Agenda for a Shrinking Planet

A discussion of personal choices and public policy options that address the population boom and resource crash we face in the next 30 years, with an emphasis on what you can do in your life today. [Delivered as a talk at the True Nature Country Fair in Barnardsville, North Carolina, Sept. 26, 2009] – Cecil [...]

Voluntary conservation begins at home

Energy challenge

I’ve been thinking about my recent post Keeping Down With The Joneses, in which I report on a project that uses our innate inclination to be “normal” to shape conservation habits.

Keeping down with the Joneses

I’m always on the lookout for non-coercive ways to encourage resource conservation and I’ve just learned about a doozie. Psychological research into what motivates people to save has made great strides, in, of all places, hotel rooms. Hotel guests have become familiar with cards that encourage re-use of towels, or that suggest not asking for [...]

The filing speech video

A new spirit of patriotism: my filing speech

I delivered this speech on the steps of the Buncombe County Board of Elections after filing as a candidate for Asheville City Council, on Monday, June 6.
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I have just filed as a candidate for a seat on the Asheville City Council. I do so in part as an answer to President Barack Obama’s call for a new spirit of patriotism. It is also partly my answer to the first presidential speech I can remember hearing as a child, when another young president suggested we not ask what our country could do for us, but to ask what we could do for our country.

[photo by Edwin Shelton]

Money from your tap

Asheville City Council candidate Cecil Bothwell has advanced a revised plan for Asheville water rates aimed at encouraging conservation. [click on the header to read more]

Rethinking water rates: Uncap and Trade

I believe I’ve come up with a more effective way to encourage water conservation in our system.

The first 50 or 100 gallons per person per day should be free, with sharply steeper rates above that. (The number of free gallons is subject to analysis and debate – but is based on the idea that everyone has right to some quantity of potable water. And while this is “per person” it will probably be more workable to make it “per bedroom.”) At the same time we create a water credit system. You would accumulate credits by using less than your free allotment, and the credits could be traded. … [click the header to read more]

Utility rate restructuring

I have long advocated restructuring of water rates in Asheville, but after a conversation today (Earth Day in Biltmore) with Executive Director Avram Friedman, of the Canary Coaltion, I see that the project has to be more inclusive. Electric rates need restructuring as well.

City government only has direct control of water rates, so as a candidate for council I’m optimistic that I will be able to influence that matter first-hand. [... click on header for more]

Forced annexation

I am 1000% opposed to forced annexation. I will work to convince our legislative delegation to change the laws that have resulted in Asheville’s unique situation concerning expansion of the city. The only way to address the core issue locally is to solve the water problem and I have a plan to do that. 1. [...]