Climate Champ–Twyla Dell, Climate Pledge Collective, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, Solbazaar–Earthshot Prize Finalist

CLIMATE TRANSITION EXPERT: TWYLA DELL

I so want to meet Twyla Dell. Twyla Dell is a fuel-transition historian and climate activist. Transitioning from gasoline to sustainable energy and history are her passions. She worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and offered The Environmental Leadership Program for business leaders, teachers and students in Overland Park, KS for 6 years. She graduated from Antioch University Graduate School, with a Ph.D. in environmental studies in 2009.

Dell has authored 8 books, but all you really need to know are her latest three: THE GASOLINE DIET: DRIVE LESS, LOSE POUNDS, SAVE THE PLANET, published in June 2020; FUELING CHANGE: HOW WE CREATED CLIMATE CHANGE ONE FUEL AT A TIME. Fueling Change reveals how jumping from wood to coal to oil in less than 100 years during the 19th century, culminating in the rise of gasoline in the 20th century wreaked havoc on the climate. Highlighted with 143 illustrations, this dynamic history shows her signature statement on each page:

And finally, Dell’s 2021 winner, GOODNIGHT GASOLINE: HOW TO WIN THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE. Goodnight Gasoline reveals the truth about the car companies, oil companies and media companies that continue to sell us obsolete oil-and-gasoline-burning cars.

This triad of powerful books are powerful tools for any scholar or alternative fuel advocate to carry in their toolbox.

DEEPER DIVE: Twyla Dell, The Gasoline Diet, Fueling Change, Goodnight Gasoline

THE FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

Some of you out there in listenerland might be old enough or history buff-enough to remember the days of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Now there’s an international document out called the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. As author and Climate Change Fuel Transition expert Dr. Twyla Dell says,

“No greater way to reduce pollution and slow climate change than to stop burning gasoline.”

So the Fossil Fuel non-p Treaty is a global initiative to phase out fossil fuels and support a just transition. And this is new — practically breaking news.

On September 13, 2021, almost 2,200 scientists and academicians from 81 countries, representing multiple disciplines, delivered a letter demanding a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to governments gathered at last week’s UN General Assembly.

Why does this Non-Proliferation Treaty matter to us? According to the most recent Production Gap Report, meeting the 3.2 degree F goal requires an average decline in fossil fuel production of at least 6% per year between 2020-2030. Guess what , the fossil fuel industry is planning to increase production by 2% per year.” That’s why.

The treaty calls on the world to prevent the further proliferation of coal, oil and gas by ending all new exploration and production, phasing out the production of fossil fuels in line with the 3.2 degree F global climate goal, and fast tracking solutions and a just transition for every worker community and country.

The letter is an open letter, which, by clicking on the link in the Deeper Dive section of this show at theclimate.org/episodes, you too can sign.

DEEPER DIVE: FFNPT, The Letter, YouTube

CANADA’S CLIMATE PLEDGE COLLECTIVE

So we’ve told you about the Jeff Bezos initiative, but how about a humbler, more inspirational, Canadian variety called Climate Pledge Collective.

Climate Pledge Collective claims to be a mom and pop climate shop run by two unpaid parents: Matt Lie-Paehlke and Dr. Myrtle Millares. The Climate Pledge Collective is a simple way to turn individual change into group change by bringing others on board.  The pledge sheets offer a palette of effective actions and the sponsor system helps you and your friends keep on track. 

Climate Pledge tools turn ordinary people into climate champions. They do this in a number of innovative ways. For instance, Project Bank Switch, users can use template suited to their specific Canadian banking institution asking them to divest from fossil fuel exploration, funding and/or stocks by a specific date, or the letter writer pledges to withdraw their money and deposit it with a bank that has committed to divestment. 

One Climate Pledge Collective’s past projects included a “Climate Picnic.” According to their website, “In 2018 and 2019 we had three Climate Picnics in Toronto — complete with musical guests and representatives of most of Toronto’s climate action groups — plus a sister event in Ottawa called Climate Picnic Sandy Hill.  These events provided a casual, relaxing space for people to talk about the climate crisis and learn about the work people are doing to make things better.  The website includes a webpage on How to do a climate picnic, so if one’s unfamiliar, or in this still pandemic era, forgotten how to have a picnic.

What’s nice about Climate Pledge Collective is it’s designed to be open-ended, decentralized, kind of like open source software. Use it, improve on it, share it. Climate Pledge Collective, we see you!

DEEPER DIVE: Climate Pledge Collective

EARTHSHOT FINALIST, SOLBAZAAR

Across the world, close to a billion people have no electricity. Without it, they often burn charcoal and wood, with dire consequences for human and planetary health. The world needs new thinking to reduce energy poverty and emissions. This is why SOLshare was founded, to provide rural end- consumers with a reliable supply of electricity while making sure it’s affordable for people who are even at the lowest echelon of the society

SOLshare provides it. Bangladesh-based SOLshare created SOLbazaar, the world’s first peer-to-peer energy exchange network. Homes with a rooftop solar panel sell any excess electricity into a microgrid network where others can buy it. It helps the environment, but also gives poor communities a new and plentiful source of income: the sun.

SOLshare’s 72 grids have already helped more than 7500 people in remote communities. They also reduce emissions by 30% and make money for its prosumers in real-time. Energy trading has boosted some household incomes by 25%.

Did we mention solbazaar is a 2021 earthshot prize finalist?

DEEPER DIVE: EARTHSHOT PRIZE, SOLSHARE