[Music] hi um so do you remember when plastic
hi um so do you remember when plastic
hi um so do you remember when plastic bags were first banned from grocery
bags were first banned from grocery
bags were first banned from grocery stores I do and it sucked because my dad
stores I do and it sucked because my dad
stores I do and it sucked because my dad and I would always forget to bring our
and I would always forget to bring our
and I would always forget to bring our bags we would have to choose between
bags we would have to choose between
bags we would have to choose between buying yet another bag or carrying the
buying yet another bag or carrying the
buying yet another bag or carrying the groceries out to the store in our arms
groceries out to the store in our arms
groceries out to the store in our arms it was awful and after buying dozens of
it was awful and after buying dozens of
it was awful and after buying dozens of bags and wasting money we had to
bags and wasting money we had to
bags and wasting money we had to consciously put the bags in the side of
consciously put the bags in the side of
consciously put the bags in the side of his car door so that we wouldn’t forget
his car door so that we wouldn’t forget
his car door so that we wouldn’t forget them we had to rethink how we did things
them we had to rethink how we did things
them we had to rethink how we did things to accommodate the new movement and
to accommodate the new movement and
to accommodate the new movement and that’s why I’m here tonight to share
that’s why I’m here tonight to share
that’s why I’m here tonight to share with you my idea about how we have to
with you my idea about how we have to
with you my idea about how we have to rethink our driving ever since the
rethink our driving ever since the
rethink our driving ever since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
beginning of the Industrial Revolution
beginning of the Industrial Revolution co2 emissions have been skyrocketing and
co2 emissions have been skyrocketing and
co2 emissions have been skyrocketing and even when I was a kid
even when I was a kid
even when I was a kid global warming wasn’t something that I
global warming wasn’t something that I
global warming wasn’t something that I really heard about however climate
really heard about however climate
really heard about however climate change which at one point seemed far
change which at one point seemed far
change which at one point seemed far away is now something that I fear can
away is now something that I fear can
away is now something that I fear can and will affect me and my friends that
and will affect me and my friends that
and will affect me and my friends that is why we need to rethink the way that
is why we need to rethink the way that
is why we need to rethink the way that we look at climate change just as my dad
we look at climate change just as my dad
we look at climate change just as my dad and I had to rethink how we used plastic
and I had to rethink how we used plastic
and I had to rethink how we used plastic but breezed our reusable bags I didn’t
but breezed our reusable bags I didn’t
but breezed our reusable bags I didn’t realize that once we reach a certain
realize that once we reach a certain
realize that once we reach a certain level of co2 in the atmosphere there
level of co2 in the atmosphere there
level of co2 in the atmosphere there will be no way to prevent or reverse the
will be no way to prevent or reverse the
will be no way to prevent or reverse the melting of our ice caps once the ice
melting of our ice caps once the ice
melting of our ice caps once the ice caps drink they won’t be there to
caps drink they won’t be there to
caps drink they won’t be there to reflect the sunlight instead they will
reflect the sunlight instead they will
reflect the sunlight instead they will be replaced by the dark blue oceans
be replaced by the dark blue oceans
be replaced by the dark blue oceans which absorb the sunlight heating the
which absorb the sunlight heating the
which absorb the sunlight heating the water and accelerating the melting of
water and accelerating the melting of
water and accelerating the melting of the ice caps when I fully comprehended
the ice caps when I fully comprehended
the ice caps when I fully comprehended the implications of our situation I was
the implications of our situation I was
the implications of our situation I was motivated to found my organization when
motivated to found my organization when
motivated to found my organization when not if as in 1 climate change will
not if as in 1 climate change will
not if as in 1 climate change will affect us not if it will my mission for
affect us not if it will my mission for
affect us not if it will my mission for the past two years has been to inform
the past two years has been to inform
the past two years has been to inform people of ways that they can reduce
people of ways that they can reduce
people of ways that they can reduce their driving did you know that every
their driving did you know that every
their driving did you know that every year we produce around 76 trillion
year we produce around 76 trillion
year we produce around 76 trillion pounds of co2 a trillion of anything is
pounds of co2 a trillion of anything is
pounds of co2 a trillion of anything is hard for me to visualize so I use an
hard for me to visualize so I use an
hard for me to visualize so I use an elephant to help but into perspective a
elephant to help but into perspective a
elephant to help but into perspective a large African elephant like this one
large African elephant like this one
large African elephant like this one weighs around 14,000 pounds so to fully
weighs around 14,000 pounds so to fully
weighs around 14,000 pounds so to fully comprehend the massive amounts of co2
