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" We eat an organic vegetarian diet (since 1984) – probably the single biggest personal impact that any person has on the planet."
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Bio – Tom Kelly
Tom is a co-founder of KyotoUSA with his wife, Jane, and a number of local residents interested in taking action on global warming. KyotoUSA is a volunteer organization that encourages cities and their residents to work together to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions for which they are responsible.
Tom is a former public interest lawyer and has worked for various non-profits in the Bay Area and as a contract employee at the California Department of Public Health.
At KyotoUSA’s urging, the City of Berkeley became the nation’s first city to “ratify” the Kyoto Protocol in January 2005 – calling on cities across the country to join it in addressing global warming. That citizen-led effort resulted in a national campaign by Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle and and the US Conference of Mayors to encourage cities to step into the void created by the federal government’s refusal to acknowledge or act on climate change.
As cities across the country develop their own strategies for conserving and reducing their use and reliance on fossil fuels, KyotoUSA has launched its HELiOS Project, another citizen-led effort to reduce energy consumption and put photovoltaic systems on our public schools. In August 2008, Berkeley’s Washington Elementary became the first HELiOS school. The 103 kilowatt photovoltaic system produces most of the electricity the school will need without increasing the school district’s operating budget.
KyotoUSA recently secured a Department of Energy Solar America Showcase grant for technical assistance that enables the organization to partner with Oakland, Berkeley, and West Contra Costa Unified School Districts to develop comprehensive Solar Master Plans for each district. KyotoUSA recently partnered with SunPower Corp. and MuniBond to complete applications for Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) and Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) that can enable districts to purchase photovoltaic systems that are cost-neutral to the districts.
As a member of the City of Berkeley’ Community Health Commission, Tom worked closely with other community activist to draft and pass Berkeley first Precautionary Principle Ordinance.
August 2009
Connections:
Tom Kelly
kyotousa at sbcglobal dot net
(510) 704-8628
800 Hearst Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710
Kyotousa.org
HELiOS Project
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'Without the U.S., the world community's ability to slow the heating of the atmosphere is unlikely'
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Please enjoy our interview with Tom Kelly from Kyotousa.org and
HELiOS Project
Do you know about the Global Footprint Network? Are you collaborating / competing with GFN?
I have come across the “Ecological Footprint” but am not aware of the Global Footprint Network. And although we do not collaborate, we don’t compete either.
How do you see your role these days: As a visionary? Leader of a new movement? Worker bee?
Perhaps a little of each. I do have a pretty good idea of what we are facing and am working on specific projects (energy in our public schools) that we hope will provide a template for similar action elsewhere. And we do most of the work ourselves or with volunteers so we’re happy to think of ourselves as “worker bees” as well.
How many hours per day do you work for the green movement?
It’s my full-time job and much of what I do in my spare time.
How old is your strategic plan for KyotoUSA?
As an all volunteer group (a sponsored project of the Sequoia Foundation, a California non-profit organization) we’ve never undertaken a strategic plan. It allows us to stay flexible.
Critique the programs of the Obama Administration please.
I don’t know enough about his administration’s programs to offer a thoughtful critique. At this point I would say that he has made some decent appointments in agencies (EPA, NOAA, Energy) that are responsible for implementing programs that address climate change. Some of those appointments are beginning to see that Washington operates under a set of rules that are not necessarily conducive to responsible climate policy. A great example can be seen in the words of Stephen Chu (Energy) who had to backtrack on coal and nuclear energy shortly after being appointed. What that means is that we’re likely to see negotiated climate change policy rather than the radical changes we need if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
I am truly disappointed in his attitude and approach to the merciless, illegal, and pointless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
What is the HELiOS Project? Who can take part?
HELiOS is an acronym for “Helios Energy Lights Our Schools” – an effort to get renewable energy systems installed on public schools throughout the state. The approach we take is to demonstrate how school districts can purchase and own their own photovoltaic systems (PV) that they can pay for from their avoided electricity costs – in effect, making the systems “cost neutral” to the district. We believe that we’re all stakeholders in this effort to reduce the amount of energy we consume from fossil fuels, so anyone associated with a school is a potential “champion”. We’ve found our champions in board members, superintendents, parents, facilities directors, and students. Each plays a different role, but a successful project benefits from the participation of all.
Put this in plain English Tom, please!?
“KyotoUSA recently partnered with SunPower Corp. and MuniBond to complete applications for Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) and Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) that can enable districts to purchase photovoltaic systems that are cost-neutral to the districts.”
School districts will not consider purchasing renewable energy systems if they have to dip into their General Funds in order to pay for them – hence the need to find low or no-cost financing that allows the district to pay for the systems from their energy savings. Several bond programs established by the federal government do just that – CREBs and QSCBs are 0% or near 0% interest bonds that are paid off over 15 years. The payments are made to a district controlled account that draws interest. At the end of the 15 year term, the district pays back the bonds, and keeps the accumulated interest.
The key here is to continue to locate and advocate for this type of financing. It’s that kind of thing that keeps us busy.
How do you define localization?
It’s where you, as a citizen, are able to exert some influence, e.g. local government, school, university, workplace, place of worship, and the like. “You can’t change the world, but you can change the world you live in.” And one motivated person or small group can have a truly remarkable effect.
Many are talking about a major collapse in the world economy and a catastrophic period of anger and hunger. Do you see this near-term scenario? In not, what is your perception of the next 2-5 years on the planet?
I think you could argue that it’s happening already. The economy has collapsed; there are huge areas of famine and war caused in part by a lack of water and other basic necessities of life that are climate related; disease vectors are expanding; animals and plants are moving, at least those that can. And it’s likely to get worse and closer to home. We have to do more – all of us – or our children will confront a world that few of us would recognize.
“Global warming is the most serious threat facing the planet today.” Do you stand behind this statement today?
Yes.
What other threats are high on your radar?
Nothing that comes close to climate change.
How do we get people out of their cars, Tom?
We saw a pretty easy solution when gas went up to $5 a gallon. Tax it. The remarkable thing is that so many of the solutions are so simple, yet so far out of reach. Why can’t we tax fossil fuels as a way of switching to renewable energy systems and reducing the amount of transportation fuels we consume? Why can’t people turn off the lights when they leave a room? Why do we have to own the latest gizmos built with materials and resources that are in increasingly short supply and have significant environmental impacts? We may always have trouble influencing personal behaviors, but certainly adding the external costs to all consumption would be a good way to address some of them and give us the money we need to address other pressing global, national, and local needs.
What green organizations do you belong to?
We are admitted as observers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); US Climate Action Network (USCAN); Sierra Club; I have been a long time member of the Green Party, but my enthusiasm for the party is waning; and our own restoration group we call “Greens at Work”.
How do you personally live a Green life?
It’s not that difficult to lead a “green” life. Some things do depend on your economic status, but there are many things we do that don’t cost anything and can produce other positive benefits. Here’s a list - that I hope doesn’t sound too pretentious – that allows us to minimize our impact:
1) We eat an organic vegetarian diet (since 1984) – probably the single biggest personal impact that any person has on the planet.
2) I ride my bike to work and for most errands.
3) We use public transportation as often as we can.
4) We own and use a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) that we power with the excess electricity produced by our 2.1. kW PV system.
5) We harvest rainwater.
6) We’ve installed a native plant garden and work on restoration projects in local creeks and parks.
7) We’ve installed low flow toilets and Energy Star appliances.
8) We minimize our consumption that enables us to remain debt free.
9) We save with a community bank and invest our savings in socially screened funds.
10) And while we love children, we don’t have any.
11) We compost.
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