By Huck Fairman
As part of Princeton’s Town Climate Action Plan, which is focused on preserving our local environments, and doing our part to slow, and eventually, halt climate change, Sustainable Princeton held another community conversation, to solicit views on what issues need to be addressed and what solutions should be adopted.
Sustainable Princeton, along with many area residents, is acutely aware of the environmental challenges facing us all. The environmental challenges that we see around us and read about are growing more serious, so that the need for action is also growing more urgent.
To emphasize this global situation, two recent news reports highlighted the need for action. One was the alarming study that found Antarctic ice is disappearing three times faster than had been determined only back in 2011. This melting is producing enough water to cover the state of Texas by 13 feet, or by the end of the century, increase sea level rise globally by half a foot.
The second story appearing in this week’s national news was Pope Francis’s warning to oil industry executives that climate change may well destroy civilization.
“Our desire to ensure energy for all, must not lead to the undesired effect of extreme climate changes,” the pontiff said.
Despite awareness of the increasing warming, the busy public’s concern seems inconsistent. The turnout for Sustainable Princeton’s Saturday morning’s town meeting at the Suzanne Paterson Building was relatively light. On the other hand, a number of university students made the effort to attend. They recognize that it is their future they must think about and plan for.
Those attending the meeting were broken up into three groups with each raising and discussing views of the most important issues facing the town. Among the issues the first group raised were water and water run-off. Recent heavy storms flooded streets, houses and university buildings, overwhelming sewage or run-off systems. A variety of solutions to deal with these unprecedented volumes of water are clearly necessary. Also coming with this spring’s heavy rain, were increased mosquitoes and ticks and the diseases they carry. Additionally the storms knocked down trees and power lines, so that strategies to both reduce, or mitigate, the impacts, and respond or build in resiliency, are also clearly necessary.
Much of the increasing heat in our environment comes, of course, from our energy usage, and the emissions of heat-trapping gases. How to become more efficient in energy usage was an issue raised by many of the attendees.
The second group, considering energy usage, recommended looking at changing transportation systems, and particularly at biking. But to increase the number of bikers in the town and university, issues of safety and infrastructure (bike lanes, bike racks, fewer cars, more efficient bus usage) all must be addressed first. Also, should public parking lots for automobiles be encouraged or reduced?
Other issues raised included the impact of our food chains and the transportation that supports them. At the same time, social equality was an issue that several residents voiced the need to address. Not everyone in a community has the same or similar access to efficient housing and transportation. The resulting inequities and costs should be acknowledged and balanced. The group also raised the issue of solar panels as important in energy planning.
The third group saw the importance of bringing students into the discussion, particularly when it effects school transportation, but also in relation to general town traffic patterns. And because some of these transportation changes will require changes in behavior – such as not immediately driving to shop or meet – changes in awareness or attitudes will need to be adopted.
Other members of this group raised the issue of plastics and how to reduce their widespread usage. They not only blight the landscapes but foul our waterways, and create disposal problems. This group saw the importance of weaning kids off of plastics early, because long-time habits are more difficult to break. Other members raised the issue, or need, to change construction materials to more efficient, greener alternatives.
Finally, a general discussion around energy use in New Jersey followed. Commercial usage, including power plants (a case where New Jersey is relatively clean) nonetheless accounts for 45 percent to half of energy expenditures. Transportation is next, producing 32-33 percent of energy expenditures. Housing, construction and occupancy, was next, but seems to present comparatively simple options to reduce energy expenditures.
As the town of Princeton gains data on its greenhouse gas emissions, the town and its residents will develop a clearer picture of what changes and reductions need to be implemented. Fortunately the town can access information and solutions from others towns, and share what it discovers here. But because the problems and their solutions are often inter-related and complex, it is important that many local citizens, with different experience, express views and participate in the discussions and solutions. Sustainable Princeton will continue to provide a forum, to share those views and gain information which can help improve the health of our town and its environment.