Lexington, KY - Thirty-two to one.That represents the per capita ratio the first world (United States, Western Europe, Australia and Japan) to the third world in consumption of energy and natural resources and production of greenhouse gases and various toxins. And that wastefulness doesn't raise the standard of living.
"If there's one thing that you should take home from this tonight, it's the number 32," said keynote speaker Jared Diamond, addressing a crowd of a few hundred attendees at the Energizing Kentucky Conference, held on April 15 at the downtown Lexington Hyatt. Diamond, whose writings have won him a Pulitzer and a MacArthur Foundation "genius" Fellowship, has raised the bar on dialogues about civilization and the environment. His books, Guns, Germs and Steel and Collapse, elucidate the profound relationship of the environment and natural resources to the emergence and successes or failures of civilizations.
Diamond pointed out that China achieving the same level of consumption and standard of living as the United States would double global energy consumption. Then add in the burgeoning growth of India and everywhere else in the world that wants to achieve the same. There's a business problem here. What happens to an unsustainable business?
The Energizing Kentucky conference came about through the cooperation of the presidents of the University of Louisville, Centre College, Berea College, and UK, respectively, James Ramsey, John Roush, Larry Shinn, and Lee Todd, and their identification of energy as a crucial issue that touches everyone in the commonwealth. As Diamond concluded his talk, he said that he is a cautious optimist. "The world has serious consumption problems," he said, "but we can solve them if we choose to do so." And that set the tone for the day to follow, when the conference would be a showcase and discussion of initiatives and ideas for dealing with energy challenges in the state of Kentucky.
Carol Browner, recently appointed to the newly created position of assistant to the president for energy and climate change, delivered the morning keynote address. She made it clear that a new era of more aggressive policies under President Obama will address energy independence and climate change. She said that $600 million through the Recovery Act are planned for improving the U.S. infrastructure, "training people to lay new grid and solar and wind arrays." On the subject of capping CO2 emissions, Browner said that with every ban or cap of atmospheric pollutants "people argued that it would be too costly, too much of a burden." She pointed to the successes with the CFC ban and the sulfur cap.
Such changes challenge Kentucky, which gets 98 percent of its energy from fossil fuels, with 91 percent of it from coal. Leonard Peters, the secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet, who crafted the governor's energy plan, a first for Kentucky, spoke. As did Representative Rocky Adkins, majority floor leader, who has been active in energy legislation. The state has now embarked at the governmental level to address energy issues, creating more energy efficiency throughout the state, to increase renewable energy sources and create new energy technologies and green jobs.
"I don't really believe that nuclear energy is going to be part of Kentucky's energy mix going forward, nor do I think it should be," said Tom Fitzgerald, a leading Kentucky environmentalist. "And I think there's more opportunity than the plan assumed for renewable energy to play a role." That would be more opportunity in solar and hydroelectric energy, he explained. "But let's give credit where credit is due," he said. "The governor has put together a strategic plan that attempts to address a broad array of investments in both efficiency and renewables and to position us to address the coming carbon constraint. I think the administration has really come forward and is engaging in these issues. It's very timely."
The midday break allowed a visit to the ballroom where students, K-16, had set up displays and demonstrations on energy. An understanding of the challenges is sinking in, and the enthusiasm and ingenuity of the students gave hope for the future.
Panel discussions in the afternoon addressed issues in education. The colleges and universities are adding education on sustainability into curriculums. The presidents of the University of Louisville, Berea College, Centre College, Transylvania University and Northern Kentucky University have signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), which commits their institutions to a course of reducing their production of greenhouse gases. UK has not become a signatory of ACUPCC, said Bob Wiseman, vice president for management facilities, because, due to a large campus including hospital and research facilities, the energy usage is high and its source is coal, so at this time the fulfillment of the ACUPCC pledges wouldn't be a realistic commitment. Nonetheless, UK, and all of the colleges, had accomplishments and initiatives to present that showed their commitment to become more energy efficient and to reach for sustainability.
In closing remarks President Roush invited the presidents of all learning institutions in the state to join Energizing Kentucky and help determine the next steps to take.