dense just before it freezes, not when it freezes like other things. It actually becomes less dense when it's frozen - that's why ice floats. Had ice not been that way, this planet would be a chunk of ice; it all would have frozen from the bottom up. We wouldn't be here if water didn't act this way, and it's the only thing in the universe that does."

Aha Moment: "A standard water heater is 240V on a 30/40/50A circuit. A few months ago, our Engineer was running the prototype with a tuned induction coil and they were able to run our system at 120V on a 15A standard house current. So we were there!" – John Hynds

Best Advice He's Ever Received: "Before I went in the Marine Corps, my cousin looked at me and said 'You know, don't let them change you. You have a great sense of humor. It's something really important in life.' I never thought I would remember him saying that, but I realized how important that is to just be you, no matter where you are." – John Hynds

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "Tell the truth. On the flip side of that is I really expect that from other people. It's a very debilitating thing when folks aren't truthful. So I try to keep that foremost in front of me and expect that from other folks." – John Hynds

Internet Resource: Torii Industries

Book Recommendation: Life's Matrix: A Biography of Water

Magic Wand: "That everyone would be able to understand other people's perspectives. I've travelled a lot in about 20 different countries. I think the biggest thing is to understand other people - or at least have a perception of walking in their shoes." – John Hynds

WTF or F: "I love weather. Growing up in Florida, when I would hear there's a tornado watch, I would shimmy up our TV antenna – which they used to have back in the day on a house – and sit up there with my binoculars, sometimes in the pouring rain. The very first time I saw a waterspout forming over Tampa Bay – maybe not even 15 miles from the house – and watched this funnel cloud come down. As soon as it touched the water, the funnel on the whole sky turned black. The enormity of the power of that event hit me. A tornado is not a swirling wind; it's enormously destructive. The amount of power just watching that happen blew me away. I was probably 12 or 13 years old." – John Hynds

Most Energized About Today: "Torii Industries.. I really think we can start a big change for people. We are starting with water heaters and we are going to expand in the home and do what we can to help optimize other appliances. There's a lot of room for growth. I'm excited about the technology, the energy, and creating a business model that I think is fair. It's going to help the end user save money over time. It's going to help the plumbers be engaged with that end user and become a partner. Being part of Torii, we can help facilitate that." – John Hynds

Next Step: "Currently, we've got prototypes built and we're tuning and tweaking those. When we get what we believe is our final prototype,, we'll be going to get UL and Green certifications. By this time next year, we should be shipping product. We're currently in our seed funding round right now, talking to investors to move the company along, and it's going pretty well." – John Hynds

Parting Advice: "Never stop learning. Never stop growing. Things don't always work out the way you want, but keep trying and moving forward". – John Hynds

Connect:

• Website: https://toriiway.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/torii-industries

Quantum Quote:

"Our energy answer comes up every morning." – Joanne Coons

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." – Confucius

Even when more and more people are waking up to the fact that we need to make this transition work towards becoming a clean energy Earth in the next few years, there are still people who don't think it's possible or it's too hard and costly for them to take part in.

Did you know that going off fossil fuels and anything gas-related is actually much more comfortable and safer for you, the kids, and your family as a whole?

If we'll just take 100 square miles – which is nothing in terms of its massive territory – and transform those wasted lands into clean energy producers, it could power all the energy needed by the whole country!

Someone out there is living a life without owning anything that is fueled by gas, and believe it or not, she's living an incredibly cozy life!

Yes, it isn't easy. Yes, it won't happen overnight. There might even be times when you'll have thoughts of giving up and just going back to business as usual. However, if you'll just continue to work at it and wait a bit longer, you might be surprised big time!

It's definitely doable. We just have to decide that we want to do it and make it happen. In every little thing that we do, we are walking towards the change that drives us nearer to our goals.

Be into energy and be able to save your own energy as well. Keep advocating even when you're not sure if someone's listening. Someday, they will. Lead by example.

Joanne Coons is a retired High School teacher and currently an Adjunct Professor teaching PV theory, design, installation and maintenance at Hudson Valley Community College's TEC-SMART northern campus.

Joanne currently resides in Clifton Park, NY where she spends her everyday life with her husband, going all clean energy with nothing in their home that is powered by gas and/or fossil fuels. Since childhood, Joanne has always had an appreciation for energy. In her perspective, education is the key to change. That's why she's trying to create opportunities to educate people about the science and their actions that produce carbon.

Sign up for a free webclass to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)
• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch
• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system

and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

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SuperNova #1. I guess the one thing that gets you from point A to B is to just start with one thing. People look at our lives and living lifestyle and think it is too expensive or too hard to achieve. We started with one step and then when we could we took the next step so what you see is an accumulation of 20 years worth of steps. As time goes on, you are saving money by reducing your energy expenses and you have more money to achieve the next step.

SuperNova #2. Start with reducing energy use. The best way to save energy is not to use it.

SuperNova #3. The more you vote with your dollar, the more that this transition will occur.

Aha Moment: "In regard to renewables, there was a professor, Dr. Richard Perez. I saw his peer-reviewed scientific study and I really respect him. He studies how much renewable energy it would take to completely be 100% renewable. He puts it into language in a way that he relates to common things that we understand. So, he suggests to be more local and have a grid so that we have balance. He also thinks that if we overbuild solar and wind to certain extent to maintain the intermittency, we should have enough electricity, and he has statistics to back it up. His data looks really solid. His ideas look solid. And I think that's a really cool idea. I thought, we want to do this, and his works shows that we can." – Joanne Coons

(Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG-9cxu9Mk0 and watch minute 20:20 to see how much land it would take to power NYS.)

