By: Isabelle Marmur
With the climate rapidly changing, measures need to be taken to improve not just the United States, but the entire world, according to David Kunhardt.
Kunhardt is the CEO of SolEd, a corporation intending to bring affordable solar power as well as education on clean energy to California. “It is the overwhelming consensus of science saying climate change is real and it is anthropogenic,” said Kunhardt.
Currently, the government is not taking much action on global warming due to doubts within the system. “I think a lot of the deniers and a lot of the members of Congress are at this point, still saying that we shouldn’t do anything.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average temperature has increased by more than 1.4°F in the past century. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the decade from 2000 to 2010 was the warmest on record.
The EPA states that there is a consensus among scientists that climate change is an issue and that humans are a part of that issue. “There are approximately 2100 climate scientists in the world and approximately 2048 believe that climate change is real,” said Kunhardt.
“They are no longer able to say that global warming isn’t happening. They are no longer able to say that we aren’t facing threatening storms. They are no longer able to say we don’t have droughts we don’t have horrendous record breaking droughts in some parts of the world and floods in other parts of the world. They have to acknowledge the realities of that.”
According to NASA, the atmosphere has never experienced more than 300 parts per million, until the 1950’s. There is clear evidence that climate change has taken place just by statistics according to Kunhardt.
Although it would take a multitude of resources to make a difference in the environment, by people putting their time and energy into helping save the environment, the economy could benefit as well, according to Kunhardt.
Despite the installation costs of solar panels, the energy itself is economical says Kunhardt, as the sun is a free resource. In addition to clean energy, the need for more solar power will require new jobs.
“We can act on it now and it won’t hurt us if we are creating jobs, if we are converting to cleaner air, if we are actually doing something about water supplies and about shorelines,” said Kunhardt. According to NASA, the global sea level ascended about 17 centimeters in the past century.
The use of coal and oil is not only detrimental to the environment, but they also come at a cost according to Kunhardt.
If the United States attempts to use solar power as a primary source of energy, America could save about 55 million barrels of oil per year which is valued at one billion dollars, according to a report by the University of Michigan.
Kunhardt believes that change can not only be done in the future, but right now. As solar is a growing industry, expansions can help improve the world everywhere.
With all the proof found on solar energy, it only takes a few steps to make a difference.
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