Episode 85

[FOCUS] Myth 3 & 4

Episode Summary:  This episode is an excerpt from a past episode on Myths about climate change

In this episode, myth 3 is discussed.  People think that sustainable energy is more expensive.  Jenn and Leekei talk about to what extent this is a myth and where some upfront expenses can save a large amount in the long run. 

Myth 4 is that solar and wind energy only works when it is sunny or windy.  While energy can run out if there is very little sun or wind, energy is stored.  There can also be advantages when there is a lot of sun or wind!

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Listen to the Myths 3 and 4 about climate change

For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac, visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

You can find out more on pages 32 and 33 of the Carbon Almanac and on the website you can tap the footnotes link and type in 342.

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Featuring Carbon Almanac Contributors Jenn Swanson, Leekei Tang and Inma Lopez

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer and Community Connector, helping people help themselves.  

Leekei is a fashion business founder, a business coach, an international development expert and a podcaster from Paris, France.

Imma is from Cádiz in the South of Spain, living in Aberdeen, Scotland. Imma is a sommelier, a poet, a podcaster, a mother, a slow food advocate, and an animist activist.

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The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

Transcript
JENN:

Today, we're talking about a myth and I don't know what number meth is.

JENN:

This one,

Leekei:

I think it's myth.

Leekei:

Number three,

JENN:

myth.

JENN:

Number three,

Leekei:

that it must be important

JENN:

that wind and solar energy are more expensive.

Leekei:

I don't think it's true.

Leekei:

I think it was true before.

Leekei:

I don't know when, but it started to become mainstream,

Leekei:

but I don't think it's true.

JENN:

No, I think, I think it has become more and more affordable.

JENN:

And it still in, in some ways, if we're talking about personal use, uh,

JENN:

individual use rather than commercial use, it is it's expensive to get set up.

JENN:

Maybe in some places.

JENN:

Then you recoup that expense.

JENN:

He recover that expense over time.

JENN:

So it might seem to be more expensive at the beginning.

JENN:

It's kind of like, it's like driving an electric vehicle.

JENN:

I have a really old one, but driving electric vehicle, it seems like the used

JENN:

car that we bought was more expensive than you would pay for a normal combustion.

JENN:

Engine, but my goodness, we haven't put gas in it ever.

JENN:

Of course.

JENN:

And the maintenance is very, very low.

JENN:

We rotate the tires once in a while and have it checked maybe once a

JENN:

year, but there's no oil changes.

JENN:

There's, there's an awful lot of stuff that we're not paying for.

JENN:

And so in the end it has, it has paid off.

JENN:

So I think solar and wind are somewhat like.

Leekei:

Yeah, I, and I mean, I know, I know that the setup is quite

Leekei:

costly and there was a program.

Leekei:

I don't know if still running in a France where the government subsidies,

Leekei:

the individuals, anybody, uh, to have, um, a solar panel on the rooftop.

Leekei:

So there's a subsidy, which is quite important.

Leekei:

So I don't know what is the percentage?

Leekei:

the argument was that, , once you have it on your roof, Uh, you can say on

Leekei:

your accuracy bill, but, and this is a very, uh, important part is that you

Leekei:

can also resell the, the adage that you're not using back to the grid.

Leekei:

And I think it is a great plus.

JENN:

Absolutely.

JENN:

We used to run before COVID on Airbnb in our extra, our guests.

JENN:

So right in our house, it was just a room.

JENN:

And, uh, we had all sorts of interesting people from all over the world.

JENN:

And one fellow, uh, who was from our province, but maybe about

JENN:

four or five hour drive away.

JENN:

Um, he was, uh, an electrician and he was explaining all about his solar panels

JENN:

that he has in his, on his property.

JENN:

And that he was pretty much paying for providing all the electricity for his own.

JENN:

And then selling some back to the grid.

JENN:

So, um, it is possible depending on where it is you live and how sunny it is.

, Leekei:

yeah, I think it was expensive a couple of years ago.

, Leekei:

Uh, but now that is, uh, produced that there's mass production for the equipment.

, Leekei:

I think it's the prices, the cost decreases.

JENN:

Well, and it's catching on, right?

JENN:

It's like any kind of an idea that gets embedded in people's minds.

JENN:

And then more people are talking about it and more people are thinking about it.

JENN:

And then, um, industry starts to shift and the industries are now shifting

JENN:

and we're, we're talking more and more and more about renewable energy and

JENN:

getting away from fossil fuels and.

JENN:

And that's so, because we're in this shift, partly because it's urgent and we

JENN:

need to be, but also partly because more and more people are thinking about it and

JENN:

talking about it, which is our aim here of the carbon Almanac, uh, is to talk about

JENN:

it and to share these, these conversations so that the shift can, can happen faster.

LYNN:

You've been listening to Karbon sessions, a podcast with carbon

LYNN:

conversations for every day, with everyone from everywhere in the world.

LYNN:

We'd love you to join the carbon sessions so YouTube can share your

LYNN:

perspectives from wherever you are.

LYNN:

This is a great way for our community to learn from your ideas and

LYNN:

experiences, connect and take action.

LYNN:

If you want to add your voice to the conversation, go to the carbon.

LYNN:

Dot org slash podcast and sign up to be part of a future episode.

LYNN:

This podcast is also part of the carbon Almanac network for more

LYNN:

information, to sign up for the emails, to join the movement and

LYNN:

to order your copy of the carbon Almanac, go to the carbon almanac.org.

LYNN:

Be sure to subscribe and join us here again.

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When it comes to the climate, we don’t need more marketing or anxiety. We need established facts and a plan for collective action.

The climate is the fundamental issue of our time, and now we face a critical decision. Whether to be optimistic or fatalistic, whether to profess skepticism or to take action. Yet it seems we can barely agree on what is really going on, let alone what needs to be done. We urgently need facts, not opinions. Insights, not statistics. And a shift from thinking about climate change as a “me” problem to a “we” problem.

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This isn’t what the oil companies, marketers, activists, or politicians want you to believe. This is what’s really happening, right now. Our planet is in trouble, and no one concerned group, corporation, country, or hemisphere can address this on its own. Self-interest only increases the problem. We are in this together. And it’s not too late to for concerted, collective action for change.