comprehend the massive amounts of co2
comprehend the massive amounts of co2 produced each year
produced each year
produced each year around five billion more elephants to
around five billion more elephants to
around five billion more elephants to that one it’s still hard for me to
that one it’s still hard for me to
that one it’s still hard for me to visualize the 76 trailing in towns come
visualize the 76 trailing in towns come
visualize the 76 trailing in towns come from heat and electricity generation
from heat and electricity generation
from heat and electricity generation transportation and manufacturing and we
transportation and manufacturing and we
transportation and manufacturing and we don’t have control over many of these
don’t have control over many of these
don’t have control over many of these things but we as individuals do have
things but we as individuals do have
things but we as individuals do have control over the emissions coming from
control over the emissions coming from
control over the emissions coming from our daily transportation and that’s what
our daily transportation and that’s what
our daily transportation and that’s what led me to the conclusion that the
led me to the conclusion that the
led me to the conclusion that the easiest way for us as individuals to
easiest way for us as individuals to
easiest way for us as individuals to reduce our co2 emissions is to reduce
reduce our co2 emissions is to reduce
reduce our co2 emissions is to reduce the emissions coming from our cars every
the emissions coming from our cars every
the emissions coming from our cars every gallon of gas that powers a vehicle
gallon of gas that powers a vehicle
gallon of gas that powers a vehicle produces around 20 pounds of co2
produces around 20 pounds of co2
produces around 20 pounds of co2 emissions and there are 1.2 billion cars
emissions and there are 1.2 billion cars
emissions and there are 1.2 billion cars on the road today if we all worldwide
on the road today if we all worldwide
on the road today if we all worldwide reduced our driving by just 10% we could
reduced our driving by just 10% we could
reduced our driving by just 10% we could prevent 2.5 billion pounds of co2 from
prevent 2.5 billion pounds of co2 from
prevent 2.5 billion pounds of co2 from entering the atmosphere in a single day
entering the atmosphere in a single day
entering the atmosphere in a single day and if we continued this for the whole
and if we continued this for the whole
and if we continued this for the whole year 1.5 trillion pounds this can happen
year 1.5 trillion pounds this can happen
year 1.5 trillion pounds this can happen if we all start to rethink the way that
if we all start to rethink the way that
if we all start to rethink the way that we drive what I mean by rethinking
we drive what I mean by rethinking
we drive what I mean by rethinking driving is to think about our modes of
driving is to think about our modes of
driving is to think about our modes of transportation and to think about
transportation and to think about
transportation and to think about consolidating and eliminating our excess
consolidating and eliminating our excess
consolidating and eliminating our excess trips when I was in elementary school
trips when I was in elementary school
trips when I was in elementary school both my parents worked full-time and
both my parents worked full-time and
both my parents worked full-time and couldn’t take me to school or baseball
couldn’t take me to school or baseball
couldn’t take me to school or baseball practice so I had to bike or get a ride
practice so I had to bike or get a ride
practice so I had to bike or get a ride with another family because there was no
with another family because there was no
with another family because there was no other way to get me there I had to
other way to get me there I had to
other way to get me there I had to rethink I didn’t my parents had to
rethink I didn’t my parents had to
rethink I didn’t my parents had to rethink the way that I was transported
rethink the way that I was transported
rethink the way that I was transported and this has become the norm for most
and this has become the norm for most
and this has become the norm for most families because everyone is so busy but
families because everyone is so busy but
families because everyone is so busy but we as individuals need to continue to
we as individuals need to continue to
we as individuals need to continue to rethink our driving when I first got my
rethink our driving when I first got my
rethink our driving when I first got my driver’s license excited about my
driver’s license excited about my
driver’s license excited about my newfound freedom I drove everywhere and
newfound freedom I drove everywhere and
newfound freedom I drove everywhere and left my ones neon yellow bike to rust
left my ones neon yellow bike to rust
left my ones neon yellow bike to rust I stopped needing to rethink my modes of
I stopped needing to rethink my modes of
I stopped needing to rethink my modes of transportation and instead started
transportation and instead started
transportation and instead started creating excessive amounts of co2 at an
creating excessive amounts of co2 at an
creating excessive amounts of co2 at an event while talking to people about the
event while talking to people about the
event while talking to people about the impacts of rising co2 levels one lady
impacts of rising co2 levels one lady
impacts of rising co2 levels one lady said to me that reducing her driving
said to me that reducing her driving
said to me that reducing her driving would be too inconvenient I tried
would be too inconvenient I tried
would be too inconvenient I tried convinced her to drive just one mile
convinced her to drive just one mile
convinced her to drive just one mile less each week but she refused at first
less each week but she refused at first
less each week but she refused at first I was disappointed and couldn’t
I was disappointed and couldn’t
I was disappointed and couldn’t understand how anyone would find just
understand how anyone would find just
understand how anyone would find just one mile too inconvenient but now that
one mile too inconvenient but now that
one mile too inconvenient but now that I’ve been driving for almost two years
I’ve been driving for almost two years
I’ve been driving for almost two years I can understand driving is ingrained in
I can understand driving is ingrained in
I can understand driving is ingrained in our lives and it’s no longer a luxury we
our lives and it’s no longer a luxury we
our lives and it’s no longer a luxury we drive everywhere for everything and when
drive everywhere for everything and when
drive everywhere for everything and when I got my driver’s license instead of
I got my driver’s license instead of
I got my driver’s license instead of walking to school which was just a ten
walking to school which was just a ten
walking to school which was just a ten minute walk I started driving everyday
minute walk I started driving everyday
minute walk I started driving everyday because it was easier and sadly I was
because it was easier and sadly I was
because it was easier and sadly I was late more often once I got my license
late more often once I got my license
late more often once I got my license even though it may take time and energy
even though it may take time and energy
even though it may take time and energy that you don’t want to give to find
that you don’t want to give to find
that you don’t want to give to find different ways to get to work or to get
different ways to get to work or to get
different ways to get to work or to get to other places we still need to do it
to other places we still need to do it
to other places we still need to do it when I got my first job at the Santa
when I got my first job at the Santa
when I got my first job at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk I took the bus
Cruz Beach Boardwalk I took the bus
Cruz Beach Boardwalk I took the bus downtown and then a shuttle to the
downtown and then a shuttle to the
downtown and then a shuttle to the actual amusement park I did this because
actual amusement park I did this because
actual amusement park I did this because of the tourist traffic and it being so
of the tourist traffic and it being so
of the tourist traffic and it being so heavy that it would take me twice as
heavy that it would take me twice as
heavy that it would take me twice as long to get there but I still did it and
long to get there but I still did it and
long to get there but I still did it and some of my friends they meet at
some of my friends they meet at
some of my friends they meet at Starbucks on their way to school and
Starbucks on their way to school and
Starbucks on their way to school and they drive the rest of the way from
they drive the rest of the way from
they drive the rest of the way from there which saves them time and money
there which saves them time and money
there which saves them time and money and also eliminates some of their co2
and also eliminates some of their co2
and also eliminates some of their co2 emissions the common theme across all
emissions the common theme across all
emissions the common theme across all these stories is that we had to rethink
these stories is that we had to rethink
these stories is that we had to rethink our modes of transportation to solve
our modes of transportation to solve
our modes of transportation to solve certain problems and even though your
certain problems and even though your
certain problems and even though your commutes may be fine it’s still good to
commutes may be fine it’s still good to
commutes may be fine it’s still good to try and rethink other modes of
try and rethink other modes of
try and rethink other modes of transportation another area that we can
transportation another area that we can
transportation another area that we can rethink is the distance and amount of
rethink is the distance and amount of
rethink is the distance and amount of driving that we do last summer I was
driving that we do last summer I was
driving that we do last summer I was working downtown and after I was done
working downtown and after I was done
working downtown and after I was done with work I would go and spend time with
with work I would go and spend time with
with work I would go and spend time with my friends who live 20 miles away
my friends who live 20 miles away
my friends who live 20 miles away spending time with my friends when
spending time with my friends when
spending time with my friends when driving back downtown and going for food
driving back downtown and going for food
driving back downtown and going for food or to see a movie then once we were done
or to see a movie then once we were done
or to see a movie then once we were done there I would drive them back to their
there I would drive them back to their
there I would drive them back to their house I was driving around 65 miles a
house I was driving around 65 miles a
house I was driving around 65 miles a day and a whopping 450 miles per week
day and a whopping 450 miles per week
day and a whopping 450 miles per week cost me over $200 a month on gas which
cost me over $200 a month on gas which
cost me over $200 a month on gas which was most of my paycheck and on top of
was most of my paycheck and on top of
was most of my paycheck and on top of that I entered my distance driven 450
that I entered my distance driven 450
that I entered my distance driven 450 miles and miles per gallon for my car 27
