Energy Committee

Energy efficiency: our most effective tool against global warming

Wednesday, September 26, 7:00 - 9:00 pm at Sierra Club Headquarters, third floor, 85 Second Street (one block from Montgomery BART/Muni station) in San Francisco.

Energy efficiency and conservation should be our first tool to combat global warming - to slow and even to reverse the growth of greenhouse gases. While conservation may be ingrained in the lives of environmentalists, the challenge before us is to motivate or mandate a shift throughout society.

The September meeting of the Bay Chapter Energy Committee will focus on local and statewide actions to expand energy efficiency and conservation. Following a brief presentation of current programs in California, we'll have an open discussion of questions such as:

• what's the difference between energy efficiency and energy conservation?
• how can California use less energy while the population is expanding into hot inland areas?
• what is California doing now to increase energy efficiency?
• why is PG&E running energy-efficiency programs?
• what energy-efficiency technologies will available soon?
• is energy efficiency always cost-effective?
• what can Sierra Club members do to help?

Other questions and concerns from participants will be encouraged. While we'll have some of the answers, the overarching goal will be to define issues and actions for volunteers to pursue.

The Energy Committee meets the fourth Wednesday of every month (locations may vary), from 7:00 - 9:00 pm, and meetings are open to all. Feel free to bring a friend.

New Energy Committee web site!

The Chapter Energy Committee has launched a web site about our active campaigns:

• greening the local grid through Community Choice Energy;
• championing Plug-In Electric Hybrids through the Plug-In Bay Area partnership;
• reducing local permit fees for solar installations;
• launching a pioneering energy-saving contest through the San Francisco Climate Challenge.

We are also debuting a new Homeowners Guide to Going Solar.

Check out our new web site at sfbay.sierraclub.org/energy