The Carbon Footprint of Living the American Dream in ... - AREday
The Carbon Footprint of Living the American Dream in Lafayette, Colorado Does the American Dream Need To Be Reinvented In The Era Of Climate Change?
Milena van der Veen Candidate #: 002779-014 Centaurus High School 002779 Environmental Systems and Societies May 2010 Word Count: 3801
(002779-014) Abstract This paper will examine whether the American Dream contributes to climate change by looking at one particular community, Lafayette, Colorado, a former coal mining town, and examining recent actions being taken to become a more sustainable and environmentally conscious community. The larger context of these issues includes the “supersizing” of the American dream through larger houses and automobiles, a reliance on fossil fuels and the resulting rise of carbon emissions, and a proliferation of electrical appliances and technology, which have left a massive environmental impact, particularly on the climate. By collecting and analyzing data of the carbon footprint of Lafayette, connections will be made between the lifestyle of the residents in their pursuit of the American Dream and the city's overall carbon emissions and climate impact. Through this process of analysis, the need to revisit and essentially rethink the American Dream in this community and elsewhere will be demonstrated.
Word Count: 149 i
(002779-014) Table of Contents Page Abstract
i
Table of Contents
ii
I.
Introduction
1
II.
The American Dream and How it has Evolved
2
III.
The Clash between the American Dream and Sustainability
3
IV.
Background on Lafayette, Colorado
6
V.
Summary of Lafayette as a case study on the American Dream
VI.
VII.
and Carbon Footprints
8
The Greenhouse Gas Inventory
9
Buildings
10
Transportation
10
Materials and Waste
11
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets and Strategies
11
Revisiting and Reinventing the American Dream in Lafayette and Beyond
13
Climate Literacy
13
Energy Literacy
15
Psychological Barriers
16
Household Actions
17
VIII. Conclusion
17
Bibliography
19
ii
(002779-014) I. Introduction Addressing climate change and attempting to achieve sustainability is one of the most pressing issues currently facing our planet and its occupants. Sustainability is defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (Mahaffy 1999). What makes sustainability so important to today's times is the need to address climate change and rethink the way we live in order to protect the health of the environment. The way we live today has been influenced by the recurring American Dream that has been passed down through the years. This desire to live a fulfilled life of luxury and happiness has instilled a mind-set in many human's minds that they can be what they want to be, do what they want to do, and buy what they want to buy. This American Dream transcends the United States of America, influencing people who seek to increase their standard of living around the world (Library of Congress 1997). Although this way of thinking has led to many success stories, it has also created many environmental problems that we face today. Like many communities and organizations, the city of Lafayette has in recent years taken steps to measure and reduce its carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is: “A carbon footprint is the measure of the amount of greenhouse gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide, produced by human activities. A carbon footprint can be measured for an individual or an organization, and is typically given in tons of CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) per year” (The Encyclopedia of Earth 2009). There is overwhelming scientific consensus that greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels are increasing and are very likely the cause of rising global average temperature trends in the later part of the 20th century. Because carbon dioxide can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, the warming influence is
1
(002779-014) predicted to persist well into the next century (USGCRP 2009). The purpose of this essay is to survey the carbon footprint and related environmental impacts of one typical American community (Lafayette, Colorado) and examine strategies being developed to achieving a more sustainable lifestyle and in effect reinvent the American Dream.
II. The American Dream and How it has Evolved The concept of the American dream was first articulated by James Truslow Adams in 1931 in his book The Epic of America. He stated that the American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (Library of Congress 1997). Some believe that the American Dream is closely associated with the “pursuit for material prosperity”, in essence the desire to be able to purchase goods and services (Library of Congress 1997). Increasingly since WWII, the American Dream has been closely identified with home ownership, automobiles (such as SUV's), and upward social mobility (Cullen 2003). Now as we fast-forward through the years, the American dream has been characterized through the media as the cliché of the nuclear family living in a typical suburban home with a white picket fence, a loving spouse, and a stable well-paying job. In reality, the American Dream is complex, with many psychological dimensions that differ depending on the person. While pursuing the American dream, the social and environmental impacts have been overlooked as is evident from the lack of climate and energy literacy. Although the American Dream has helped inspire many people around the world, it is not without its critics. And, as we will examine, there is an environmental impact that has contributed to global climate change and related challenges. 2
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III. The Clash between the American Dream and Sustainability According to the National Academies in the Publication What You Need To Know About Energy (2009), currently the United States emits about one-quarter of greenhouse gases worldwide. The carbon dioxide emissions are likely to rise from 5.9 billion metric tons in 2006 to 7.4 billion metric tons by 2030, unless there are changes made to control carbon emissions (The National Academies 2009, 11). Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which trap infrared heat, amplify the greenhouse effect, contributing to global climate change.
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Economic Sector and Energy Source in 2005 Adapted from the National Academies 2009
Jack Barkenbus in his article “Supersizing the American Dream in an Era of Climate Change” says that “American individuals and households, through their pursuit of the American Dream, have created a lifestyle inimical to combating climate change” (Barkenbus 2008, 10857). He addresses a number of “supersizing” trends:
Housing- The bigger the house, the more accessibility to larger and more
3
(002779-014) appliances. The floor area of new homes is increasing although family size is decreasing. Larger homes also result in extensive garage space which allows for multiple personal vehicles. Mass amounts of electricity are required to heat and cool these homes. According to Barkenbus, “In 1949, the average single-family house consisted of 1,100 square feet (sq. ft.). By the 1970s, average house size had moved up incrementally to 1,385 sq. ft. but growth picked up considerably thereafter. The average house being built today is nearly 2,500 sq. ft.” (Barkenbus 2008, 10858). Compared to Europe, the square footage of houses in America is nearly twice that of houses in Britain, France, and Germany.
