Pledge Category 2: Energy Use
Energy Use
Current estimates indicate that fossil fuels contribute approximately 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors in the United States (transportation, heating and electricity for housing, manufacturing, etc.). [1] Fossil fuels underpin many human activities. Personal actions (e.g., reducing airplane trips, reducing consumption of clothes, etc.) can significantly affect an individual’s carbon footprint.
Energy Use Brief Notes
Residential energy use accounts for approximately 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States [2].
Quantifying emissions from private vehicles can be tricky. However, estimates suggest that the transportation sector accounts for approximately 20% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, with passenger vehicles contributing half of that amount (~ 10% of the total). [3]
Electric vehicles can help substantially reduce carbon emissions. Although manufacturing batteries can have a large initial climate footprint (depending on the place of manufacture), the majority of climate related lifetime emissions from driving are due to fuel consumption. [4]
Manufacturing personal articles, such as clothing, not only uses a substantial amount of energy, but is very water intensive. For example, although clothing manufacturers are trying to reduce their environmental footprint, some jeans can require 7000-8000 liters of water to make. Shopping at thrift stores helps reduce your “sustainability footprint”. [e.g., 5]
Energy Use Resources
- Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition: Promoting bicycling and safe transportation options for Sonoma County.
- Advanced Energy Center: The Advanced Energy Center includes a demonstration area that shows what a “clean energy” kitchen can look like, and provides educational events.
- Sonoma Clean Power: The Green Energy provider for Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
- SMART Train: Transportation throughout the North Bay Region and into San Francisco.
- Energy Audits: Sonoma County can help guide you to obtaining energy and water audits for your home or business.
- Ideas for Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Academic Travel: Levine, et. al., (2019), Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Academic Travel, Inside Higher Ed.
- Home Energy Use Checklist: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Reducing your Carbon Footprint at Home.
- EBike Reviews: Bicycling Editors, (2021), 24 Awesome E-Bikes You Can Buy Right Now, Bicycling.
- California Electric Vehicle Rebate: California Clean Fuel Reward Program.
- Electric Vehicle Savings Calculator: Pacific Gas & Electric.
- Assistance With Building Resilient Homes In Sonoma County.
- Home Energy Kit For Bay Area Residents.
Energy Use Further Reading / Watching
- General Information About Household Transformation Using EBikes: Award Winning Film: Motherload.
- General Information Technological Solutions To Energy Use: Film: Carbon Nation. (Trailer: Carbon Nation)
Energy Use Footnotes
[1] Environmental Protection Agency, (2020), Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.
[2] Goldstein, B., D. Gounaridis, and J. Newell, (2020), The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
[3] Ritchie, H., (2020), Cars, planes, trains: where do CO2 emissions from transport come from?, Our World in Data.
[4] Carbon Brief, (accessed April 2021), Factcheck: How Electric Vehicles Help to Tackle Climate Change.
[5] Water Footprint Calculator (2018), How to Dress Greener: 5 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores.