Balancing Act: Planning for a Sustainable Wisconsin Crispin Pierce, Ph.D. 28 December 2005

Outline What Makes Wisconsin Special What Makes Wisconsin Special What are Sustainable Choices What are Sustainable Choices Energy sources Energy sources Transportation Transportation Housing density Housing density Sustainable Choice Summary Sustainable Choice Summary Questions Questions

What makes Wisconsin special?

Why care about energy, transportation and housing choices? Affects our health (e.g. current fine particle emissions kill thousands of people each year) Affects our health (e.g. current fine particle emissions kill thousands of people each year) Affects our pocketbooks (e.g. billions of dollars spent on disaster cleanup and insurance) Affects our pocketbooks (e.g. billions of dollars spent on disaster cleanup and insurance) Affects our children and their children (e.g. clean water, clean air, fishing, hunting, a safe environment) Affects our children and their children (e.g. clean water, clean air, fishing, hunting, a safe environment)

Energy What forms of energy do we need? What forms of energy do we need?

Energy: Coal Advantages Advantages Large US reserves Large US reserves Known technology Known technology Potential for lowering mercury emissions. Potential for lowering mercury emissions. Disadvantages Nonrenewable Acid rain Mercury in fish Particulate matter Global warming

Energy: Petroleum Advantages: Advantages: Known technology Known technology Infrastructure exists Infrastructure exists Disadvantages Nonrenewable Air pollution (NO x, particulates, CO) Drilling, piping, and refining effects Global warming

Energy: Nuclear Advantages Advantages Very low emissions Very low emissions Relatively safe Relatively safe Disadvantages Major water needs for cooling Extremely toxic spent fuel materials Extremely long half- lives of these wastes

Energy: Wind Advantages Advantages Renewable Renewable Very low impact Very low impact Local generation Local generation Disadvantages Need constant windy conditions Batteries for storage Startup costs

Energy: Solar Heating Advantages Advantages Renewable Renewable Local generation Local generation Low impact Low impact Disadvantages Need regular sunlight Storage impractical Startup cost

Energy: Solar Photovoltaic Advantages Advantages Renewable Renewable Local generation Local generation Creates electricity Creates electricity Low impact Low impact Disadvantages Low efficiency Batteries for storage Startup cost

Energy: Biomass Advantages Advantages Renewable Renewable Local generation Local generation Simple Simple Disadvantages Particulates Local deforestation

Transportation What’s important about our transportation? What’s important about our transportation?

nsact.org/nrdc/ ozone.htm

Transportation: Internal Combustion Engines Advantages Advantages Known technology Known technology Variety of engine sizes Variety of engine sizes Disadvantages Relies on nonrenewable fuels Air and noise pollution Global warming

Transportation: Hybrid Engines Advantages Advantages Much more fuel efficient Much more fuel efficient Quieter Quieter Reduced air pollution Reduced air pollution Disadvantages Still relies on nonrenewable fuels Higher battery cost

Transportation: Fuel Cell Advantages Advantages Water vapor exhaust Water vapor exhaust Disadvantages Energy needed to purify H 2 Explosion potential Distribution system

Transportation: Flex-Fuel Advantages Advantages Utilizes renewable ethanol Utilizes renewable ethanol Greatly reduced global warming Greatly reduced global warming Disadvantages Current laws allow increase in gas guzzlers w/flex fuel car Distribution system

Housing Density What is important about our housing? What is important about our housing?

Housing Density: Suburbs Advantages Advantages Country land cheaper Country land cheaper Initial country living Initial country living Appearance of safety Appearance of safety Disadvantages Added commute time, cost and pollution Increased taxes for roads Destruction of farms, open space, forests, wetlands, etc.

Housing Density: Urban Advantages Advantages Short/no commute Short/no commute Close to businesses and friends Close to businesses and friends Lower tax costs for infrastructure Lower tax costs for infrastructure Preserves natural land functions (e.g. clean water supply) Preserves natural land functions (e.g. clean water supply) Disadvantages Higher land costs Requires more planning

Sustainable Choice Summary Energy Energy Conservation Conservation Wind, solar, biomass emphasis Wind, solar, biomass emphasis

Transportation Transportation Raise fuel economy standards Raise fuel economy standards Hybrid engines Hybrid engines Flex-fuel vehicles Flex-fuel vehicles ck/300/toyota/prius/2002/4sa.jpg

Housing density Housing density Urban, multiple use design Urban, multiple use design meda.org/graphics/urb an.jpg

Questions?

Information Sources Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control Natural Resources Defense Council Natural Resources Defense Council Oklahoma Sierra Club Oklahoma Sierra Club