{"id":1697,"date":"2010-05-31T20:43:07","date_gmt":"2010-06-01T02:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boulderblueline.org\/?p=1697"},"modified":"2010-06-01T08:04:40","modified_gmt":"2010-06-01T14:04:40","slug":"dithering-against-climate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boulderblueline.org\/?p=1697","title":{"rendered":"Dithering Against Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the US, buildings are responsible for almost half (48%) of annual greenhouse gas emissions; globally, the percentage is even greater.\u00a0 Since all of the buildings in the entire world are existing, if we do not make significant reductions to building greenhouse gas emissions, then we aren\u2019t serious about addressing climate change.<\/p>\n

This Tuesday, City Council will decide whether proposed \u201csmart regulations\u201d (energy efficiency upgrade regulations for existing residential rental buildings) should advance to the next stage of Council consideration.\u00a0 These \u201csmart regulations\u201d will be one of the City\u2019s most substantive act after years of delay toward addressing climate change and achieving City climate action plan goals, which include achievement of Kyoto Protocol goals.<\/p>\n

During last week\u2019s public testimony before City Council on this issue, many landlords and their lobby, the Boulder Area Rental Housing Association (BARHA) turned out in force, packing Council chambers to oppose Smart Regulations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0 Reasons given ranged from asserting such regulations would have no effect because irresponsible renters will negate any building improvements, to asserting that older buildings can\u2019t be reasonably improved (despite decades of evidence to the contrary).\u00a0 However, other landlords testified that they had already made the types of \u00a0building improvements that the Smart Regulations will require and had realized cost effective benefits.<\/p>\n

Fundamentally, the opposing landlords\u2019 resistance to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions is about who foots the bill.\u00a0 They do not want to incur the cost of change.\u00a0 We have spent 150 years since the industrial revolution getting into this climate change predicament.\u00a0 Surely no one believes addressing it will not incur costs.<\/p>\n

If Boulderites want building greenhouse gas emissions reduced and building owners don\u2019t want to pay the cost, then who pays?\u00a0\u00a0 Me?\u00a0 You?<\/p>\n

Or maybe we do nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 But that has costs too; it just increases and transfers them from landlords to everyone else.<\/p>\n

Scientists give us 10 years to be well on our way toward global greenhouse gas emission reductions to avoid catastrophic climate change.\u00a0 Yet in last week\u2019s Council meeting, landlords suggested if such smart regulations were to be implemented, there should be a long phase in period, such as 15 years.<\/p>\n

Now I\u2019ll go out on a limb here and presume that most readers accept that climate change is real, dangerous and critical; that it represents a serious threat to livelihoods and lives throughout the world and that immediate and substantive action might be prudent.\u00a0 If climate change was treated as a life threatening disease such as clogged arteries, would it be prudent to reject your doctor\u2019s recommendation for immediate bypass surgery because you didn\u2019t want to spend the money?\u00a0 Would you defer action for 15 years?<\/p>\n

Boulder talks the talk about being a sustainable community.\u00a0 Can we walk the walk?\u00a0 Climate change demands immediate and robust action and the Smart Regulations will be an early meaningful step towards fulfilling its climate action plan after 8 years of talk.<\/p>\n

Addressing climate change will require effort from everyone.\u00a0 What I heard from BARHA and opposing landlords last week is that they don\u2019t want to shoulder their share of this responsibility.<\/p>\n

We have a simple choice \u2013 to act or dither; but one way or another, there will be a price to pay.\u00a0 City Council should not shy away from the opportunity offered by the Smart Regulations to take a major step toward reducing Boulder’s greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

DITHERING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE<\/p>\n

\n

In the US, buildings are responsible for almost half (48%) of annual greenhouse gas emissions; globally, the percentage is even greater.\u00a0 Since all of the buildings in the entire world are existing, if we do not make significant reductions to building greenhouse gas emissions, then we aren\u2019t serious about addressing climate change.<\/p>\n

\n

This Tuesday, City Council will decide whether proposed \u201csmart regulations\u201d (energy efficiency upgrade regulations for existing residential rental buildings) should advance to the next stage of Council consideration.\u00a0 These \u201csmart regulations\u201d will b one of the City\u2019s most substantive act after years of delay toward addressing climate change and achieving City climate action plan goals, which include achievement of Kyoto Protocol goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

During last week\u2019s public testimony before City Council on this issue, many landlords and their lobby, the Boulder Area Rental Housing Association (BARHA) turned out in force, packing Council chambers to oppose Smart Regulations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0 Reasons given ranged from asserting such regulations would have no effect because irresponsible renters will negate any building improvements, to asserting that older buildings can\u2019t be reasonably improved (despite decades of evidence to the contrary).\u00a0 However, other landlords testified that they had already made the types of \u00a0building improvements that the Smart Regulations will require and had realized cost effective benefits.<\/p>\n

\n

Fundamentally, the opposing landlords\u2019 resistance to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions is about who foots the bill.\u00a0 They do not want to incur the cost of change.\u00a0 We have spent 150 years since the industrial revolution getting into this climate change predicament.\u00a0 Surely no one believes addressing it will not incur costs.<\/p>\n

\n

If Boulderites want building greenhouse gas emissions reduced and building owners don\u2019t want to pay the cost, then who pays?\u00a0\u00a0 Me?\u00a0 You?\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Or maybe we do nothing.\u00a0\u00a0 But that has costs too; it just increases and transfers them from landlords to everyone else. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Scientists give us 10 years to be well on our way toward global greenhouse gas emission reductions to avoid catastrophic climate change.\u00a0 Yet in last week\u2019s Council meeting, landlords suggested if such smart regulations were to be implemented, there should be a long phase in period, such as 15 years.<\/p>\n

\n

Now I\u2019ll go out on a <\/span>limb here and presume that most readers accept that climate change is real, dangerous and critical; that it represents a serious threat to livelihoods and lives throughout the world and that immediate and substantive action might be prudent.\u00a0 If climate change was treated as a life threatening disease such as clogged arteries, would it be prudent to reject your doctor\u2019s recommendation for immediate bypass surgery because you didn\u2019t want to spend the money?\u00a0 Would you defer action for 15 years?<\/p>\n

\n

Boulder talks the talk about being a sustainable community.\u00a0 Can we walk the walk?\u00a0 Climate change demands immediate and robust action and the Smart Regulations will be an early meaningful step towards fulfilling its climate action plan after 8 <\/span>years of talk.<\/p>\n

\n

Addressing climate change will require effort from everyone.\u00a0 What I heard from BARHA and opposing landlords last week is that they don\u2019t want to shoulder their share of this responsibility.<\/p>\n

\n

We have a simple choice \u2013 to act or dither; but one way or another, there will be a price to pay.<\/p>\n

\n

Leonard May,\u00a0 Boulder<\/p>\n

Leonard May is a partner in May Yin Architecture and a former landlord<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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