Jito Coleman

Renewable energy engineer/business pioneer

To reach the next level in meeting our environmental and energy challenges will require an invigorated and deeper Personal Commitment by each of us.

Personal Commitment to do the right thing–in our homes, in our life styles, in the politicians we choose.

CLIMATE DISASTER is what we are facing. Accepting tepid political band-aides and ‘tweaks” to the status quo will not begin to address the magnitude and urgency of the challenge.

The deterioration of our environment can be directly tied to energy use and abuse. We need to scale back our wastefulness and change to more environmentally appropriate sources–societally and individually. Our earth can no longer sustain our current habits. We need to shrink our energy footprints and find ways to source our energy sustainably.

People hope and are willing to wait for technology to fix their problems. That is usually a cop out for not being willing to address the issue and take action. Technology will evolve over time, but it isn’t keeping up with the rapidly deteriorating climate. People need to wake up to the fact that they can do more right now. Personally and nationally.

We have started down this road, but with a timidity well short of the committed action required. To meet our challenge we need to do more and do it faster. The means and solutions exist. The commitment to use them isn’t there. Not yet . . .

Our collective footprint is huge; my personal footprint is too big as well.

Personal change comes hard. The ever-increasing awareness of almost certain climate disaster will spur the conversation. But real changes will only come when we collectively take significant and meaningful action. Let’s not do too little, too late.

So put on an extra sweater, heat and cool your house less, drive less, fly less, stay home more and enjoy where you live. And by all means, avail yourself of the newest energy technologies that you want and can afford. Commit to shrinking your footprint today.

Only support candidates, locally to nationally, who have made this commitment as well.

To have any hope of changing course, we need to demand significant action NOW. That will come as we each make stronger, broader, deeper personal commitments.

Jito Coleman in Warren, VT. Photo by Dorothy Weicker.