Hurricane Sandy Turns Up The Heat On Climate Change Debate-simple Steps Businesses And Residents Can

There has been a series of extreme weather incidents

. That is not a political statement, that is a factual statement. Anyone who says there is not a dramatic change in weather patterns is denying reality....We have a 100-year flood every two yearsnow. Andrew Cuomo, Governor, New York

Hurricane Sandy has shined the light back on the climate change debate, leaving citizens to ask, What can I do? One simple answer for business owners is commercial shade structures. Commercial shade is not the only solution, but it is one of the easiest ones to implement right now.

Its natural following an extreme, atypical storm like Hurricane Sandy, that people seek reasonable explanations. Not a whos to blame line of inquiry, but rather a serious attempt to answer what caused the atmospheric and climatologic circumstances that gave rise to the event. While scientists may debate the literal accuracy of Governor Cuomos words Hurricane Sandy was more like a 30-year storm such details are trivial to homeowners and businesses up and down the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coast as they pump out millions of tons of seawater from their basements and first floors, restore basic utilities, mourn the loss of life, and prepare to shoulder at least some of the cost of whats estimated to be a $50 billion cleanup and overall economic impact.

Whether were talking about more frequent 100-year storms, (and by some measures, Hurricane Sandy met or surpassed that intensity as did October 2011s Snowtober), or 30-year tempests, if theres any positive coming in the wake of last weeks devastation, its that climate change is again front and center on peoples minds. Googling the words Hurricane Sandy and climate change return some 329 million hits.

A Flood of New Ideas: What Can We Do?

Already government from the municipal level on up to the federal are again thinking long term about what vulnerable coastlines can do to prepare as the water, year by year, notches new high water lines on bulkheads, seawalls and floodgates across the planet. Does New York erect a massive flood barrier in the East River, following Londons River Thames flood control lead? Do other low-lying cities emulate the Netherlands approach with its system of levees? Largely these are long-term solutions beyond the direct control of average citizens.

Instead, business and homeowners are left to tackle the little things. And one simple protection against climate change and extreme weather, particularly businesses, is energy efficiency awnings (www.academyinc.com/) and commercial shade structures. Reducing ones electric demand especially in the short term as the greater New York electrical grid is repaired will go a long way in helping speed recovery, and cut down the energy demand stress on a partially crippled system. Longer term, energy efficiency through the use of fixed and retractable awnings and commercial shade structures allows users to save money they would otherwise not have and putting it toward additional energy efficiency and flood mitigation efforts. Reducing our dependency on polluting, carbon-rich fossil fuels is a necessity if we ever hope to make a dent in the growing climate change crisis. It comes down to building a chain of positive externalities a series of good things begetting more impactful outcomes. For instance, if every household and business used an awning or commercial shade structure and reduced their heating and cooling costs by 25%, the extra money could be reinvested to purchase compact florescent light bulbs, (CFLs), which are fours times as energy efficient as incandescent bulbs. And if only one bulb was replaced per structure, the energy savings would be the equivalent of removing some 800,000 gas-guzzling vehicles off the road and powering up to 3 million additional homes ideally with off-the-grid solar and wind energy.

Voting For Change Requires Planning, Not Politics

The reality is that despite minimal presidential election campaign coverage, climate change is alive and well. And whether we like it or not, it continues to upend predicted weather patterns while enhancing extremes of heat and cold, snow and rain, drought and flood.

These are long-term problems that require long term, generational solutions. But small steps can go a long way. And energy efficiency through awnings and commercial shade structure installation is a vital step toward a cleaner, greener and potentially less extreme weather future.

by: Michael Richman

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