Powering Texas with Solar: Embracing a Resilient Energy Future

In the face of an unforgiving heatwave pushing Texas's power grid to its limits, renewable power sources, particularly solar energy, have emerged as the backbone of energy reliability. These clean energy solutions defy the claims of certain lawmakers who discredit their dependability.

As scorching temperatures envelop Texas, energy demand soars to unprecedented levels, straining the state's aging coal and gas-fired power plants. Despite limited access to external power sources, Texas has defied the odds, avoiding rolling blackouts during this intense heatwave. A key driver of this success lies in the substantial expansion of solar power capacity since early 2022.

Solar energy's exceptional performance shines brightest on hot, sunny days, contributing over 15% of the state's energy supply during peak afternoon hours. It alleviates the burden on conventional power sources, seamlessly meeting the surging demand for electricity amidst blistering heat. Solar energy's reliability challenges the false notion propagated by some lawmakers that it is intermittent, especially in regions like West Texas where the sun sets later.

However, solar power is not the sole champion of the grid's resilience. Texas has implemented additional measures to manage energy demand, including voluntary energy reduction during peak hours. Wind energy, another carbon-free source, complements solar power, effectively bridging the gaps in production. While wind may be less efficient during peak electricity demand, it picks up the pace as the sun sets, ensuring a continuous supply.

The incorporation of battery storage systems has also played a pivotal role in maintaining power supply stability. In critical moments when major coal-fired and nuclear power plants faltered, battery storage provided immediate backup power, safeguarding Texans' uninterrupted access to energy. Texas proudly ranks second only to California in battery capacity, solidifying its commitment to energy resilience.

Despite the undeniable contribution of renewable energy, including solar power, to bolstering energy reliability, some lawmakers persist in demonizing these sustainable solutions. Such rhetoric lacks a factual basis and is driven by political agendas rather than logical reasoning.

As Texas grapples with the mounting challenges of climate change, marked by increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves, urgent investment in the state's grid becomes imperative. The number of 100°F days is projected to nearly double by 2036, intensifying the strain on the grid. To safeguard the well-being of Texans, comprehensive action is needed to address these pressures and ensure efficient operation of air conditioners.

By embracing solar power and other clean energy sources, Texas can fortify its energy future, simultaneously combatting climate change and securing a reliable electricity supply. Together, let us invest in sustainable solutions, fostering a resilient energy landscape that benefits both present and future generations.

Sustainability Plan

Small Steps, Big Impact:

A Guide to Making Your Household More Sustainable

Assess your current environmental impact:

Review your household's daily routines, monthly chores, and activities outside of the household:

• Make a list of all the activities that your household engages in on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

• Identify which activities consume the most resources and generate the most waste.

• Consider areas such as transportation, food choices, energy usage, water usage, waste generation and disposal, and purchasing habits.Use tools such as energy bills, water bills, and waste audits to help quantify your household's impact.

Use tools such as energy bills, water bills, and waste audits to help quantify your household's impact:

• Review your energy and water bills to identify patterns in usage and see which appliances or activities are using the most energy and water.

• Conduct a waste audit by collecting and sorting your household's trash and recycling for a week or two. This will help you identify which items are being thrown away most frequently and which items could be recycled or composted instead.

By completing this assessment, you'll have a clearer understanding of your household's environmental impact and the areas in which you can make changes to reduce your footprint. This information will also help you set realistic and achievable sustainability goals for your household.

Set sustainability goals:

Specific: Make sure your goals are clear and specific.

• Identify the area or activity you want to address and be specific about the action you want to take.

• For example, instead of setting a goal to "reduce energy usage," set a goal to "turn off lights and unplug appliances when not in use."

Measurable: Ensure that your goals are measurable.

• Set a quantifiable target or metric that you can use to measure your progress.

• For example, instead of setting a goal to "use less water," set a goal to "reduce water usage by 20% compared to the previous month.

Achievable: Make sure your goals are achievable.

• Consider your household's lifestyle and resources when setting your goals.

• For example, if your household relies heavily on driving, it may not be feasible to set a goal to "bike to work every day."

Relevant: Ensure that your goals are relevant to your household's sustainability objectives.

• Consider the environmental impact of each goal and make sure it aligns with your household's values and priorities.

• For example, if reducing food waste is a priority for your household, set a goal to "compost food scraps and leftovers instead of throwing them away."

Time-bound: Set a timeframe for achieving your goals.

• Establish a deadline or timeframe for achieving your goals to help you stay accountable.

• For example, instead of setting a goal to "reduce waste," set a goal to "reduce waste by 50% by the end of the month."

By setting SMART sustainability goals, you'll have a clear roadmap for achieving a more sustainable lifestyle for your household. Remember to keep your goals realistic and achievable, and celebrate your progress along the way!

Develop an action plan:

Create a list of actions:

• Make a list of actions that you and your family can take to achieve each of your sustainability goals.

• Be specific and identify the action steps needed to achieve each goal.

• For example, if your goal is to reduce energy usage, your list of actions could include: turning off lights and appliances when not in use, upgrading to energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances, and sealing air leaks in doors and windows.

Prioritize actions:

• Review your list of actions and prioritize them based on their potential impact and feasibility.

• Consider which actions will have the most significant impact on reducing your environmental footprint and which actions are feasible for your household to implement.

• Focus on the actions that are both high-impact and feasible.

Assign responsibilities:

• Assign responsibilities to each family member to ensure everyone is involved and committed to achieving your sustainability goals.

