Happy #MotivationMonday GreenATLiens! Meet Taylor, a local wildlife conservation educator and leader in sustainability in Atlanta! Taylor currently spends her days educating the next generation about wildlife conservation at Zoo Atlanta, and actively dedicates her free time as a Climate Reality Atlanta member and Browns Mill Food Forest volunteer
Born and raised in Decatur, Taylor first became interested in wildlife after watching an Animal Planet special on dolphins. In high school Taylor gained hands-on experience in conservation in North Dakota via The Nature Conservancy’s Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF) program. This experience as well as Arabia Mountain High School’s environmental integrated curriculum piqued her interest in pursuing conservation further as a biology student in college.
As an undergraduate at the University of West Georgia Taylor became a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar, spending two consecutive summers in service to conservation work in the Colorado Plateau with the U.S. Geological Survey and Northern Arizona University and with the University of Maryland studying the effects of sea level rise on salt marsh migration, respectively.
Taylor’s experience as a Mayor’s Office of Resilience Sustainability Ambassador further inspired Taylor to make connections between sustainability and other areas such as environmental justice, workers’ rights, and how our consumption habits can influence the systems at work in our daily lives.
Taylor’s #calltoaction is to watch the documentary The True Cost on the fast fashion industry’s environmental and human impacts and consider boycotting fast fashion.
Happy #FridaysForFuture GreenATLiens! The blue dots on the map above show PFAS “forever chemicals” detected in the drinking water. See any where you or your loved ones live?
PFAS can interfere with the body’s natural hormones, increase cholesterol levels, affect the immune system, and increase the risk of some cancers (source). A regular water filter won’t filter it out. So what can we do about it?
Click here to tell Congress to stop toxic PFAS manufacturing & start cleanup now.
To view the interactive map of PFAS contamination sites and to learn more about PFAS, click here.
Meet Parul Srivastava! @parul.s.srivastava is a GreenATLien making Atlanta greener by mobilizing her classmates to climate strikes on and off campus! An ambitious Georgia Tech Math major + CS minor from outside Des Moines, Iowa, Parul has always taken an interest in political advocacy.
As a high school student, she founded the Community of Racial Equality (CORE) to build solidarity between students of color and provide opportunities for internships and college preparation. From there, Parul organized CORE members’ participation in #ClimateStrikes and @marchforourlives in Des Moines. As an undergraduate in Atlanta, Parul continues to advocate for climate justice, starting with organic conversations with peers and organizing her network to show up at climate strikes at the GA State Capitol and on Georgia Tech’s campus.
Parul’s #calltoaction: Try reducing red meat consumption and learn more about the meat industry. If the amount of energy it takes to produce one burger is equivalent to running an A/C for 24 hours, something is wrong!
Happy #fridaysforfuture GreenATLiens! At the start of the New Year the @atlantabeltline continues construction of the Southside Trail, connecting the Eastside and Westside trails in a “U” shape. This ATLien observed while 🚲levitating🚲 down the BeltLine segment on Bill Kennedy that a new segment of BeltLine path has been completed since two weeks ago.
Newly constructed Beltline
What will a completed Southside Trail mean for Atlanta’s future?
Reduced traffic as more residents choose the BeltLine over driving to commute?
Increased property values, rent increases, displacement of low income families, and gentrification spreading Southward? The @atlantabeltline is aware of this possibility and will be providing a renter’s rights workshop 1/27 at @thekenekt to empower renters…
Opening of more grocery stores near the Southside BeltLine, furthering @keishabottoms’s vision of eliminating all food deserts in Atlanta by 2022?
The fight of a lifetime to preserve and create new affordable housing in Atlanta (that’s actually affordable)?
How do you envision the completed Southside trail will affect Atlanta’s future? What precautions can the @cityofatlantaga take to prevent the worst outcomes and encourage equity and inclusivity for all?
#MotivationMonday – Meet Andrew! Andrew Wright is a GreenATLien increasing awareness around sustainability by organizing community education workshops and tours. Andrew is the founder of Green Done Wright, where he applies his background in Environmental Science to educating the public on a range of topics including but not limited to vertical hydroponic farming and zero waste cleaning.
Andrew has always been a mover and shaker. As an undergraduate Andrew spearheaded a student-led effort to start a community garden on his college campus, and as an alumnus he continues to provide technical support to its current student leadership. As a Master Composter, an LEED Green Associate, and a Sustainability Ambassador of Atlanta, Andrew has a wealth of knowledge and expertise he is excited to share with others.
Andrew recommends taking a look at the daily waste you produce and finding low or zero waste replacements. Everything from food waste, clothes, household utilities, dryer sheets, and even recyclables are made from precious resources. The things we consume take a lot of time, energy and labor to produce and transport to you, the consumer.
Share in the comments what waste you’re struggling to reduce right now, Andrew is here to help!
Greetings #GreenATLiens! And a happy #fridaysforfuture to you! This Friday we’d like to show you how the future of renewable energy is shaping up in our state! .
