Stabilization Wedges Game Participants, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, November 12th, 2011.
In the summer of 2011, CRUUNY Green Sanctuary members received a $1000 grant by The St. Lawrence District of the Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Council to play a game, the Stabilization Wedges Game. This “game” was developed by Princeton University researchers at the Carbon Mitigation Initiative in order to bring attention to existing technologies/strategies that can be deployed on a massive, global scale in order to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
On November 12th, UUs, professors and students, climate scientists, lobbyists, environmental experts, and elected officials (including Congressman Paul Tonko and Troy Mayor-Elect Lou Rosamilia) gathered together at RPI’s Academy Hall. Participants were divided into six person teams and thoughtfully discussed which eight strategies they would adopt in order to keep atmospheric carbon dioxide below 550 parts per million (ppm) by mid-century.
Afterwards, a spokesperson from each team presented their results. A common denominator in the results was the implementation of conservation strategies. For example, a Conservation-Transport wedge would double the efficiency of all the world’s cars from 30 to 60 mpg in order to avoid 25 billon tons of carbon emissions.
At the completion of the workshop, Congressman Tonko gave an impromptu, articulate, and impassioned speech on why we need to combat climate change, support green technologies, and maintain clean air and water laws. To me, this was akin to Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech…except about the environment! It was a wonderful capstone to this successful community event.
If you’d like to learn more about the Stabilization Wedges Game, please visit
http://cmi.princeton.edu/wedges/game.php
Let’s make every day Earth Day!
–Greg Vigilante on behalf of the UUCSS Green Sanctuary Committee
