Energy for the city of Las Vegas shouldn’t be a touchy, bipartisan subject. Our city and its citizens deserve to have sustainable, clean, renewable energy that will power our homes for years to come, without the possibility of hurting our environment. Where Nevada and the city of Las Vegas are at now in efforts are semi-solid, but there are several areas that need to be expanded upon in order to make a stronger effort for the people of our city.
Last year, roughly 60 percent of NV voters supported Question 6, adopting the new renewables standard, which requires utility companies to get half of their energy from renewable sources by 2030. Prior to this vote, Nevada had mandated that utility companies, like NV Energy, provide 25 percent of their energy from renewables by 2025. While it does not mandate where they get it from, solar is the first choice that comes to mind for many that discuss the topic. However, solar is just one element of a renewable energy portfolio that Nevada should be looking into, which includes power from wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal sources.
On top of this mandate, everyone on every level of Nevada and Las Vegas governments should be thinking of alternatives that will impact our city positively in the years to come, in regards to energy. Mayor Carolyn Goodman and the current City Council have taken great strides and have succeeded in leading Las Vegas to become the 1st city of its size in the nation to achieve 100% renewable energy for its city operations. While this is a strong step in the right direction, we need to be doing more.
Dave’s experience in helping thousands of citizens get off dangerous, addictive chemicals will come in handy when he helps push for legislation that will help our city get off its dependency to fossil fuels. Unlike the previous administration, that tried to run solar energy, rooftop solar companies with jobs, and forward-thinking ideas out of the state, Dave will be working hard to raise Las Vegas to a 5-STAR certification for sustainable and renewable energy.
Part of the process of making sure that our city has the best is to make sure that we’re consulting with the brightest. Dave’s sister, Jennifer Marlon, Ph.D. and her husband lead Yale University’s Program on Climate Change Communication. The Yale Program on Climate Communication has been performing surveys, experiments and modeling for years to determine what everyone thinks about the (undisputable) climate change we’re experiencing and what scientists know is happening. Staying up to date on the latest science coming out of one of our nation’s leading academic facilities is part of the reason why I’m so passionate about making sure our city is prepped to not only do its part but to thrive during these upcoming decades of change.
Jennifer Marlon was recently interviewed by KOMU news about climate change, where she emphasized the need for immediate need and action by both sides of the aisle in order to redirect our current route. You can see the video and read the full interview here.
Read about some of the other issues facing Las Vegas, Nevada.