• Make sure that each family member has a clear understanding of their responsibilities and is invested in achieving the household's sustainability objectives.

• Consider using a family agreement or contract to help hold everyone accountable.

Determine a timeline:

• Set a timeline for implementing each action step and achieving your sustainability goals.

• Break larger goals into smaller, more manageable milestones to help you stay on track and motivated.

Track progress:

• Regularly track your progress towards achieving your sustainability goals.

• Celebrate successes along the way and adjust your plan as needed to stay on track.

By developing a clear action plan for achieving your sustainability goals, you'll have a roadmap for making lasting changes that reduce your environmental footprint. Remember to keep your plan flexible and adjust it as needed, and involve your family in the process to ensure everyone is invested in achieving your household's sustainability objectives.

Implement the plan:

Start making changes:

• Begin by implementing the actions identified in your action plan.

• Start with the actions that are most feasible and have the highest potential impact on reducing your environmental footprint.

• Gradually work your way towards implementing all of the actions in your plan.

Use tracking tools:

• Use tracking tools such as a sustainability calendar or a habit tracker to help you stay on track with implementing your sustainability plan.

• Set reminders or alerts to help you remember to take action on a daily or weekly basis.

• Record your progress and celebrate your successes along the way.

Consider using incentives or rewards:

• Use incentives or rewards to motivate you and your family to stick to your sustainability plan.

• Consider rewards such as a family outing to a local park or a special dinner made with sustainably sourced ingredients.

• Make sure the rewards align with your household's values and priorities.

Evaluate progress:

• Regularly evaluate your progress towards achieving your sustainability goals.

• Celebrate your successes and make adjustments to your plan as needed.

• Revisit your action plan and consider adding new actions to continue making progress towards reducing your environmental footprint.

By implementing your sustainability plan, you'll be making positive changes in your household that reduce your environmental impact. Remember to stay committed, use tracking tools and incentives to help you stay on track, and celebrate your successes along the way.

Monitor and adjust:

Regularly monitor your progress:

• Use the tracking tools identified in your action plan to monitor your progress towards achieving your sustainability goals.

• Regularly review your energy bills, water bills, and waste generation to determine if you're making progress towards reducing your environmental footprint.

• Keep track of any challenges or obstacles you face along the way.

Make adjustments to your plan:

• Use the feedback you receive from family members and your own observations to make adjustments to your sustainability plan.

• If an action isn't working, consider modifying it or replacing it with a different action.

• If an action is working well, consider expanding it to include additional family members or increasing the frequency of the action.

Celebrate successes:

• Celebrate the successes you achieve along the way, no matter how small.

• Celebrate when you achieve milestones or reach your sustainability goals.

• Celebrate by having a family outing or doing something that aligns with your household's values and priorities.

By monitoring your progress and making adjustments to your sustainability plan, you'll be able to stay on track towards achieving your sustainability goals. Remember to celebrate your successes along the way, and don't get discouraged by challenges or setbacks. By working together as a family, you can make lasting changes that reduce your environmental footprint and create a better world for future generations.

We Must All be Allies in the Fight Against COVID-19

When New York Governor Cuomo’s Pause directive started on March 22, my kids were on Spring Break. I worked from home, went for walks with my kids and wife in Central Park, and enjoyed home-cooked family dinners every night. One week later, just at the time when I was feeling the need to be a part of the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic, I got an email from my friend who said he was going to help build a hospital ward in Central Park to serve overflow COVID-19 patients from Mount Sinai Hospital. An international disaster relief organization from North Carolina called Samaritan’s Purse had arrived in NYC to take on this bold and creative solution to NYC’s hospital bed shortage. I didn’t have to ask any further questions. I was in. I was going to do what I could to help save my fellow New Yorkers from COVID-19. 

I spent the next two weeks moving soil from one pile to another, smoothing foundations, laying tarps, erecting tents, building beds, learning carpentry and upholstery, building tables, and making friends with people with whom I never thought I would come face to face (well actually mask to mask). 

After showing up at the work site the first day, I found out that Samaritan’s Purse was founded by the American Baptist Minister Bob Pierce in 1970 and is now led by Franklin Graham, the son of the prominent evangelical Christian figure Billy Graham. Many people on social media and in the press, including friends and peers of mine, declared that volunteers at the field hospital site were required to sign a pledge stating that they support the organization’s anti-gay agenda. No one asked me to sign anything until about a week into my service, when they put a power tool into my hands (which I had no business using but that’s for another post) and wanted me to sign a liability release. There indeed was a paragraph about Samaritan’s Purse’s religious beliefs, which included things I did not agree with. I crossed out the paragraph and signed the release. They accepted my edited release form with gratitude and grace and gave me back the power tools to finish building the hospital. 

Passover began during the second week of my volunteer experience, and I spent a few hours talking about the Jewish religion with my fellow volunteers, evangelical Christians who came up from Samaritan Purse’s home-base in North Carolina. One volunteer told me that his bucket list included never coming to NYC. But when he heard what was happening in the fields of Central Park, he got on a plane and came to NYC without missing a beat. 

In this time of human crisis, with a common enemy of a non-discriminatory virus, I see everyone as an ally.  My two weeks this past April were some of the most purposeful of my life. I want to share the lessons I learned with everyone - not what I learned about someone’s religious beliefs, but what I learned about people willing to drop everything to help fellow human beings. If this virus teaches us anything, I hope it is that we need to put people first and our personal beliefs second.  

I believe the world will be better because of this united effort to control our common enemy. We all need to fight together or millions will die. We need to stick together, or next time it will be worse.