Greater Cleveland Housing – Sustainability and Climate Change
What Can I do?
Climate Change and the Great Lakes Region
Links to More Information on Climate Change

Global warming is arguably the greatest crisis facing humanity. There is now compelling scientific evidence that damage from global warming is already happening. We have a shrinking window of opportunity to make substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to head off killing famines, disease outbreaks, population dislocations, and natural disasters caused by climate disruptions that will occur within decades, rather than centuries as previously predicted.

Global warming is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that are released primarily from the human actions of burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil used for heating, electricity and transportation), the clearing of forests, and natural processes. These gases remain in our atmosphere for decades or even centuries, forming a warming blanket that holds in heat.

For thousands of years, the atmosphere trapped just enough heat to keep the earth's temperature within a very narrow range. The scientific consensus is that human activity is tipping that critical balance and overloading the atmosphere with heat-trapping gases from vehicles, factories and power plants. With continued warming, climate scientists predict we will experience more extreme heat and drought, rising sea levels, and higher-intensity tropical storms.

Although we've gone too far to avoid all the consequences of global warming, committing ourselves to action today can help ensure our children and grandchildren will still inherit a healthy world full of opportunity.

Climate Change in the News

New group focuses on organizing the fight against Climate Change
Cleveland Climate Watch is a new group with one goal in mind: "to help organize a grass roots movement in Northeast Ohio to save the planet and ourselves from the most important threat of our time– that of global climate change." Cleveland Climate Watch can be contacted by phone at 216-631-3337, or via their website, linked above.

Generating Energy, Generating Jobs : Ohio could gain more than 22,000 jobs from renewable energy investments. Policy Matters Ohio is the local partner for the Apollo Alliance, a bold national campaign to make our country energy - independent within a decade.

Be Part of the Climate Change Solution

From the GreenCityBlueLake Institute, here are 10 things you can do to  reduce your impact, actually save money in the long run, and improve your quality of life.

What is The Story of Cap & Trade?
The Story of Cap & Trade is a fast-paced, fact-filled online film look at the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. Host Annie Leonard (of The Story of Stuff) introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the "devils in the details" in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis.

Greater Cleveland Housing – Sustainability and Climate Change

Housing = 24% CO2 Emissions

Existing housing, most of which will still be lived-in 50 years from now, accounts for 24% of carbon dioxide emissions in Greater Cleveland (2005), comparable to the contribution from industry (27%) and transportation (33%).  Energy use for a typical Cleveland house produces more than 10 tons of CO 2 annually. Most of that is from natural gas and other fuels for home heating.

Current Weatherization Strategy Won’t Achieve the Needed CO2 Reductions

Current approaches to home weatherization strive to cut energy use by 20%-50%. This sets the bar too low. To meet the steep CO 2 reductions essential to combat global warming (80% reduction by 2050), more dramatic home energy conservation and efficiency must and can be achieved.

Deep Energy Reduction Retrofits

Housing rehabilitation experts and building scientists have developed super-insulation strategies for deep energy reductions of 70%-90% in existing homes, dramatically lowering their carbon dioxide contribution.

CO2 Reduction and Sustainability Strategy for Housing

To significantly reduce CO2 from the housing sector we need an aggressive strategy:

• Set higher performance standards for new housing construction.
• Add to broadly -applicable weatherization techniques to achieve greater energy savings.
• Where feasible, strive for deep energy reductions in home renovation.
• Take advantage of opportunity points to improve performance and put the home on a deep energy reduction path.

Can we really make a difference?

Are these northeast Ohio numbers really significant on a global scale? Yes.

• Northeast Ohio is in the U.S.A.: The U.S. accounts for 20% of world CO2 (the China total is catching-up, but the U.S. per capita CO2 emissions are by far the worst in the world and not sustainable).
• Northeast Ohio is in the Midwest: The Midwest is responsible for 5% of global greenhouse gases, exceeded only by China, Russia and India.
• We are in Cuyahoga County, the 4th largest CO2 emitting county in the U.S.

 What can I do?

• Cleveland Carbon Fund
  The Cleveland Carbon Fund is the first community based, open access carbon reduction fund in the United States and a great resource on carbon reduction projects in Northeast Ohio.
• City of Cleveland- Office of Sustainability
  The official webpage of the city's sustainability department.
• Cuyahoga County- Office of Sustainability
  The official webpage of the county's sustainability department.
• GreenCityBlueLake
  Information on all sustainability initiatives in Northeast Ohio, and a blog that is updated frequently.
• Ten Things You Can Do to Help Stop Climate Change
  From GreenCityBlueLake, 10 easy steps you can take to reduce your impact on the enviroment.
• Cleveland Climate Watch
  Cleveland Climate Watch organizes grass roots movements in Northeast Ohio on issues pertaining to global climate change.
• Earth Day Coalition
  Earth Day Coalition is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate citizens on environmental issues.

Climate Change and the Great Lakes Region

• Heat Waves: Global Warming's Wake Up Call A new report from National Wildlife Federation was released in Cleveland. See a video, Plain Dealer article, photos and and the full report.
• In February 2002, the Clean Air Task Force released the report Climate Change and Midwest Power Plants (PDF)
• Death by Degrees: The Emerging Health Crisis of Climate Change in Ohio This report was prepared by Physicians for Social Responsibility to alert Ohio residents to the potential damaging health effects of climate change and to encourage them to reverse global warming’s deadly course by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) discusses how climate change will put Great Lakes communities and ecosystems at risk.
• The UCS also provides policy recommendations in Global Warming Solutions: Reducing Heat-Trapping Emissions in the Great Lakes Region, which calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, motor vehicles and other sources such as landfills.  Implementing changes now will prevent the most severe changes and will be more cost effective than a wait-and-see approach.
• Only 5 States Have Plans to Address the Health Impacts of Climate Change finds Trust for America's Health Report.
  See Ohio and National summary.