miles and miles per gallon for my car 27
miles and miles per gallon for my car 27 miles per gallon into my website and it
miles per gallon into my website and it
miles per gallon into my website and it showed me that I was producing 325
showed me that I was producing 325
showed me that I was producing 325 pounds of co2
pounds of co2
pounds of co2 every week I felt so guilty that I
every week I felt so guilty that I
every week I felt so guilty that I stopped driving to my friend’s house and
stopped driving to my friend’s house and
stopped driving to my friend’s house and back instead I had done take the bus and
back instead I had done take the bus and
back instead I had done take the bus and meet me downtown
meet me downtown
meet me downtown by doing this I reduced my co2 emissions
by doing this I reduced my co2 emissions
by doing this I reduced my co2 emissions by 50% if we all plan our trips like a
by 50% if we all plan our trips like a
by 50% if we all plan our trips like a UPS driver where the routes are
UPS driver where the routes are
UPS driver where the routes are optimized to minimize the distance
optimized to minimize the distance
optimized to minimize the distance driven and therefore save time and money
driven and therefore save time and money
driven and therefore save time and money then we’ll also save time and money
then we’ll also save time and money
then we’ll also save time and money instead of weaving back and forth across
instead of weaving back and forth across
instead of weaving back and forth across town plan out your week in errands so
town plan out your week in errands so
town plan out your week in errands so that you don’t have to drive everywhere
that you don’t have to drive everywhere
that you don’t have to drive everywhere back and forth back and forth instead
back and forth back and forth instead
back and forth back and forth instead you can just make one trip like my dad
you can just make one trip like my dad
you can just make one trip like my dad does when he Shops at Safeway he shops
does when he Shops at Safeway he shops
does when he Shops at Safeway he shops at other stores along the way doing all
at other stores along the way doing all
at other stores along the way doing all of his shopping on Monday nights by
of his shopping on Monday nights by
of his shopping on Monday nights by keeping the list and being prepared he
keeping the list and being prepared he
keeping the list and being prepared he saves time by not wandering around the
saves time by not wandering around the
saves time by not wandering around the store impulse buying things as well as
store impulse buying things as well as
store impulse buying things as well as reducing the co2 emissions by not going
reducing the co2 emissions by not going
reducing the co2 emissions by not going to multiple stores multiple times we as
to multiple stores multiple times we as
to multiple stores multiple times we as a society need to rethink the way that
a society need to rethink the way that
a society need to rethink the way that we look at climate change when people
we look at climate change when people
we look at climate change when people first started recycling it was awkward
first started recycling it was awkward
first started recycling it was awkward and people forgot but now at least I do
and people forgot but now at least I do
and people forgot but now at least I do it without a second thought and that’s
it without a second thought and that’s
it without a second thought and that’s how we need to think about driving if we
how we need to think about driving if we
how we need to think about driving if we all in this room reduce driving by just
all in this room reduce driving by just
all in this room reduce driving by just 10% we could prevent almost 100,000
10% we could prevent almost 100,000
10% we could prevent almost 100,000 pounds of co2 from entering the
pounds of co2 from entering the
pounds of co2 from entering the atmosphere every year and once we do
atmosphere every year and once we do
atmosphere every year and once we do that if we tell five more people then we
that if we tell five more people then we
that if we tell five more people then we can continue them we can continue the
can continue them we can continue the
can continue them we can continue the cycle of getting more and more people
cycle of getting more and more people
cycle of getting more and more people involved once we do this we can prevent
involved once we do this we can prevent
involved once we do this we can prevent even more co2 from entering the
even more co2 from entering the
even more co2 from entering the atmosphere so tomorrow I challenge all
atmosphere so tomorrow I challenge all
atmosphere so tomorrow I challenge all of you plan a way to get to work that’s
of you plan a way to get to work that’s
of you plan a way to get to work that’s different from your method now in order
different from your method now in order
different from your method now in order to save co2 emissions and also plan out
to save co2 emissions and also plan out
to save co2 emissions and also plan out your weekend errands so that you can
your weekend errands so that you can
your weekend errands so that you can reduce your co2 emissions there by
reduce your co2 emissions there by
reduce your co2 emissions there by joining the others and rethinking the
joining the others and rethinking the
joining the others and rethinking the way that we drive tomorrow we can all be
way that we drive tomorrow we can all be
way that we drive tomorrow we can all be an active contributor to the solution of
an active contributor to the solution of
an active contributor to the solution of climate change thank you
climate change thank you
climate change thank you [Applause]
”
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