Sources of Nevada greenhouse gas emissions, 2016. Credit: Nevada Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Projections, 1990-2039
By Brian Beffort
Experts tell us we have about a decade to take meaningful action to avert the worst impacts of global warming. But what does meaningful climate action mean? How can we mitigate the worst impacts here in Nevada and the Eastern Sierra? And what can you do to help? As with most challenges that appear overwhelming, the key is to break the problem down to manageable pieces, identify where we leverage the biggest change with the least effort, then get to work on the lowest-hanging fruit first. Sign up here to volunteer to help with this work.
In January, Nevada’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released a greenhouse gas inventory of emissions across every sector in the state. As an easy snapshot, emissions are summarized in this pie chart. California emissions break into similar categories.
Once emissions are broken down into these rough categories, it becomes easier to identify the actions needed to reduce them. Let’s start at the top.
Transportation
Thanks to the great work by Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign nationwide, more than 300 coal-fired power plants have been closed or are slated for closure soon (still more than 200 to go). Because of this reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electricity generation, transportation now becomes the leading emitter of carbon dioxide (and sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, soot and other toxins). According to the EPA, 59% of emissions come from light-duty vehicles (passenger cars).
Tightening auto emissions standards will help bring these emissions down. But recently, Trump revoked California’s permit under the Clean Air Act to set stricter auto emissions standards. California, Nevada and 20 other states are suing the Trump Administration against this move.
The Toiyabe Chapter is teaming up with Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation For All Campaign to tackle emissions on other fronts in the transportation sector.
Led by our organizer Jasmine Vazin, our volunteer Toiyabe Transportation Team is working on the following fronts:
- Electric Vehicles. We are working to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, and to support those vehicles with charging stations in public and private spaces throughout the region.
- Mass Transit. More efficient than passenger cars are buses and trains that can move more people more efficiently along major transportation corridors. We’re advocating for mass transit solutions with the Regional Transportation Commissions in Reno and Las Vegas and elsewhere, where we can.
- Healthy Communities. The best way to reduce driving is to design our communities in ways that allow people to work, play, and find services and food without having to drive. We’re advocating with local and regional planning agencies to emphasize infill development and walkable neighborhoods that invite human connection instead of more lanes for more cars.
Electricity Generation
Sierra Club is working on several fronts to create more electricity from renewable sources:
The Nevada Legislature’s passing of SB 358 in 2019 committed Nevada’s electricity utilities to provide at least 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with a goal of 100% by 2050. Nevada Energy has responded by pursuing industrial-scale solar farms on public lands around southern Nevada. While Sierra Club supports the technology, it would be better to site these projects so they don’t conflict with desert tortoise or other wildlife or ecosystem services: carbon sequestration from healthy plant communities, biodiversity, soil function, stormwater management, access for recreation, preservation of beautiful views, etc.
A great option is to encourage distributed energy generation—more solar panels on more rooftops in town, closer to where the energy is needed. Sierra Club will be pursuing legislation in 2021 that encourages just that. Possibilities include brownfields development (installing panels on already-impacted landscapes), better net-metering policies to incentivize individual investors, microgrids (which also provide community defense against rolling blackouts and natural disasters), and community solar (local installations owned by community organizations).
Buildings
To address the GHG emissions that come from residential and commercial buildings, there are two main strategies:
- Energy Efficiency, because the cleanest, most affordable energy is what we do not use. Sierra Club is working with partners to encourage stronger building codes that increase insulation and other energy-efficiency measures, with the gold standard being net-zero energy—buildings that produce at least as much energy as they consume.
- Building Electrification. Sierra Club is also working to electrify all buildings, replacing all gas heat and appliances with electric ones—powered by renewable energy. Here’s a blog post about building electrification with the details of what this would look like.
Industry
Reducing GHG emissions from industry requires a case-by-case, life-cycle analysis of each industry. You can support progress on this front by contacting the companies you do business with and urging them to eliminate GHG-emitting and other toxic chemicals from their processes. Are you a shareholder in any company? Join a shareholder-led motion to encourage more sustainable practices. And please stop using toxic products with a short life span and no option for recycling.
Waste
Although only 4% of our region’s GHG emissions come from waste, you have the power to reduce them. The Toiyabe Chapter’s Northern Nevada 5 R Team's vision is to improve our quality of life, save energy, and show respect for the world’s resources. We have activists tackling a number of significant issues on this front, working on plans to divert organic matter from the landfill, pursue legislation to ban or add a fee to plastic containers, and engaging campaigns promoting zero waste principles. Join us and help make sustainability a way of life!.
Decarbonizing Nevada
The Nevada Legislature last year passed SB254, requiring Nevada to inventory greenhouse gas emissions across every sector (giving us the pie chart above) and recommend policies that can reduce GHG emissions by 28% over 2005 levels by 2025; 45% by 2030, with a goal of 100% carbon-free economy by 2050. Governor Sisolak issued this Executive Order in November. The state plans to release a Climate Action Plan by the end of the year. Much of this work will require new legislation-and your support—in 2021.
Local Efforts
In 2019, Reno unanimously adopted a Sustainability & Climate Action Plan, which identifies short- and long-term goals in nine different action areas: from renewable energy acquisition, green buildings, climate-resiliency, increasing the urban tree canopy, reducing waste, developing better sources of local food, and safeguarding our water sources. Now, it’s time to get to work. Reno is leading implementation teams to make progress on each of these fronts. Join us to be successful.
Clark County is also pursuing a Sustainability plan. The County is starting a Sustainability Task Force to engage citizens with actions to improve transportation and urban planning best practices. Caring people like you are needed to support these efforts. Contact us if you're interested in participating. In addition, Sierra Club is standing strong against federal legislation that threatens to increase climate impacts for millions in Southern Nevada. Read our 2020 letter to the Nevada Federal Delegation here.
The towns of Mammoth Lakes, Truckee, and South Lake Tahoe are also moving forward pursuing climate, renewable energy, and sustainability solutions. Contact us to get involved.
If you are waiting for others to put climate solutions into place—our federal government, your state, county, or the Sierra Club locally or nationally—then you will be disappointed with the results. Our climate crisis is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Contact me at the email below to get involved.
Click here sign up for Toiyabe Chapter’s enewsletter, which delivers monthly updates on events and opportunities for action around Nevada and the Eastern Sierra.
Click here to volunteer. Take Climate Action with the Sierra Club.
Support the Toiyabe Chapter's work to solve the Climate Crisis.