What is Healthy Energy?
The extraction, transport, and burning of coal, oil, and gas contributes to environmental degradation, including emission of criteria air pollutants, air toxics, and greenhouse gases. In fact, the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity and power vehicles accounted for more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2016. We believe that a transition away from fossil fuels and to clean, renewable energy — or healthy energy — is the only option for a healthy, just, and sustainable Alabama.
Healthy energy is that which comes from solar, geophysical or biological sources; is replenished naturally as quickly as it is used; and does not harm human health or the environment.
Climate Change + Dirty Energy
The average temperature on Earth “has risen by 1.5°F over the past century, and is projected to rise another 0.5 to 8.6°F over the next hundred years,” according to the EPA. This could lead to catastrophic shifts in climate and weather. In fact, we just experienced the hottest summer on record — again! While climate change is no doubt one of the most debated topics today — whether it be among researchers, politicians, or private citizens — the bottom line is that climate change is real and cannot be ignored. The time has come for Alabamians who care about environmental health and climate justice to come together and address this urgent challenge head on.
As of 2016, 38 percent of electricity generated in Alabama comes from coal — compared with about 33 percent nationwide. However, the state’s largest utility, Alabama Power, generates approximately 55 percent of its electricity from coal, well above the national and state average. In fact, John Kelley of Alabama Power in May 2016 told The Birmingham News, “we expect coal to remain a significant part of our diverse supply of energy sources for many years to come.”
Meanwhile, the Alabama Public Service Commission, the agency tasked with regulating the utility, is obstinately pro-fossil fuel and denies the very existence of climate change. Commissioner Chip Beeker, for instance, proudly wrote on his campaign website, “I believe that […] the so-called ‘climate change crisis’ is about as real as unicorns and little green men from Mars.” Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange consistently opposes every EPA action and joined several other state attorneys general in suing the federal government to block the Clean Power Plan.
It is time for Alabamians who care about our health, our environment, and our children’s futures to rise up and demand real solutions to climate change. We must break the shameful cycle of reactionary thinking that has permeated so much of our state’s social and economic fabric.
Staff Contacts
TAKE ACTION
Solar for ALL Alabamians
The Alabama Public Service Commission lets Alabama Power to charge solar customers extra fees. That’s not right. Sign this petition if you agree.
Secure a Just Transition
100% Clean Energy
Spotlight on Alabama
🏭 Alabama Power’s James H Miller Jr. Plant ranked second in carbon pollution in the United States behind only Georgia Power’s Robert W Scherer Power Plant. (Both are owned and operated by Southern Company.)
🏭 Alabama ranks 41st in energy efficiency, while the city of Birmingham ranks an embarrassing 50th out of 51 cities in energy efficiency.
🏭 The bulk of power generation comes from coal and gas, making the Southeast’s carbon footprint disproportionately greater than that of the rest of the country.
🏭 Alabama Power currently generates more than 50 percent of its electricity from coal. The company gets almost 19 percent from oil and gas. In total, 69.87 percent of Alabama Power electricity comes from burning fossil fuels.
CAMPAIGNS
Solar Works
Solar Works is an initiative to raise awareness of the benefits of solar energy in Alabama. Through Solar Works, we analyze existing solar policy, solar industry trends, and opportunities to expand access to solar power. Harnessing the power of the sun will improve our health, economy and environment.
Renew Alabama
Renew Alabama is a coalition united under a common banner of social, environmental, and climate justice. Grounded in our shared humanity, experiences, and faith, we are calling on community leaders and elected officials throughout Alabama to remove barriers to clean energy; to invest in sustainable infrastructure; to increase opportunities for “green” jobs; and to truly protect public health and our environment.
Cities for Sustainable Energy
The Alabama Cities for Sustainable Energy is our effort to get commitments from cities and city councils in Alabama for expanding deployment of clean energy like wind and solar. Send a message to your city council and mayor asking them to commit your city to a 100% renewable energy future!
WHAT CAN WE DO ?
No one disputes the fact that the South lags the nation in climate action. That doesn’t mean there are not real solutions available to all of us, from lay person to lawmaker. For instance, the cleanest kilowatt is the one that’s never used and energy efficiency is one tool we can deploy to reduce electricity consumption. Renewable energy should be deployed to generate electricity in clean, sustainable ways. For example, Alabama ranks near the bottom of states for solar capacity and solar jobs.Alabama could generate significantly more electricity from both distributed solar energy (rooftop) and utility-scale solar while creating the next generation of good paying “green” jobs. That is, if our leaders had the courage to lead.
In addition to investing in clean, renewable energy, Alabama needs to make energy and water efficiency a top priority. Alabamians pay the second highest share of their income on electricity bills. The reason is that Alabama is super inefficient with our resources. Low-income Alabamians and those on fixed incomes shoulder the biggest burden — meaning our high bills are effectively a regressive tax on the poor. Alabama’s families could save hundreds of dollars a year on utility costs if the state and its cities would prioritize energy and water efficiency.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN ALABAMA
According to the Alabama Report Card published by “States at Risk”:
⚠️ “There is no evidence that [Alabama] has published information acknowledging or assessing its climate vulnerabilities.”
⚠️ “Alabama has taken no action to plan for its future climate risks or implement adaptation strategies.”
⚠️ Alabama has failed to dedicate any “state funding, policies, or guidelines to improve resilience against climate change-related extreme heat, drought, wildfire, or coastal flooding.”
⚠️ “Alabama has taken less action than any other coastal state to prepare for sea level rise and both its current and future coastal flooding risks.”
⚠️ The Birmingham-Hoover metro area is among the nation’s top 15 metro areas that will experience negative economic effects from increased heat and extreme weather events and other consequences. [Source: BirminghamWatch.org]
In other words, Alabamians are woefully uninformed by its government and its policies are wholly inadequate to deal with the health and environmental impacts of impending climate change.