Despite news that 2024 was the hottest year ever, and it followed 2023 which was also the hottest year on record at the time, there are 2 pieces of good news: Chicago is now powering all its city buildings with renewable (mostly solar) energy, and the California grid ran on 100% clean energy for parts of 132 days last year.
We witnessed the heartbreaking climate enhanced disasters of wildfires and hurricanes causing death while destroying homes and whole towns, and our hearts go out to people who lost loved ones, homes, or businesses in disasters. Even though the news about wildfires, storms, and record temperature is alarming, it is good to know what cities, states are doing, so we can be motivated to do even more. So, here are 2 pieces of news that bring hope.
- Chicago is now running ALL of its municipal buildings on 100% clean energy. This includes buildings, 2 airports, and water treatment plants, which use about 700,000 megawatt hours of electricity each year. This is mostly from an almost 600,000 megawatt solar farm run by Swift Current, that started construction 10 years ago.
- California had 132 days last year where electricity from wind, water, solar and geothermal exceeded demand. Gas used for producing electricity dropped 25% in 2024. The spot price of electricity dropped by over 50% during a 98 day period where wind, water, and solar electricity exceeded demand. (Electricity prices have gone up because utilities have to do mitigation for wildfires, and other needs.)
This news about clean, renewable energy shows that we can do it. It gives us encouragement that more can be done. So even though times are scary, we have news that we can use to advocate with our cities, states, and public utility regulators, to ask them be smart and build the kind of power generators that protect our health and well-being.
Here are things that you can do:
1. Talk to your family, friends, and neighbors about air pollution, climate, and health. The more people talk to each other about climate, the more momentum we have for action.
2. Use this example to advocate with your city/county, state, and public utility regulators.
3. Do whatever you can to use less energy – insulate, caulk, seal leaks, drive less, use electric bikes/scooters/electric cars/transit to get where you need to go.
4. If you own your house and can afford to replace any gas appliances (stove, furnace) with electric, do that. If you don’t own your home or can’t afford a new stove, use your microwave, an electric teakettle, toaster oven, etc. to do as much cooking as possible without the stove.
5. If you can afford it, install as much solar as your roof will fit – this is for your own benefit and for your neighbors too. Even if your state doesn’t have net metering, you will still save money with solar on your roof, and it is really nice if the power goes out to still have lights and a working refrigerator.
We know we can do it – let’s keep going!
01-10-2024 AKMB
