Combatting Climate Change: Passing The Green New Deal Is Key

Prepared by Carl Davidson, National Co-Chair, Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism

Hundred of factors are shaping a hostile climate, but at the core are those burning carbon for energy. The transition to green renewables is the solution, but it requires an enabling act, and political will, in every country.

Wind turbines and solar arrays among many new power sources.

The Problem: 200+ Years of Industrialization Fueled by Carbon

200 years ago, early mass energy from coal was first dug with the aid of steam water pumps. Coal was burned to dig deeper coal mines, and burned again to transport the coal to factories burning coal to power machines.Burning coal is only part of the problem: Carbon takes many forms

Pittsburgh in 1944. Lights on, but clock shows Noon

An Alternative Source Is At Hand: Green Renewables in Many Forms

The Sun is a fusion reactor, and solar arrays and cells gather its radiation directly

The Sun-Moon-Earth interaction changes weather and tides, allowing for wind, wave and hydro generation

The pull of the Sun and Moon also shifts and cracks the Earth’s crust, allowing geothermal sources to be used

More than 90% of our energy can come from these sources by 2050

Not New: Green Energy Started in a Big Way with FDR’s New Deal

It can be done, but it requires THINKING BIG

TVA covered seven states and had 45 hydroelectric plants

Hoover Dam captures the entire flow of the Colorado, producing an average has been about 4.2 TWh/year

Rural Electrification. By 1942, nearly 50% of US farms had electricity, and by 1952 almost all US farms had electricity. In 1949, the REA became authorized to provide loans to rural telephone coops.

Today’s Green New Deal Would Continue with Solar, Wind and Wave

Building the GND ‘hardware’ is a job generator. One wind turbine has 8000 lbs of steel and 12,000 parts

New technical breakthroughs on solar cells will make it cheaper than coal in 5-10 years

Wind farms already exist as public coops

Wave generators work with the ebb and flow of the tides or rivers

Above: Solar panels, mirrors and collectors for storage

Iowa wind coop. Left: wave and current turbines

But Green Energy Also Requires the ‘Smart Grid’ Revolutionary Upgrade

The flow of energy in the existing power grid only goes on one direction, from source to the user

Maximum efficiency and waste reduction requires a two-directional grid with information feedback

Building the ‘Smart Grid’ could supply an enormous number of green jobs to create (but fewer to maintain), while reducing the cost of power dramatically

Smart meter:Power lines andInternet combined

Above:Old Grid

Below: Smart Two-Way Grid

The Smart Grid Is Best Done as a Global Project

Bucky Fuller’s dymaxion map (land surrounded by water) suggests how a world grid is feasible

The wind is always blowing and the Sun is shining somewhere

Daylight energy can be routed to night areas, clear to clouded, as well as stored

Wind energy storage

Getting the Political Clout to Pass the Green New Deal

Organize and unite a Green New Deal majority in your neighborhood, ward, town, city and Congressional District

Build coalitions with unions, the under-employed and jobless, community groups and environmentalists

Elect local, city and state officials committed to fight

Elect a Green New Deal Majority to Congress

We’re Not Starting From ZeroA large minority of both houses already lean green on many issuesThe People’s Budget of the Congressional Progressive Caucus contain all the elements of the Green New Deal, and has 80 votes.Bernie Sanders $1 Trillion ‘Rebuild America Act’ submitted to the Senate includes the Green New DealJill Stein and the Green Party done tireless education of it as part of their campaign

The Key Link: Break the Grip of the Far Right GOP ‘Freedom Caucus’

No progressive legislation of any sort can get to the floor and get a vote without breaking up this blockade

Trump thinks climate change is a Chinese hoax