Appliances Inside the Home- Not only has the number of electronics and appliances increased in recent decades (see Table 1 below), but the energy footprint of these devices has as well. 147 terawatt hours (Twh) of electricity was consumed in U.S. homes in 2006 (Barkenbus 2008, 10858).
4
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Adapted from Barkenbus 2008,
Automobiles- SUV's and light trucks have increased in popularity, growing from about 20% of all personal vehicles in 1975 to roughly half today. The problem with these vehicles is that their fuel economy is less than automobiles. Fuel mileage per
5
(002779-014) gallon has remained flat since the mid 1980s. Barkenbus notes that, “driving one mile in the United States requires 37% more fuel than it does, on average, in Europe” (Barkenbus 2008, 10860). Barkenbus concludes that supersizing has become “a pervasive feature of American life, contributing to making the United States a truly singular force for climate change” (Barkenbus 2008, 10863). IV. Background on Lafayette, Colorado Lafayette is a small city with a residential population of about 25,000, located in the southeast corner of Boulder County, Colorado. This historic mining community covers a total land area of approximately nine square miles (LESAC 2009, 10). This quaint, typical American community provides its residents an high quality of life by offering hundreds of acres of open space, high quality schools and parks, and accessibility to job centers in the Denver-metro area. In 1871, newlyweds Lafayette and Mary Miller moved to the area of what is now known as Lafayette (City of Lafayette 2009). Here they settled and began farming on land they had attained through the Homestead Act. It wasn't till her husband died suddenly in 1878 that Mary Miller gained an interest in coal mining. Luck found her in 1880, with the discovery a thick deposit of coal that was found under her own farm (LESAC 2009, 10). This finding resulted in the opening of the Simpson mine in 1887, and less than a year later, the nearby Cannon coal mine was put into operation (City of Lafayette 2009). In July of 1888, the first houses were built, two general stores opened as well as boarding houses and a livery stable to serve the mining industry. On January 6th, 1890 the city of Lafayette was officially incorporated (LESAC 2009, 10). The coal boom had begun and
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(002779-014) the newly named city of Lafayette flourished. Over the next forty years, coal continued to become an integrated part of Lafayette's economy. Lafayette's coal supply played an important role in the generation of electricity. The Waneka Lake power plant built in 1907 even provided the surrounding areas: Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins, with their main source of electricity (LESAC 2009, 10). These became some of the first towns in Colorado to receive electricity. The reliance on coal subsided as the introduction to natural gas increased in the 1950s. This resulted in the closing of the Black Diamond mine in 1956 and the Eagle mine in 1979 (City of Lafayette 2009). In the 1970s, the Wallenberg natural gas field (Colorado's second largest natural gas field) was discovered (LESAC 2009, 11). This played a large role in the energy market and contributed to the region's economy. Coal and natural gas production have long been important components of Lafayette's heritage. The city of Lafayette has a range of diverse elements. Housing ranges from houses that date back to the 1880s in Old Town, to large trailer parks on the east side of the community such as Arbor Dale Acres, to subdivisions built in the 1970s and 1980s such as Centaur Village, and to higher end subdivisions such as Indian Peaks and Blue Heron built in the 1990s. According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, Lafayette had 9,541 occupied housing units, the median age was 38.2, the median income per household was $69,634 per year, 6.1% of families and 7.4% of the population was below the poverty line, the city's racial make-up was 85.4% White, 19.6% Latino, with small numbers of African-Americans, Native Americans, and Asians (U.S Census Bureau 2009).
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V. Summary of Lafayette as a case study on the American Dream and Carbon Footprint Unique in some respects, Lafayette, Colorado is also in many ways a typical American community of about 25,000. It has been a relatively affordable community to pursue the American Dream of home ownership, raise a nuclear family, and maintain a steady job. As awareness has increased in recent years about how human activities such as burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation, the City of Lafayette has looked to measure its impacts, reduce waste, save money, and support sustainable lifestyles. Established by the City Council, the Lafayette Energy Sustainability Committee (LESAC) developed a master plan that notes: The citizens of Lafayette recognize that climate change is occurring and could, if not addressed, have a substantial detriment to the way of life for Lafayette’s current and future residents, including impacts on Colorado’s local agricultural production, mountain snow pack, and water supplies. (LESAC 2009, 11)
Drawing data from a variety of sources and looking specifically at three different sectors- Buildings, Transportation, Materials and Waste and using carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 e) as the common unit of measure. The LESAC Master Plan summarized the community's carbon footprint as follows: In 2007, the City of Lafayette emitted 346,000 metric tons (mt) of greenhouse gases. This equates to 13.8mt-CO2e per resident. For comparison, Denver emitted 25.2 mt-CO2e in 2005 and the national per capita average in 2005 was 25.3 mt-CO2e. On the other hand, European countries average 15-mt-CO2e (per person) (LESAC 2009, 17).
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Adapted from the LESAC Master Plan, 2009
VI. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory The City of Lafayette's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory used to measure the City's carbon footprint was developed by the University of Colorado Denver's Program on Sustainable Infrastructure. Using GHG accounting protocols, the inventory looked at Direct Emissions (Scope 1), Indirect Emissions from Electricity Production (Scope 2), and other Indirect Emissions (Scope 3). The largest source of emissions was electricity, which combined residential, commercial, and industrial electricity (Scope 2) at 37% of all emissions, followed by combustion of gasoline fuel at 17%. It is worth noting that food production and transportation, diesel and gasoline production and combustion, and airline travel emissions total to 46% of the total emissions (LESAC 2009, 17).
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Adapted from the LESAC Master Plan 2009
Buildings Using 2007 data, the total greenhouse gas emissions (mtCO2e) equaled 180,971 of which 74,623 were commercial and 94,272 were residential. On the commercial side, the bulk of the emissions came from electricity (57,705) and with far fewer emissions from natural gas (16,918). On the residential side, electricity emissions were 59,144 and natural gas emissions 35,129. Per Capita greenhouse gas emissions for the building sector were 3.8 mtCO2e. The city of Lafayette's energy utility is Xcel Energy, which uses coal as the primary fuel for generating electricity (LESAC 2009, 17). Transportation Based on daily vehicle miles traveled from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) the average Lafayette resident in 2007 commuted 16 miles a day, consumed 354 gallons of gasoline a year, and emitted 3.3 mtCO2e a year. Like many communities in America, the lifestyles of Lafayette residents revolve around the daily usage of cars. In a city of about 25,000, it is interesting to note that there are over 19,000 10
(002779-014) cars registered, which totals to more than one car per adult (Boulder County Clerk 2008). Materials and Waste The total greenhouse gas emissions for producing key urban materials total 80,069 of which food and packaging dominate (49,424), followed by fuel production (21,635), and cement manufacturing (9,009). These upstream emissions are somewhat offset by downstream waste and recycling, which would reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions to 78,420. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets and Strategies The City of Lafayette plans to reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by 20% less than 2007 levels and by 2050, 80% below 2007 levels. The city has six main goals for its Sustainable Energy Plan (LESAC 2009, 24): 1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2. Promote energy conservation 3. Promote clean renewable energy generation 4. Encourage economic development through local energy jobs 5. Reduce energy costs through reduced energy consumption 6. Develop and support sustainable energy education To achieve these goals, the LESAC Master Plan recommends the following strategies: in the residential sector their objective is to build on existing programs promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy systems, such as the Energy Star New Home Program and the Residential Energy Action Program. They also suggest encouraging Lafayette residents to purchase renewable energy through programs such as: Xcel Energy's WindSource and SolarRewards programs. In the commercial sector, they encourage businesses to take advantage of programs such as Xcel Energy's Demand Side Management Program, and to use the United States Green Building Council's LEED 11
(002779-014) Certification for new construction. In the municipal sector, the plan aims to continue energy reduction in city buildings and facilities, increase average fuel efficiency of city vehicles, and promote EcoDriving practices to improve efficiency. For the transportation sector, the recommendations focus on increasing vehicle mileage, reducing mileage travelled, encouraging the use of mass transit and non-polluting options such as bicycles. In addition, the report suggests four complimentary strategy types; education, economic development, land use, and cooperation with other energy programs. Within education, the strategy promotes sustainable energy education in schools, homes, businesses, and city operations. It also suggests energy education seminars at the local library and encouraged citizen involvement in programs. For economic development, the report suggests that the city is ripe for redevelopment, particularly for green technology companies. For land use, the plan is to help develop a more walkable community, improve bicycle access, and make the make the community less dependent on cars. In addition, it encourages improving the carbon capturing capacity of the environment through healthy grasslands, trees, open space, and farmland. Finally, the plan calls for cooperation with other energy programs including the Boulder County Consortium of Cities Energy Strategy Task Force and the City's Waste Reduction Advisory Committee (LESAC 2009, 24). This is an example of how communities such as Lafayette are becoming more aware of their energy use and its environmental impacts by first measuring then beginning to reduce their carbon footprint. But Lafayette, like many communities, is very reliant on fossil fuels dating back to its earliest days. Recent sustainability efforts may not be enough to prevent major climate change and prepare communities for change that is already occurring. Although small steps to minimize individual and community carbon footprints
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(002779-014) are being taken, the need for looking at our daily lifestyles and behavior is clear. This requires rethinking the American Dream.
VII. Revisiting and Reinventing the American Dream in Lafayette and Beyond Through the pursuit to fulfill one's personal American Dream, we as a society have often been blind to the environmental and social impacts caused by pursuing and achieving the Dream. Programs that Lafayette and other communities have developed to reduce their carbon footprints such as, renewable energy programs and education and outreach efforts, face big challenges to achieve these ambitious goals. Improving climate literacy, energy use awareness, recognizing and addressing the psychological barriers towards achieving sustainability, and taking steps at the household level will be necessary to achieve a sustainable future. Climate Literacy In the article Clarifying Climate Confusion: Addressing Systemic Holes, Cognitive Gaps, and Misconceptions Through Climate Literacy, McCaffrey (2008) describes some of the key misconceptions that have contributed to society's not understanding and ignorance to basic climate science. Noting that climate science has been missing from much science education over the past fifty years, he points to the recently released “Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy” as a tool for helping increase awareness. The Essential Principles, published by the United States Global Change Research Program state that climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives, including disruption of ecosystems, acidification of the ocean, increases in extreme weather events including heat waves, altered precipitation patterns impacting freshwater resources, and rising of sea level, that obviously will not directly impact Lafayette but will directly impact coastal communities (McCaffrey & Buhr 2008, 516). In 13
(002779-014) addition, climate change will affect human health and mortality rates. It also offers a “Guiding Principle for Informed Climate Decision” which says, “Humans can take actions to reduce climate change and its impacts” (USGCRP 2009). Others have pointed out that there is little awareness of how fossil fuels are in effect forms of buried solar energy. In his article, which estimates the amount of photosynthetically fixed and stored carbon in various forms of fossil fuels, Dukes (2003) estimates that approximately 90 metric tons of ancient plant matter was required as precursor material for one U.S. Gallon (3.8 L) of gasoline. The LESAC Master Plan notes: When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. In pre-industrial times (pre-1780) the Earth’s atmosphere was composed of about 280 particles per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide. In 2009, the Earth’s atmosphere averaged 387 ppm of carbon dioxide, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report. Carbon dioxide, along with the other greenhouse gases—mostly nitrous oxide and methane—is a heat- trapping gas. As the Earth’s atmosphere thickens, greenhouse gases impede the ability of the Earth’s radiative heat to escape causing the surface of the Earth to warm and the climate to change (LESAC 2009, 10).