Best Advice She's Ever Received: "Sleep on something before I act." – Joanne Coons

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "I do try to take care of myself so I can take care of others. There's something called HALT – hungry, angry, lonely, tired. If you're any one of those four things, you're not gonna function to your best. Try to keep those things in check." – Joanne Coons

Internet Resource: Google

Book Recommendation: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Magic Wand: "More appreciation for each other in what they do and what people do for each other. We take each other for granted so I think that will make the world a better place. Being careful about things – that's all." – Joanne Coons

Most Energized About Today: "Every little step that we take to get closer to our clean energy goals is really a good step. Every time I have class, my students share something that is so amazing… The world's gonna be okay down the road because we have these students coming down. I do see youth as being really our future and they've got what it takes. I do believe in them." – Joanne Coons

Parting Advice: "Keep on keeping on." – Joe Dirt

Connect:

• Email: [email protected]

Quantum Quote: "The key to mitigating CO2 and affecting climate change lies in governments' abilities to use their procurement power to procure carbon sequestered materials at grand scales. If we follow that mechanism, we could mitigate climate in a significant way, billions of tons." – Brent Constantz, Ph.D.

The crucial necessity of solving the climate crisis goes beyond everything else we're dealing with today.

Every year, fossil fuels and industry emit 40 Gigatons (40 thousand million tons) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere globally..

All climate modelers think we can put maybe another 500 gigatons into the atmosphere before things really get crazy. Sounds like a lot? It's just a little over 10 years

Did you know that concrete is the most marketed material in the world other than water? And that there's about 50 gigatons of sand and gravel mined and incorporated in asphalt, primarily in concrete, every year? Concrete is actually one of the very few places where we can store massive amounts of CO2. Limestone – the most common type of rock to be mined and transported for concrete – is actually made up of CO3 (carbonate) and calcium.

So… humanity currently uses 50 GTs of concrete a year. If we can capture part of the 40 GTs of CO2 that would have entered the atmosphere, mineralize it (just as nature does with biomineralization via organisms) and put that into our concrete - we can solve a huge portion of our climate crisis.

Mineralization of CO2 is the most permanent form of sequestration of CO2 that's possible right now.

Listen to this episode as we talk about biomineralization with Brent Constantz.

Brent Constantz, Ph.D. is a Fullbright Scholar and the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Planet Systems Corporation, a serial entrepreneur with expertise in biomineralization. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Constantz as founder and CEO led three medical device companies to advance mineralization technologies for orthopedic bone cements.

Dr. Constantz founded Calera to address global climate concerns with aspirations to permanently sequester gigaton quantities of carbon dioxide in the form of carbonate minerals. Blue Planet is the next generation product using carbonate materials.

Download a free webclass to discover how easy it is to get ultra-efficient geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home – without the pain of emptying your savings account.

In "The Power Of Earth With Comfort" From Climate Master webclass, you'll discover the answers every homeowner needs to know, including:

• How geothermal heating and cooling can draw energy from the ground beneath our feet (for pennies)
• Why homeowners everywhere are making the switch
• The secrets to securing utility incentives and tax credits to pay for a large portion of your new geothermal system

and much more…

If you are tired of rising energy costs and want to save up to 70% on your energy bills, Go to www.AWESomeEarthKind.com and register now for this FREE special event that will show you exactly how to get geothermal heating and cooling installed in your home.

Today's AWESome EarthKind podcast is co-sponsored by EarthKind Energy Consulting – a clean energy consulting company with 3 decades of experience in creating clean energy transformations that reduce energy costs, provide outstanding financial returns, and create positive environmental impacts. Go to www.EarthKindEnergy.com to find out how you can reduce your energy costs and lower your carbon footprint.

The most immediate climate issue that's on the table right now is passing the Build Back Better Act. It is the largest piece of climate legislation that's ever been proposed in the history of our country. That single bill will put us on track to meeting and even exceeding our goals, which is hugely important and necessary if we want life on this planet to continue.

Multiply your climate impact by a factor of 1,000 with #CodeRedClimate & CodeRedCongress.com (https://coderedcongress.com/)

SuperNova #1. Where do you think all the carbon is? When we talk about carbon as opposed to carbon dioxide, there's about 750 gigatons of carbon in the atmosphere, and the atmosphere is an 85,000 ft. thick enveloped gas around the Earth. In the whole biosphere, there's about 5000 giga tons, then in the hydrosphere, there's about 38,000 to 40,000 giga tons of carbons. In the lithosphere (buried in the earth), there's about 55 million gigatons and it turns out most of it is actually limestone that makes up ~10% of the Earth's crust.

SuperNova #2. We all are in favor of carbon legislation. But the fact is that most countries are never gonna have a carbon price. Since a lot of the ways to remove CO2 are dependent on some sort of government subsidy, we need solutions that work in poor countries as well as in rich countries.

SuperNova #3. It's really important that people think about things quantitatively when we make policies on the side of what we're gonna do. I think it's really easy to miss the forest for the trees and do really cool things thinking that they're gonna impact climate change, but until you actually look at the numbers and really see what impact they're gonna have, you don't really know.

Best Advice He's Ever Received: "Be patient."

Personal Habit that Contributes to Success: "I spend at least an hour in the morning thinking, usually in the hot tub with a good cup of coffee."

Internet Resource: Carbon Star

Book Recommendation: "The Origin of the Species" by Charles Darwin

Magic Wand: "It would be education."

Most Energized About Today: "Blue Planet."

Next Step: "Go global."

Connect:

• Website: https://www.blueplanetsystems.com/