According to local nonprofit GreenPower EMC, their members have 33 active renewable energy projects in the state and 11 more under construction.By 2021, Georgia is projected to have ~10,200 acres of solar farms, up from ~3,200 in 2018.
According to the Consumer Energy Alliance, Georgia’s “solar boom” ranks third in the Southeast after Florida and North Carolina, and tied with Virginia. Despite this growth, less than 5% of Georgia’s energy comes from renewable sources. Georgia Beyond Coal was able to bump that up to 15% locally in Athens Clarke County through student activism efforts.
According to a UC Berkeley study, solar energy creates over seven times more jobs than coal or oil per mega watt hour (MWh) produced (source).
You can support the development of renewable energy in Georgia by contacting your senators, representatives, and city council members to express your full support of 100% renewable energy by 2035.
Senator David Perdue Email(404) 865-0087 (ATL) (202) 224-3521 (DC)
Senator Johnny Isakson Email(770) 661-0999 (ATL) (202) 224-3643 (DC)
As Climate Changes, Southern States Will Suffer More Than Others.
Arguably Georgia is already suffering, as we are in our fifth drought of the past two decades, a record breaking frequency for droughts in Georgia’s natural history.
This information extracted from lecture and slides shown at the #GeorgiaClimateConference that convened November 6-8 at Emory University.
At the beginning of this month, the Earthlings of Georgia’s academia, government, media, and business came together for the Georgia Climate Conference held at Emory University. This ATLien watched all 8 hours of live streamed footage, took 25 pages of notes, and whittled it down to 8 points that may be of interest to other GreenATLiens. I hope you find this sum-up informative.
8 Facts from the Georgia Climate Conference
1) Climate change is caused by human activity.
Dr. Marshall Shepherd of Emory University made this very clear. He used the following data to prove this point:
How do we know it’s us? Line graphs from Dr. Shepherd’s presentation showing the relationship between human influence (in red) with the observed average temperature difference from average (in black)
Bar graph from Dr. Shepherd’s presentation, “Radiative Forcing Caused by Human Activities Since 1750” showing human activities’ warming effects on the climate.
Bar graph from Dr. Shepherd’ presentation showing the recent rapid rise in global Earth surface temperatures and their correlation with natural disasters.
2) Climate change is hurting Georgia’s economy.
Climate Change Affecting Georgia’s Ag Economy
Dick Byne of Byne Blueberry farms shares how climate change has affected his crops.
Blueberry farmers are seeing lower yields due to climate fluctuations throwing off the growing season. Warmer winters start the bloom seasons earlier and then freeze, killing the crop. Additionally, Georgia is experiencing a drought. To give some reference, from 1945-2000 Georgia experienced 3 droughts. From 2000-2019 Georgia has experienced 5 droughts, the fifth of which we are still in (see Doug Hooker’s presentation). With rising temperatures affecting Southern states more than others (see figure above), intense heat requires more frequent watering of crops. This depletes the local water table more quickly that the water cycle can naturally replace it. The drought also results in lower crop yields. The drought is effectively shriveling the agricultural economy of the state.
More Frequent Extreme Weather Events are Costly to Governments, Agriculture, and Coastal Tourism
Five severe weather incidents have occurred in Georgia in the past three years, some only months apart.
The American Red Cross response to Hurricane Michael in Florida and Georgia resulted in over 44K climate shelter stays, over 2 million meals and snacks distributed, over 270K relief items distributed, 4.5K families receiving recovery casework, and over 36K health contacts.
Hurricane Dorian (2019) became one of the Atlantic’s longest-lasting named storms and most destructive to strike the northern Bahamas.
Extreme weather has wreaked havoc on infrastructure and local economies. In the aftermath of more intense and frequent hurricanes, city governments shoulder mounting costs to rebuild lost infrastructure. 100 mph winds have hurt valuable agricultural crops in Southwest Georgia. Extreme weather also hurts Georgia’s tourism economy, most famously Tybee that was devastated by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Learn more about coastal Georgia’s struggle against climate change in this 27 m documentary, The Rising Sea.
3) Renewable energy in Georgia is growing, especially solar.
In Georgia, less than 5% of our energy comes from renewable sources (source). There are pockets -Athens, for example- where activism has resulted in higher rates of renewable energy use. Beyond Coal UGA was successful in shutting down a coal burning power plant and now the city of Athens supplies 15% of its energy from renewable sources. Both Athens and Atlanta have put in writing plans to reach 100% renewable energy by 2035. Small cities like Oxford are incentivizing solar panel installation on private homes, and The Ray has installed 18 miles of solar pavement on highway I-85and a solar-powered EV station in LaGrange, Georgia (see below).
In 2010 solar energy made up only 1% of Georgia’s available renewable energy. In 2018 solar had grown to 87% of Georgia’s renewable energy, and is projected to continue to grow significantly in the near future. Slide from GreenPower EMC’s presentation at the Georgia Climate Conference.