This information communicated through education and outreach will help Lafayette and other communities stress the urgency of the necessity to increase awareness about climate change and the need to create sustainable solutions.
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(002779-014) Energy Literacy Not only are Americans climate illiterate, but according to the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) they fail in energy knowledge as well. “Just 12% of Americans can pass a basic quiz on energy knowledge. One in eight Americans can correctly answer such questions as how most of our electricity is generated, whether gas mileage is rising or falling, and what the fastest growing sector of the economy is with regard to energy consumption” (NEETF 2002, 3). The report goes on to say: Much of the U.S. discussion of climate change concerns the effects that carbon emissions from organic fuel consumption have on the atmosphere. The survey shows that just 36%, or one in three Americans, know that most of our electricity is produced by burning coal. By contrast, some 36% believe that hydroelectric power provides most of America’s electricity and a majority believes our electric power comes from sources that do not pollute the atmosphere (NEETF 2002, 8).
There is also a lack of awareness about how much energy is wasted because of inefficiency. For example, according to the National Academies of Sciences’ booklet “What You Need To Know About Energy” (2009,) out of 100 units of energy at a typical coal power plant, roughly 62 units are lost as heat in the power plant, two units are lost through the transmissions lines, 34 units are lost as heat in a normal incandescent light bulb, with only 2 units of the original 100 being used to make light.
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Adapted from The National Academies 2009, 8.
Psychological Barriers The American Dream is very idealistic and has helped focus people in times of need, but there are some particular aspects of human psychology that run counter to environmental reality. Key psychological issues such as: “risk assessment, ignorance, uncertainty, mistrust and reactance, denial, judgmental discounting, place attachment, habit, perceived behavioral control, perceived risks from behavioral change, tokenism and the rebound effect, social comparison, norms, conformity, perceived equity, conflicting goals and aspirations, and belief in solutions outside of human control,” (APA 2009, 4) make it difficult to address climate change and sustainable solutions. Lafayette and other communities must find effective strategies for dealing with these barriers, some of which are ingrained in the American Dream. Establishing new social norms is perhaps a main priority.
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(002779-014) A report from the American Psychological Associations Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change (APA 2009) makes a number of recommendations for maximizing psychological concepts and research for effective responses to climate change. Among those recommendations are: 1. Using shared language and concepts from the Climate Research Community and explain different uses of language between psychology and climate research. 2. Focus on connections to other science fields including: social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences. 3. Provide psychological insights as they relate to confusion about climate change analysis. 4. Stress social disparities, climate and energy justice issues as they relate to climate change. Household Actions Researchers have identified 17 household actions that can help with near term reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. They range from fuel-efficient vehicles and carpooling to weatherization and thermostat setbacks. If implemented and with little or no reduction in household well-being, these strategies could potentially save 123 million metric tons of carbon per year in year 10 or 7.4% of U.S. national emissions (Dietz 2009, 18452).
VIII. Conclusion In looking at the City of Lafayette and how the American Dream has influenced this community, it is concluded that addressing the challenges of climate change and energy waste are enormous. Goals of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
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(002779-014) seem to be unreachable, unless drastic measures are taken. But through climate and energy literacy, along with strategies to address the psychological barriers, a more sustainable future is possible. While examining the city of Lafayette and its carbon footprint and looking at how it has been influenced by the American dream, it can be concluded that measuring the carbon footprint of a household, a city or a nation is only the very beginning of a process that requires education about climate and energy and awareness of the challenges we face. Word Count: 3801
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Bibliography Works Cited American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change (APA). (2009). “Psychology and Global Climate Change: Addressing a Multi-Faceted Phenomenon and Set of Challenges. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/science/ Barkenbus, J. (2008). Supersizing the american dream in an era of climate change. Environmental Law Reporter, 38 ELR 10857-10863. Boulder County Clerk. (2008). Motor Vehicle Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bouldercounty.org/clerk/motorvehicles/general/statistics.htm City of Lafayette. (2009). A Brief History of the City of Lafayette. Retrieved from: http://www.cityoflafayette.com/Page.asp?NavID=316 Cullen, J. (2003). The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation. Oxford University Press: New York. Dukes, J. (2003). Burning Buried Sunshine: Human Consumption of Ancient Solar Energy. Climatic Change. Vol. 61, No. 1-2, P. 31.44. Encyclopedia of Earth. (2009). Carbon Footprint. Retrieved from: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_footprint LESAC (Lafayette's Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee). (2009). City of Lafayette Energy Sustainability Master Plan. Prepared by the University of Colorado Denver, IGERT, Program on Sustainable Infrastructure. Library of Congress. (1997). What is the American Dream? Retrieved from: http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream.html Mahaffy, M. (1999). Defining Sustainability. School of Architecture & Construction Management. Retrieved from: http://www.arch.wsu.edu/09%20publications/sustain/defnsust.htm McCaffrey, M. & Buhr, S. (2008). Clarifying Climate Confusion: Addressing Systemic Holes, Cognitive Gaps, and Misconcpetions Through Climate Literacy. Physical Geography, 29. 512-528. Müller, M. & Heike Pahlow, H. (2005). The American Dream. Retrieved from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/usa/american-dream National Academy of Sciences. (2009). What You Need to Know About Energy.
