Emissions Reductions We Can Achieve Immediately? Look to Social and Environmental Justice!
If it’s only for homeowners, it isn’t social justice…
A starting inspiration for going down this rabbit hole was hearing about the Bangladeshi man walking waist deep in flood water, carrying his solar panel. If he could only save one thing, apparently that was what he thought was most valuable (I haven’t been able to find an actual picture of that, but you get the idea).
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Next link in this convoluted train of thought was the Impulse Labs podcast episode on My Climate Journey, whare Sam D’Amico talked about how they had put a battery in their induction stove so that homeowners don’t have to rewire their house to install one of Impulse’s stove.
But what about the low and fixed income residents who use their gas stove as supplemental heat in the winter because they can’t afford electric heat? It might be bad for their health and their children’s health, but it’s still done.
And what about heat deaths from heat waves? How about a mini-split that heats and cools using a DC solar panel that charges a battery? That runs completely off the grid? (Think Recreational Vehicles RV’s and DC power. These appliances already exist).
(Bet they didn’t have an electrician to wire up the solar panel in the above left photo)
Then think about fenceline communities and the air pollution that makes them much more susceptible to asthma and other respiratory and pollution-related health challenges? How about a whole house air purifier that plugs into the system? That would make their indoor air cleaner than the outside air, and make their home once again a safe haven?
And while we’re at it, how about Source or similar water panels to pull clean water from the atmosphere? So the resident doesn’t have to rely on questionable water quality brought into their residence via questionable piping? Can you say Flint, Michigan? The panels don’t work in Michigan winters, but that’s just a detail to design around.
All of it portable so the resident can take it with them when they move.
And since it’s completely off grid, it bypasses the up to a multi-year permitting backlog for hooking solar into the grid.
Inflation Reduction Act IRA and Justice40 funding? Who’s in for helping make this happen?
Community Call: Who can help me navigate this to make it happen?
Til next time…
