Zero Emissions Network; A Pilot Program for Carbon Emissions Reduction.

Public awareness of the disastrous consequences of continued rise in global carbon emissions reached a peak in 2019 with masses of people participating in Climate Strikes in more than 4,500 locations spanning 150 countries across the United States and the globe. The stage is therefore set for taking the matter to the people at a local level. In this paper, we report a pilot program: the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN), the newest program addition to the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), through which emissions reducing technologies such as solar electricity generation, green roofs, electric bicycles, geo-thermal HVAC, and re-planting of native flora using flight offset dollars are made more readily available and affordable, especially to lower income clients and communities. Student interns from the University of Colorado (CU), are the driving work force of the project, and we are working towards a sister chapter at the University of the Pacific (PACIFIC) in Stockton, CA. The program solicits funding from both local and national sources for: a) providing micro-grants to low-income individuals and small businesses to help them afford solar electricity and other emissions-reducing technologies, b)building an information kiosk and web-based data center where all ZEN and ASES participants can get information on emissions reduction strategies and technologies, as well as track their overall greenhouse gas emissions to see how their investments in progressive technologies and lifestyle changes are reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and those of their community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]