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(002779-014) NEETF. (2002). Americans' Low "Energy IQ:" A Risk to Our Energy Future/Why America Needs a Refresher Course on Energy, in The Tenth Annual National Report Card: Energy Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior. National Environmental Education & Training Foundation: Washington, DC. U.S. Census Bureau. (2009). 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates, Lafayette, Colorado. Retrieved from: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). (2009). The Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy. Retrieved from: http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators/climate-literacy
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Milena van der Veen Candidate #: 002779-014 Centaurus High School 002779 Environmental Systems and Societies May 2010 Word Count: 3801
(002779-014) Abstract This paper will examine whether the American Dream contributes to climate change by looking at one particular community, Lafayette, Colorado, a former coal mining town, and examining recent actions being taken to become a more sustainable and environmentally conscious community. The larger context of these issues includes the “supersizing” of the American dream through larger houses and automobiles, a reliance on fossil fuels and the resulting rise of carbon emissions, and a proliferation of electrical appliances and technology, which have left a massive environmental impact, particularly on the climate. By collecting and analyzing data of the carbon footprint of Lafayette, connections will be made between the lifestyle of the residents in their pursuit of the American Dream and the city's overall carbon emissions and climate impact. Through this process of analysis, the need to revisit and essentially rethink the American Dream in this community and elsewhere will be demonstrated.
Word Count: 149 i
(002779-014) Table of Contents Page Abstract
i
Table of Contents
ii
I.
Introduction
1
II.
The American Dream and How it has Evolved
2
III.
The Clash between the American Dream and Sustainability
3
IV.
Background on Lafayette, Colorado
6
V.
Summary of Lafayette as a case study on the American Dream
VI.
VII.
and Carbon Footprints
8
The Greenhouse Gas Inventory
9
Buildings
10
Transportation
10
Materials and Waste
11
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets and Strategies
11
Revisiting and Reinventing the American Dream in Lafayette and Beyond
13
Climate Literacy
13
Energy Literacy
15
Psychological Barriers
16
Household Actions
17
VIII. Conclusion
17
Bibliography
19
ii
(002779-014) I. Introduction Addressing climate change and attempting to achieve sustainability is one of the most pressing issues currently facing our planet and its occupants. Sustainability is defined as “meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (Mahaffy 1999). What makes sustainability so important to today's times is the need to address climate change and rethink the way we live in order to protect the health of the environment. The way we live today has been influenced by the recurring American Dream that has been passed down through the years. This desire to live a fulfilled life of luxury and happiness has instilled a mind-set in many human's minds that they can be what they want to be, do what they want to do, and buy what they want to buy. This American Dream transcends the United States of America, influencing people who seek to increase their standard of living around the world (Library of Congress 1997). Although this way of thinking has led to many success stories, it has also created many environmental problems that we face today. Like many communities and organizations, the city of Lafayette has in recent years taken steps to measure and reduce its carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is: “A carbon footprint is the measure of the amount of greenhouse gases, measured in units of carbon dioxide, produced by human activities. A carbon footprint can be measured for an individual or an organization, and is typically given in tons of CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) per year” (The Encyclopedia of Earth 2009). There is overwhelming scientific consensus that greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels are increasing and are very likely the cause of rising global average temperature trends in the later part of the 20th century. Because carbon dioxide can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, the warming influence is
1
(002779-014) predicted to persist well into the next century (USGCRP 2009). The purpose of this essay is to survey the carbon footprint and related environmental impacts of one typical American community (Lafayette, Colorado) and examine strategies being developed to achieving a more sustainable lifestyle and in effect reinvent the American Dream.
II. The American Dream and How it has Evolved The concept of the American dream was first articulated by James Truslow Adams in 1931 in his book The Epic of America. He stated that the American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (Library of Congress 1997). Some believe that the American Dream is closely associated with the “pursuit for material prosperity”, in essence the desire to be able to purchase goods and services (Library of Congress 1997). Increasingly since WWII, the American Dream has been closely identified with home ownership, automobiles (such as SUV's), and upward social mobility (Cullen 2003). Now as we fast-forward through the years, the American dream has been characterized through the media as the cliché of the nuclear family living in a typical suburban home with a white picket fence, a loving spouse, and a stable well-paying job. In reality, the American Dream is complex, with many psychological dimensions that differ depending on the person. While pursuing the American dream, the social and environmental impacts have been overlooked as is evident from the lack of climate and energy literacy. Although the American Dream has helped inspire many people around the world, it is not without its critics. And, as we will examine, there is an environmental impact that has contributed to global climate change and related challenges. 2
(002779-014)
III. The Clash between the American Dream and Sustainability According to the National Academies in the Publication What You Need To Know About Energy (2009), currently the United States emits about one-quarter of greenhouse gases worldwide. The carbon dioxide emissions are likely to rise from 5.9 billion metric tons in 2006 to 7.4 billion metric tons by 2030, unless there are changes made to control carbon emissions (The National Academies 2009, 11). Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which trap infrared heat, amplify the greenhouse effect, contributing to global climate change.
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Economic Sector and Energy Source in 2005 Adapted from the National Academies 2009
Jack Barkenbus in his article “Supersizing the American Dream in an Era of Climate Change” says that “American individuals and households, through their pursuit of the American Dream, have created a lifestyle inimical to combating climate change” (Barkenbus 2008, 10857). He addresses a number of “supersizing” trends:
Housing- The bigger the house, the more accessibility to larger and more
3
(002779-014) appliances. The floor area of new homes is increasing although family size is decreasing. Larger homes also result in extensive garage space which allows for multiple personal vehicles. Mass amounts of electricity are required to heat and cool these homes. According to Barkenbus, “In 1949, the average single-family house consisted of 1,100 square feet (sq. ft.). By the 1970s, average house size had moved up incrementally to 1,385 sq. ft. but growth picked up considerably thereafter. The average house being built today is nearly 2,500 sq. ft.” (Barkenbus 2008, 10858). Compared to Europe, the square footage of houses in America is nearly twice that of houses in Britain, France, and Germany.
Appliances Inside the Home- Not only has the number of electronics and appliances increased in recent decades (see Table 1 below), but the energy footprint of these devices has as well. 147 terawatt hours (Twh) of electricity was consumed in U.S. homes in 2006 (Barkenbus 2008, 10858).
