Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Introduction

Hello,

I would like to welcome everyone to the Heinz Talks! Blog. My name is Michael Spotts, and I am a student in the Heinz College's Washington DC program. I currently work in the affordable housing field, where I focus on sustainable, holistic development that addresses environmental, economic, and social equity considerations.

The upcoming event on October 27 is coming at a crucial time in the energy policy debate. This past year, the US House of Representatives passed HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which represents a major step forward in US energy and environmental policy. The Senate is likely to take up the debate in the fall. Advocates on all sides of this debate have been energized, and are looking to the Senate debate to strengthen the House version of the bill, kill it completely, and everything in between.



I think the discussion next month will focus on a key part of the energy debate that is often overlooked: "Profitable Solutions." Given the increasing national deficit and the depressed state of the economy, the costs of any climate change initiative are going to receive severe scrutiny. The more advocates can establish the financial benefits of taking action, the more receptive the American public be to drastic changes in energy policy.

This is not to say that climate change solutions should not be undertaken based on their non-financial merit. However, the simple reality is that people pay attention to the bottom line. In the affordable housing field, the strongest arguments for "greening" units often come in the form of reduced energy costs (and therefore, greater affordability) for recipient households, as well as lower utility bills for property managers.

I look forward to a spirited and informative discussion on October 27, and hope many readers who are in the DC area will be able to attend. In the meantime, please continue to check this blog for updates and postings on energy related issues.

Have a great day.

Sincerely,

Michael Spotts

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