Power to choose energy sources wisely in our hands

This is a time of momentous change: the kind of historically significant, mind-altering transition that shapes the entire world far into the future. This week, the National Clean Energy Summit 5.0: Power of Choice made it abundantly clear. Tuesday's summit in Las Vegas was indeed about the power of choice, and our choices are more powerful than ever before. Do not take that lightly - the stakes have never been higher and your role has never been more important.

What are the choices?

We can choose life, prosperity and good health; freedom, stability and security; even social and economic justice. We can choose to create a world that sustains us and the entire web of life upon which we depend for our very existence. All of this stems from a commitment to clean energy, energy efficiency and honest economic decision-making available to everyone right now.

We've all seen the effects of our changing climate. The process is now undeniably obvious and our most knowledgeable experts are now saying that previous impact estimates were much too tame. We know we must change: quickly, decisively and deeply, if we properly value life on this planet. In his opening address at the summit, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., acknowledged the serious issue of climate change and said every step we take is important. He challenged NV Energy to take the important step of "turning off the lights at the Reid-Gardner coal power plant in Nevada."

"Business as usual," sometimes referred to as "drill, baby, drill" is not an option. In fact it is not necessary, wise or even economically desirable. The ground is shifting beneath our feet and the momentous change now under way will create untold opportunity for savvy entrepreneurs and citizens alike.

Efficiency comes first. It is the quickest, most cost-effective step we can take. Integrative building design can lower energy needs by 90 percent and deep-green retrofits almost as much. Ultralight vehicles, made from modern composites like carbon-fiber that are both stronger and safer, can vastly extend the range of increasingly efficient electric drive systems. Efficient buildings and vehicles can be easily powered with renewable energy. These and numerous other beneficial strategies make sense now using today's technology while providing acceptable rates of economic return. In other words, the free market is telling us that clean energy works.

Several summit speakers stressed the importance of economic equality. Incentives have existed for decades for all of the well-established traditional energy sources and the same also should be permanently established for renewable-energy technologies. The alternative is to eliminate incentives and subsidies for all types of energy. Either way, a fair market with a level playing field is all that is necessary for renewable energy to make economic sense.

During the National Clean Energy Summit in 2008, former President Bill Clinton challenged Nevadans to embrace a clean-energy future by setting an example for the rest of the nation and the world. We have accomplished much in a few years and it is does not take much of an imagination to envision Nevada as the first carbon-neutral state in the U.S. That is a worthy and achievable goal.

Renewable energy systems are being built at record speed. According to summit speaker Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, wind energy in the U.S. grew from 25 to 50 gigawatts just in the past four years. New transmission lines are linking clean energy to customers and smart meters are the precursor to a smart grid. Green buildings are nearly mainstream. Electric vehicle options are increasingly available at local dealers. These trends are momentous.

On the evening prior to the summit, I attended an electric vehicle rally and screening of "Revenge of the Electric Car" at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Director Chris Paine was on hand to answer questions about the film and the future of transportation. Paine's films have been powerful instruments of change. In fact, I drove there in a car powered with nothing more than sunlight harvested that morning on the roof. After decades of visits to the gas pump and expensive electric bills, momentous change feels really good.

Thanks to Sen. Reid and everyone involved in the National Clean Energy Summit for helping create a future we can all live with.

The next opportunity to be a part of this momentous change is the upcoming second annual High Performance Home and Building Summit Aug. 15-17 at the Suncoast. The event will provide critical education for energy program directors, contractors, builders, real estate agents, lenders, utilities, energy raters, building inspectors, municipalities and educators - all working and learning together. It is a great value and an opportunity to see how the pieces of the home-performance puzzle fit together. Visit http://www.thinkenergystar.com/summit/ to learn more and register. If you have anything to do with the housing market, do not miss this event.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, a company committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. For more information and links to additional resources relating to this column, or to reach Steve, please visit www.greendream.biz.