4
(002779-014)
Adapted from Barkenbus 2008,
Automobiles- SUV's and light trucks have increased in popularity, growing from about 20% of all personal vehicles in 1975 to roughly half today. The problem with these vehicles is that their fuel economy is less than automobiles. Fuel mileage per
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(002779-014) gallon has remained flat since the mid 1980s. Barkenbus notes that, “driving one mile in the United States requires 37% more fuel than it does, on average, in Europe” (Barkenbus 2008, 10860). Barkenbus concludes that supersizing has become “a pervasive feature of American life, contributing to making the United States a truly singular force for climate change” (Barkenbus 2008, 10863). IV. Background on Lafayette, Colorado Lafayette is a small city with a residential population of about 25,000, located in the southeast corner of Boulder County, Colorado. This historic mining community covers a total land area of approximately nine square miles (LESAC 2009, 10). This quaint, typical American community provides its residents an high quality of life by offering hundreds of acres of open space, high quality schools and parks, and accessibility to job centers in the Denver-metro area. In 1871, newlyweds Lafayette and Mary Miller moved to the area of what is now known as Lafayette (City of Lafayette 2009). Here they settled and began farming on land they had attained through the Homestead Act. It wasn't till her husband died suddenly in 1878 that Mary Miller gained an interest in coal mining. Luck found her in 1880, with the discovery a thick deposit of coal that was found under her own farm (LESAC 2009, 10). This finding resulted in the opening of the Simpson mine in 1887, and less than a year later, the nearby Cannon coal mine was put into operation (City of Lafayette 2009). In July of 1888, the first houses were built, two general stores opened as well as boarding houses and a livery stable to serve the mining industry. On January 6th, 1890 the city of Lafayette was officially incorporated (LESAC 2009, 10). The coal boom had begun and
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(002779-014) the newly named city of Lafayette flourished. Over the next forty years, coal continued to become an integrated part of Lafayette's economy. Lafayette's coal supply played an important role in the generation of electricity. The Waneka Lake power plant built in 1907 even provided the surrounding areas: Louisville, Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins, with their main source of electricity (LESAC 2009, 10). These became some of the first towns in Colorado to receive electricity. The reliance on coal subsided as the introduction to natural gas increased in the 1950s. This resulted in the closing of the Black Diamond mine in 1956 and the Eagle mine in 1979 (City of Lafayette 2009). In the 1970s, the Wallenberg natural gas field (Colorado's second largest natural gas field) was discovered (LESAC 2009, 11). This played a large role in the energy market and contributed to the region's economy. Coal and natural gas production have long been important components of Lafayette's heritage. The city of Lafayette has a range of diverse elements. Housing ranges from houses that date back to the 1880s in Old Town, to large trailer parks on the east side of the community such as Arbor Dale Acres, to subdivisions built in the 1970s and 1980s such as Centaur Village, and to higher end subdivisions such as Indian Peaks and Blue Heron built in the 1990s. According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, Lafayette had 9,541 occupied housing units, the median age was 38.2, the median income per household was $69,634 per year, 6.1% of families and 7.4% of the population was below the poverty line, the city's racial make-up was 85.4% White, 19.6% Latino, with small numbers of African-Americans, Native Americans, and Asians (U.S Census Bureau 2009).
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V. Summary of Lafayette as a case study on the American Dream and Carbon Footprint Unique in some respects, Lafayette, Colorado is also in many ways a typical American community of about 25,000. It has been a relatively affordable community to pursue the American Dream of home ownership, raise a nuclear family, and maintain a steady job. As awareness has increased in recent years about how human activities such as burning fossil fuels for electricity and transportation, the City of Lafayette has looked to measure its impacts, reduce waste, save money, and support sustainable lifestyles. Established by the City Council, the Lafayette Energy Sustainability Committee (LESAC) developed a master plan that notes: The citizens of Lafayette recognize that climate change is occurring and could, if not addressed, have a substantial detriment to the way of life for Lafayette’s current and future residents, including impacts on Colorado’s local agricultural production, mountain snow pack, and water supplies. (LESAC 2009, 11)
Drawing data from a variety of sources and looking specifically at three different sectors- Buildings, Transportation, Materials and Waste and using carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 e) as the common unit of measure. The LESAC Master Plan summarized the community's carbon footprint as follows: In 2007, the City of Lafayette emitted 346,000 metric tons (mt) of greenhouse gases. This equates to 13.8mt-CO2e per resident. For comparison, Denver emitted 25.2 mt-CO2e in 2005 and the national per capita average in 2005 was 25.3 mt-CO2e. On the other hand, European countries average 15-mt-CO2e (per person) (LESAC 2009, 17).
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Adapted from the LESAC Master Plan, 2009
VI. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory The City of Lafayette's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory used to measure the City's carbon footprint was developed by the University of Colorado Denver's Program on Sustainable Infrastructure. Using GHG accounting protocols, the inventory looked at Direct Emissions (Scope 1), Indirect Emissions from Electricity Production (Scope 2), and other Indirect Emissions (Scope 3). The largest source of emissions was electricity, which combined residential, commercial, and industrial electricity (Scope 2) at 37% of all emissions, followed by combustion of gasoline fuel at 17%. It is worth noting that food production and transportation, diesel and gasoline production and combustion, and airline travel emissions total to 46% of the total emissions (LESAC 2009, 17).