Georgia currently has 24 solar projects operating and 11 more under construction. Many peanut farmers in Southwest Georgia are converting their land into solar farms. Slide from GreenPower EMC’s presentation at the Georgia Climate Conference.
In 2019 Southwest Georgia peanut farmer Steve Singletary sold 1400 acres to the solar provider Silicon Ranch. The 1400 acres will hold 355,000 solar panels. And he’s not the only peanut farmer in Southwest Georgia converting land into solar farms (see above).
Georgia’s solar industry growth is third in the southeast behind Florida and North Carolina.
Solar pavement is being installed in LaGrange, Georgia
Athens is at 15% renewable energy with the goal to reach 100% by 2035, and they’ve calculated it will save them $12 million in 10 years!
EV sales have been on the rise in Georgia.
4) Georgia’s GHG emissions are falling.
According to the Consumer Energy Alliance, Georgia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are falling in response to statewide efforts, in spite of population and GDP growth (below).
Graph showing Georgia’s population growth (blue) and economic growth (orange) since 1990.
Local governments in Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, and Oxford are making efforts to couple their commitments to renewable energy with effort to reduce energy consumption. Organizations, enterprises, and student groups are retrofitting homes to reduce energy use and help families save money on utility bills. Beyond Coal was successful in shutting down a coal-burning power plant in Athens. The growth in the solar sector has also helped reduce emissions. Additionally, for-profit companies like Interface have examined their environmental impact and worked to reduce it (see below).
Interface has improved their company footprint impressively in the last 25 years.
5) Georgia has 24.6 MILLION acres of forests.
Georgia is apparently a massive carbon sink. You’re welcome, America!
And get this: Georgia has a carbon registry that compensates landowners for sequestering carbon (via forests), paid for by corporations looking to offset their carbon emissions.
6) Georgia is #1…. in a lot of things.
One thing the speakers at the Georgia Climate Conference made clear was that Georgia was #1 in a lot of things. What things? Not peaches, in case you were wondering. South Carolina actually holds that title.
Georgia is the U.S.’s #1 producer of peanuts, and has more blueberry farms than any other state in the U.S. Georgia is also the #1 forestry state according to Andres Villegas of the Georgia Forestry Association (see #5).
Georgia ranks #6 in the U.S. for biodiversity (source). Not #1, but still note-worthy, and likely owing to our large acreage of forests as well as coastal regions and wetlands.
7) Georgia is addressing its current drought with infrastructural changes.
As mentioned above, Georgia has experienced a record frequency of droughts since the year 2000. 1945-2000 Georgia experienced 3 droughts, and 2000-2019 Georgia has experienced five, including the current one. To address this, the Atlanta Regional Commission has replaced over 125,000 toilets in seniors’ homes with water efficient models. Since 2000, with over 1.3 million new people in Georgia, our water withdrawals have decreased by 10%.
Cox, Georgia’s largest private company, is funding efforts to reduce water use in farming. They’re promoting the use of more sustainable, water-independent fertilizers that don’t require water to melt a coating and release nutrients into the soil. They’re also supporting efforts for controlled environment agriculture in city centers that reportedly uses 80% less water than traditional farming methods.
Donald Chase of Chase Farms, a peanut farmer from Macon, GA, reported that he and other farmers like him in Georgia have started using sensors to verify when crops need water, and with the use of the sensors farmers have been able to increase crop yields while increasing their water efficiency as well.
8) Georgia has many groups and individuals dedicated to climate action.
Here are links to all the people and groups mentioned in the 8 hour live footage of the Georgia Climate Conference:
Interface – flooring company taking big strides in reducing their waste and resource use (see #4).
Byne Blueberry Farms – first organic blueberry farm in Georgia and the Southeast
Atlanta Regional Commission – The agency also serves as a regional convener, bringing diverse stakeholders to the table to address the most important issues facing metro Atlanta, including transportation, livability, water resource management, and more.
Atlanta Youth Energy Corps – A Metro Atlanta-based, youth-led team committed to implementing energy equity programs that center youth leadership, racial and social justice, and local collaboration.
Beyond Coal Georgia – Shut down a coal-fired power plant in Athens to propel Athens towards current rates of 15% renewable energy use, 10% more than the state average.
Georgia Climate Change Coalition – increases awareness about climate change and its projected impacts through education, advocacy and action
Athens for Everyone – civic engagement group for improved livability in Athens
Clean Energy Atlanta – Planning for an equitable 100% clean energy transition in Atlanta
Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge – Building owners and managers who join the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge pledge to save energy and water 20% by 2020 in their selected buildings.
Consumer Energy Alliance – advocates for energy policies by providing unbiased information on energy issues
Cox Conserves – driving positive environmental change — inside our company and within the communities we serve
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If you have notes for the sessions that were NOT recorded in the live footage, please send them to greenatliens at gmail dot com.
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