Climate Change Pledge

Hello Readers,

I would like to propose a simple climate change pledge that all politicians seeking elected office should be willing to take. Over the past several years, a number of members of congress and other public officials have made wild pledges, which have entrenched their political positions, such as the now infamous Grover Norquist pledge to never raise taxes. However, pledges to never or always do something are absurdly rigid in the face of an ever changing society and economy. Instead, I would like to propose the following pledge:

I acknowledge that the overwhelming scientific evidence indicates that human society and technology have the ability to influence and change the Earth's climate on a global scale, and I will consider the potential impacts of climate change, among other factors, when executing the duties of my office.

I believe that any elected official, who is not able or willing to make such a basic claim, is not fit to serve in office in the 21st century. If you agree with this sentiment, please contact to your elected officials and candidates, to kindly request that they take this pledge.

Sincerely,

Sean Diamond
@WarmestGenrtion

Data Privacy & Decoupling Communications Utilities

Hello Readers,

I will start by acknowledging that this is the topic is a little outside of the sphere of my normal sustainability discussions. However, as more and more communications and data privacy issues have come to light over the past year, I have become increasingly concerned about the social and political ramifications of what governments and certain corporations are doing on the Internet. Because of the prevalence of these issues in the news, I will limit my preambulatory commentary.

The Internet is a technology and a concept that is so far beyond the wildest imagination of people in the 18th and 19th centuries that we need to explicitly address it in the US constitution, so that societal expectations for the Internet are clear. Therefore, I propose that we amend the US constitution to address and protect the inherent, unwritten freedoms that have thus far been the hallmark of the public Internet. While I will not attempt to offer specific wording for such an amendment, I suggest the following tenets of an amendment:

• Decoupling Communications Utilities: There should be a clear distinction between media content providers and communications infrastructure providers. In the same way that many states have now 'deregulated' electricity markets by drawing a line between owners of electric generators and grid operators to ensure that monopolies are as limited as possible, the Internet should be similarly segregated. It should be illegal for owners of communications infrastructure (e.g. broadband networks, cable providers, telephone lines, cellular networks) to create, provide, and develop the data or media content that is transmitted across its own infrastructure. Similarly, communications infrastructure owners should not be allowed to offer preference to content providers or charge variable rates based on the type of content that is transmitted.
• Data Privacy from the Government: The United States Federal government should pass and enforce laws that promote the active protection of the data, content, and information that is created, held, and transmitted by its people. As a matter of the Rule of Law, this protection requires the US government to provide a transparent judicial mechanism for reviewing attempts by US government agents to acquire citizens' data (as though data were physical property) as provided for by the 4th Amendment of the constitution.
• Data Privacy from Corporations: The US government should pass and enforce laws that protect its citizens' data from foreign and domestic corporate interests. The invasive and often secretive nature through which data is collected and redistributed over the Internet is unacceptable. Recognizing that some citizens may be interested in risking the trade-offs related to disclosing their data to reap the potential benefits of 'big data', it might be fair enough to create an opt-in 'tracking allowed' list. Such a list could allow people to be tracked when corporations explicitly notify them that they (and their data) are being tracked and where their data is being sent. Furthermore, corporations should be required to regularly provide their users access to a record of all the data that has been collected about themselves. Finally, people should be able to opt-out of such a list at any time for any reason without the possibility of legal action.

I'm sure their are many other possible issues to address with regard to the Internet. However, I have found the above issues the most troubling with the greatest possible 'slippery slope' consequences.

Regards,

Sean Diamond

A Sustainable Minimum Wage

Hello Readers,

In President Obama's 2014 State of the Union, the issue of moving the minimum wage closer to a living wage was deemed a top priority by the administration. I have had a few ideas for ensuring a more sustainable minimum wage by tying it to other monetary values. Here are two options:

• Political Contribution Limits: I propose that annual political contribution limits should be legally tied to the Federal minimum wage. Specifically, individuals and corporations should not be allowed to give annual political contributions that exceed the weekly salary of someone earning the minimum wage and working full-time. To be clear, the limit to political contributions for individuals and corporations should be the limit for the total amount of contributions to all PAC's, candidates, parties, etc. This would serve a dual purpose of limiting the money in politics and provide an incentive to keep the minimum wage at a reasonable level.
• Congressional Salaries: I propose to set the minimum wage as 12% of the standard Congressional salary. In 2014, the annual Congressional salary is $174,000, which would mean that someone working full-time and earning the minimum wage would earn $20,880 annually. In other words, the hourly minimum wage would be $10.04! This would also ensure that the minimum wage would be regularly adjusted (unless members of Congress turn down their own annual raises).

Just some thoughts on how to make the US economy more sustainable.

Cheers,

Sean

Pennsylvania Solar Refugees Take Note

Hello Readers,

It's been two years since the tanking Pennsylvania SREC market forced me to leave my beloved home state in search of new work in the solar industry. In December of 2011, I became a refugee of the Pennsylvania solar industry. I moved first to Delaware and eventually to Massachusetts to find gainful employment in an industry that seems to be growing rapidly everywhere except Pennsylvania.

In case, you aren't familiar with the saga of the Pennsylvania's solar market, the regulations and incentives that helped get it started, and the political inaction that forced it to nosedive at the first signs of progress, I'll point you to a few articles from my personal history...

• Pennsylvania HB 1580 - Fixing the SREC Market
• Pennsylvania HB 1580 - Bill Introduced
• Pennsylvania Solar Jobs put in perspective
• Response to Inaction on PA HB 1580
• Update: Inaction on HB 1580

Anecdotally, I know of at least a dozen other Pennsylvania solar refugees, and I expect that there are hundreds more out there. Whether you stayed in Pennsylvania but had to change industries or - like me - you were forced to leave the state to remain employed in a socially and environmentally responsible industry, you are a solar refugee!

For those in-state solar refugees, please remember to vote in the upcoming 2014 gubernatorial primary and election! If you are a displaced solar refugee, like me, please encourage your friends and family to take a close look at the energy and environmental policies of the candidates before voting.

By continuing to miss opportunities while the solar industry is still gaining traction globally (as appears to be the current governor's policy), Pennsylvania will lose out in the long run. Therefore, the outcome of the governor's race will not only determine the fate of the Pennsylvania solar industry for at least the next four years... it will likely ripple through the next four decades.

While many declared candidates mention the issues surrounding fracking on their campaign websites, few candidates have any mention of a comprehensive energy policy. As far as I can tell, only two candidates have any serious energy policy experience or a plan to reinvigorate the renewable energy industries in Pennsylvania (giving solar refugees a chance to return home): John Hanger and Kate McGinty.

John Hanger: http://www.hangerforgovernor.com/an_energy_policy_that_works

Kate McGinty: http://mcginty.ngpvanhost.com/press-releases/mcginty-outlines-jobs-plan-make-pa-leader-energy-development-while-protecting

As we near the primary in April, I hope to find out more about these two exciting candidates.

Electorally,

Sean Diamond