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Adapted from the LESAC Master Plan 2009
Buildings Using 2007 data, the total greenhouse gas emissions (mtCO2e) equaled 180,971 of which 74,623 were commercial and 94,272 were residential. On the commercial side, the bulk of the emissions came from electricity (57,705) and with far fewer emissions from natural gas (16,918). On the residential side, electricity emissions were 59,144 and natural gas emissions 35,129. Per Capita greenhouse gas emissions for the building sector were 3.8 mtCO2e. The city of Lafayette's energy utility is Xcel Energy, which uses coal as the primary fuel for generating electricity (LESAC 2009, 17). Transportation Based on daily vehicle miles traveled from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) the average Lafayette resident in 2007 commuted 16 miles a day, consumed 354 gallons of gasoline a year, and emitted 3.3 mtCO2e a year. Like many communities in America, the lifestyles of Lafayette residents revolve around the daily usage of cars. In a city of about 25,000, it is interesting to note that there are over 19,000 10
(002779-014) cars registered, which totals to more than one car per adult (Boulder County Clerk 2008). Materials and Waste The total greenhouse gas emissions for producing key urban materials total 80,069 of which food and packaging dominate (49,424), followed by fuel production (21,635), and cement manufacturing (9,009). These upstream emissions are somewhat offset by downstream waste and recycling, which would reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions to 78,420. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets and Strategies The City of Lafayette plans to reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by 20% less than 2007 levels and by 2050, 80% below 2007 levels. The city has six main goals for its Sustainable Energy Plan (LESAC 2009, 24): 1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2. Promote energy conservation 3. Promote clean renewable energy generation 4. Encourage economic development through local energy jobs 5. Reduce energy costs through reduced energy consumption 6. Develop and support sustainable energy education To achieve these goals, the LESAC Master Plan recommends the following strategies: in the residential sector their objective is to build on existing programs promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy systems, such as the Energy Star New Home Program and the Residential Energy Action Program. They also suggest encouraging Lafayette residents to purchase renewable energy through programs such as: Xcel Energy's WindSource and SolarRewards programs. In the commercial sector, they encourage businesses to take advantage of programs such as Xcel Energy's Demand Side Management Program, and to use the United States Green Building Council's LEED 11
(002779-014) Certification for new construction. In the municipal sector, the plan aims to continue energy reduction in city buildings and facilities, increase average fuel efficiency of city vehicles, and promote EcoDriving practices to improve efficiency. For the transportation sector, the recommendations focus on increasing vehicle mileage, reducing mileage travelled, encouraging the use of mass transit and non-polluting options such as bicycles. In addition, the report suggests four complimentary strategy types; education, economic development, land use, and cooperation with other energy programs. Within education, the strategy promotes sustainable energy education in schools, homes, businesses, and city operations. It also suggests energy education seminars at the local library and encouraged citizen involvement in programs. For economic development, the report suggests that the city is ripe for redevelopment, particularly for green technology companies. For land use, the plan is to help develop a more walkable community, improve bicycle access, and make the make the community less dependent on cars. In addition, it encourages improving the carbon capturing capacity of the environment through healthy grasslands, trees, open space, and farmland. Finally, the plan calls for cooperation with other energy programs including the Boulder County Consortium of Cities Energy Strategy Task Force and the City's Waste Reduction Advisory Committee (LESAC 2009, 24). This is an example of how communities such as Lafayette are becoming more aware of their energy use and its environmental impacts by first measuring then beginning to reduce their carbon footprint. But Lafayette, like many communities, is very reliant on fossil fuels dating back to its earliest days. Recent sustainability efforts may not be enough to prevent major climate change and prepare communities for change that is already occurring. Although small steps to minimize individual and community carbon footprints
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(002779-014) are being taken, the need for looking at our daily lifestyles and behavior is clear. This requires rethinking the American Dream.
VII. Revisiting and Reinventing the American Dream in Lafayette and Beyond Through the pursuit to fulfill one's personal American Dream, we as a society have often been blind to the environmental and social impacts caused by pursuing and achieving the Dream. Programs that Lafayette and other communities have developed to reduce their carbon footprints such as, renewable energy programs and education and outreach efforts, face big challenges to achieve these ambitious goals. Improving climate literacy, energy use awareness, recognizing and addressing the psychological barriers towards achieving sustainability, and taking steps at the household level will be necessary to achieve a sustainable future. Climate Literacy In the article Clarifying Climate Confusion: Addressing Systemic Holes, Cognitive Gaps, and Misconceptions Through Climate Literacy, McCaffrey (2008) describes some of the key misconceptions that have contributed to society's not understanding and ignorance to basic climate science. Noting that climate science has been missing from much science education over the past fifty years, he points to the recently released “Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy” as a tool for helping increase awareness. The Essential Principles, published by the United States Global Change Research Program state that climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives, including disruption of ecosystems, acidification of the ocean, increases in extreme weather events including heat waves, altered precipitation patterns impacting freshwater resources, and rising of sea level, that obviously will not directly impact Lafayette but will directly impact coastal communities (McCaffrey & Buhr 2008, 516). In 13
(002779-014) addition, climate change will affect human health and mortality rates. It also offers a “Guiding Principle for Informed Climate Decision” which says, “Humans can take actions to reduce climate change and its impacts” (USGCRP 2009). Others have pointed out that there is little awareness of how fossil fuels are in effect forms of buried solar energy. In his article, which estimates the amount of photosynthetically fixed and stored carbon in various forms of fossil fuels, Dukes (2003) estimates that approximately 90 metric tons of ancient plant matter was required as precursor material for one U.S. Gallon (3.8 L) of gasoline. The LESAC Master Plan notes: When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. In pre-industrial times (pre-1780) the Earth’s atmosphere was composed of about 280 particles per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide. In 2009, the Earth’s atmosphere averaged 387 ppm of carbon dioxide, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report. Carbon dioxide, along with the other greenhouse gases—mostly nitrous oxide and methane—is a heat- trapping gas. As the Earth’s atmosphere thickens, greenhouse gases impede the ability of the Earth’s radiative heat to escape causing the surface of the Earth to warm and the climate to change (LESAC 2009, 10).
