Austin Coalition for Environmental Sustainability – ACES , Austin, MN

“Fraudulent global warming left wing nonsense” is how one Dialog07 respondent characterized his opposition when he voted on the third Media Ballot, which allowed him to express what he, no doubt, considers to be his right-wing views.  Yet the vast majority of 100 dialog voters online and 25 meeting at Hormel Nature Center on November 29th did not see this as a left-right issue, but one in which the radical middle agrees we need change from the bottom-up rather than by top-down actions of the traditional seats of political (& electrical) power.

Of the 100, eight, in their own words, said:
1. Global warming is obviously an apocalyptic threat; fueling and fuel alternatives is a more solvable problem.
2. Natural cycle of the earth
3. Believe is a problen, but is not going to cause immediate disaster
4. I don’t have much information, but it does concern me.
5. Global warming is occurring naturally and life will adapt.
6. I’m not convinced, but think we should be producing our own gas for cars.
7. I’m not convinced it is happening, but will be careful
8. Don’t really care
Of the other 92, here are their pre-stated answers to:
“Which of these views about global warming is closest to yours?”
2 said: “I don’t believe global warming is really occurring.”
2 said: “If it is occurring, it is not serious enough to concern me.”
4 said: “I’m more concerned about depleting all global fossil fuels”
84 said: “I’m concerned with both global warming & using less oil, etc.”
Thus  84+4+5(of the 1st 8 above)= 93 out of 100 felt that energy policy changes are needed now.  But whose policies?  The 25 in face-to-face dialog overwhelming said that cities and states more than national and international actions are most effective.   By brainstorming and dialog voting (on 25 wireless OptionFinder 10-digit pads), they discussed these ideas of theirs:

[Please pardon my bracketed insertions, but such is the nature of dialog, in that each iteration gets additions.]
Plus-signs above mark each brainstormed idea getting the most votes to be expanded into ideas to the right.  The reduce-consumption goal led to the economic-benefits objective, then to the prefer-convenience obstacle and finally to “Make it cool to be green” action to which those 25 are now committed in the city of Austin MN.
Here is what else the 100 said online via votes cast at http://co.net/dialog/ in the 2nd EnergyDialog07 question:
2.  Do you now, or do you plan to, combat global warming in any of these ways?
37 Walk or bicycle to work, shop, etc.
31 Carpool or use public transit
32 Use bio fuels & less gasoline
25 Use hybrid, all-electric car &/or hydrogen-powered car(s)
11 Use solar energy panels on/at home
9 Use small wind turbine in backyard
77 Use Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs
64 Use energy efficient appliances
85 Recycle plastic/cans/glass/paper
43 Bring [their] own grocery bags
17. in volunteered comments, said:
1. Use more fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars.
2. Reduce energy turn off lights- lower temp in home
3. Shorter showers
4. Lower Thermostat Settings
5. I have begun one no-drive day per week
6. I’ve just insulated the house and turn the thermostat down to 64 when there and
58 overnight and when out; I’m more conscious about buying local produce
7. I do this just to save money, not for global warming
8. Take less showers
9. Newspapers as wrapping for Christmas
10. My conservation of natural resources has nothing to do with global warming.
11. Will attend dialogue [at Hormel Nature Center on Nov 29th]
12. Reduce home energy use = lower thermostat winter/increase summer
13. Need big picture policy solutions to really make a difference
14. Complain at every opportunity about wasteful consumption and use of resources
15. Avoid making unimportant trips by car, grow my own food & buy local, buy used,
avoid buying unnecessary items, turn off lights, shower less, live in a small home.
16. Use Honda Civic
17. Will adopt more ways as available and affordable
99 answered question
1 skipped question
Then they/you answered the following questions about local, state, national and global policies.
For the remaining questions, balloters voted for options ONLY if agreed and did NOT if opposed or uncertain.
3. Local governments (cities, counties) should combat global warming with these measures:
Require public vehicles, including taxis, to be hybrids, by 2012, as in New York City.
47.0%         47
Encourage participation in the “Cool Cities” agreement to fight global warming.
46.0%         46
Have building codes encourage installation of solar panels for heating and/or electricity generation.
64.0%         64
Have zoning regulations encourage installation of small, quiet wind turbines behind houses and esp. on farms.
44.0%         44
Encourage businesses to become energy independent with the help of employees and customers.
60.0%         60
Have utilities make it easy to sell any excess wind, solar, or battery-stored power to the grid for use by others.
60.0%         60
Have utilities add incentives to encourage off-peak electricity usage to cut consumer electricity costs.
67.0%         67
Have utilities encourage wind-farm-generated power use by industry to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and/or nuclear power.
59.0%         59
Other
12.0%         12
answered question: 100
skipped question: 0
4. Which of these State policies might you support?
Collaborate with other states to convert entirely to renewable, clean, safe energy sources during this century
61.9%         60
Increase incentives for telecommuting, car sharing, van/carpooling, and increased use of public transit
74.2%         72
Eliminate subsidies and incentives for nonrenewable energy use (oil, coal, natural gas and nuclear power)
55.7%         54
Increase rebates and tax credits for wind, solar, small hydro & geothermal and for hybrid & electric cars
80.4%         78
Certify commercial and industrial operations in meeting standards to encourage consumers to “buy green”
51.5%         50
Other
7.2%  7
answered question: 97
skipped question: 3
5. As the United States considers national policies to address global warming, do you support…
A national goal of 80% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2050
45.6%         41
A “carbon tax” to reduce global warming gas emissions
43.3%         39
A “cap and trade” system allowing industries to trade credits of carbon emissions
23.3%         21
More drilling and development of domestic sources of oil and natural gas
27.8%         25
Development of wind power — incl. off-shore wind farms and distributed networked small wind turbines
72.2%         65
Higher fuel efficiency standards for motor vehicles
72.2%         65
More use of agriculture crops to produce biofuels
36.7%         33
R&D of coal-fired power plants that lessen gas emissions and of nuclear power safety & waste disposal
44.4%         40
Major funding for renewable energy sources rather than subsidies for oil, coal and/or nuclear power
61.1%         55
Other
5.6%  5
answered question: 90
skipped question: 10
6. As the United States engages the world community on the issue of global warming, do you support…
U.S. participation in international negotiations and treaties aimed at combating global warming
71.1%         59
Equal (percentage) reduction targets of global warming gas emissions for developed and developing nations
34.9%         29
Mandatory targets for ALL or for big businesses and rich countries to reduce global warming gas emission
67.5%         56
Voluntary targets for ALL or for small businesses & poor countries to reduce global warming gas emission
43.4%         36
Worldwide major rebates to rural & suburban businesses & homes converting to their own solar & wind power
48.2%         40
A multinational Peace Corps to help expedite development of a global distributed network of renewable energy
51.8%         43
All-Nations 21st Century ≤War on Warming≤ Collaboration to replace the 20th Century Space Race & Arms Races
41.0%         34
Other
2.4%  2
answered question: 83
skipped question: 17
7. Energy Dialog07 Followup …
Attend(ed) Dialog07 discussion at 7pm, Thu, Nov 29, 2007, at Hormel Nature Center, 1304 21st St NE, Austin MN
34.8%         8
On the Internet click(ed) on http://co.net/dialog/ to vote also on issues about war and terrorism
43.5%         10
Help nominate candidates who agree with you at 2008 caucuses/primaries.
52.2%         12
Say who make up your Dream Team for President & VP at http://co.net/dialog about candidates & issues
17.4%         4
Suggest issues to be included in a December DemocracyDialog07 ballot about reforms:
17.4%         4
answered question: 23
skipped question: 77
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published by Harry Stevens for aces online and in the Austin Daily Herald