This information communicated through education and outreach will help Lafayette and other communities stress the urgency of the necessity to increase awareness about climate change and the need to create sustainable solutions.
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(002779-014) Energy Literacy Not only are Americans climate illiterate, but according to the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) they fail in energy knowledge as well. “Just 12% of Americans can pass a basic quiz on energy knowledge. One in eight Americans can correctly answer such questions as how most of our electricity is generated, whether gas mileage is rising or falling, and what the fastest growing sector of the economy is with regard to energy consumption” (NEETF 2002, 3). The report goes on to say: Much of the U.S. discussion of climate change concerns the effects that carbon emissions from organic fuel consumption have on the atmosphere. The survey shows that just 36%, or one in three Americans, know that most of our electricity is produced by burning coal. By contrast, some 36% believe that hydroelectric power provides most of America’s electricity and a majority believes our electric power comes from sources that do not pollute the atmosphere (NEETF 2002, 8).
There is also a lack of awareness about how much energy is wasted because of inefficiency. For example, according to the National Academies of Sciences’ booklet “What You Need To Know About Energy” (2009,) out of 100 units of energy at a typical coal power plant, roughly 62 units are lost as heat in the power plant, two units are lost through the transmissions lines, 34 units are lost as heat in a normal incandescent light bulb, with only 2 units of the original 100 being used to make light.
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Adapted from The National Academies 2009, 8.
Psychological Barriers The American Dream is very idealistic and has helped focus people in times of need, but there are some particular aspects of human psychology that run counter to environmental reality. Key psychological issues such as: “risk assessment, ignorance, uncertainty, mistrust and reactance, denial, judgmental discounting, place attachment, habit, perceived behavioral control, perceived risks from behavioral change, tokenism and the rebound effect, social comparison, norms, conformity, perceived equity, conflicting goals and aspirations, and belief in solutions outside of human control,” (APA 2009, 4) make it difficult to address climate change and sustainable solutions. Lafayette and other communities must find effective strategies for dealing with these barriers, some of which are ingrained in the American Dream. Establishing new social norms is perhaps a main priority.
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(002779-014) A report from the American Psychological Associations Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change (APA 2009) makes a number of recommendations for maximizing psychological concepts and research for effective responses to climate change. Among those recommendations are: 1. Using shared language and concepts from the Climate Research Community and explain different uses of language between psychology and climate research. 2. Focus on connections to other science fields including: social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences. 3. Provide psychological insights as they relate to confusion about climate change analysis. 4. Stress social disparities, climate and energy justice issues as they relate to climate change. Household Actions Researchers have identified 17 household actions that can help with near term reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. They range from fuel-efficient vehicles and carpooling to weatherization and thermostat setbacks. If implemented and with little or no reduction in household well-being, these strategies could potentially save 123 million metric tons of carbon per year in year 10 or 7.4% of U.S. national emissions (Dietz 2009, 18452).
VIII. Conclusion In looking at the City of Lafayette and how the American Dream has influenced this community, it is concluded that addressing the challenges of climate change and energy waste are enormous. Goals of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
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(002779-014) seem to be unreachable, unless drastic measures are taken. But through climate and energy literacy, along with strategies to address the psychological barriers, a more sustainable future is possible. While examining the city of Lafayette and its carbon footprint and looking at how it has been influenced by the American dream, it can be concluded that measuring the carbon footprint of a household, a city or a nation is only the very beginning of a process that requires education about climate and energy and awareness of the challenges we face. Word Count: 3801
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Bibliography Works Cited American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change (APA). (2009). “Psychology and Global Climate Change: Addressing a Multi-Faceted Phenomenon and Set of Challenges. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/science/ Barkenbus, J. (2008). Supersizing the american dream in an era of climate change. Environmental Law Reporter, 38 ELR 10857-10863. Boulder County Clerk. (2008). Motor Vehicle Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.bouldercounty.org/clerk/motorvehicles/general/statistics.htm City of Lafayette. (2009). A Brief History of the City of Lafayette. Retrieved from: http://www.cityoflafayette.com/Page.asp?NavID=316 Cullen, J. (2003). The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation. Oxford University Press: New York. Dukes, J. (2003). Burning Buried Sunshine: Human Consumption of Ancient Solar Energy. Climatic Change. Vol. 61, No. 1-2, P. 31.44. Encyclopedia of Earth. (2009). Carbon Footprint. Retrieved from: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_footprint LESAC (Lafayette's Energy Sustainability Advisory Committee). (2009). City of Lafayette Energy Sustainability Master Plan. Prepared by the University of Colorado Denver, IGERT, Program on Sustainable Infrastructure. Library of Congress. (1997). What is the American Dream? Retrieved from: http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/thedream.html Mahaffy, M. (1999). Defining Sustainability. School of Architecture & Construction Management. Retrieved from: http://www.arch.wsu.edu/09%20publications/sustain/defnsust.htm McCaffrey, M. & Buhr, S. (2008). Clarifying Climate Confusion: Addressing Systemic Holes, Cognitive Gaps, and Misconcpetions Through Climate Literacy. Physical Geography, 29. 512-528. Müller, M. & Heike Pahlow, H. (2005). The American Dream. Retrieved from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/usa/american-dream National Academy of Sciences. (2009). What You Need to Know About Energy.
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(002779-014) NEETF. (2002). Americans' Low "Energy IQ:" A Risk to Our Energy Future/Why America Needs a Refresher Course on Energy, in The Tenth Annual National Report Card: Energy Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior. National Environmental Education & Training Foundation: Washington, DC. U.S. Census Bureau. (2009). 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates, Lafayette, Colorado. Retrieved from: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). (2009). The Essential Principles of Climate Science Literacy. Retrieved from: http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators/climate-literacy
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