There are some fairly simple and relatively cheap policies we implement to decrease the environmental cost of our lifestyles.
Subsidy to put solar panels on homes in the range of 25%-50%. It takes about $5K-$10K to put a solar panel array on a home that covers ~80% of it’s daytime energy usage. Making electricity local to its use drastically reduces the power lost over lines distributing it, reduces the need for transmission lines, and the need for those high power lines that cause cancer in kids. Solar Panels are a dream invention for home owners. All other methods of electrical generation are quite complex. Panels only require installation.
Federal law revoking state laws (not optimal) to grass roots removal of state laws (best) that forbid homeowners selling power to the grid at rates comparable to the power company. These laws exist for one purpose to remove competition. We need more competition since the power companies have not taken the lead in environmentally responsible power generation.
Banning or phase out of chemicals with long or unknowably long life times. Particularly, nerve toxins (for animals) and general plant toxins (for weeds). This is particularly of concern for home owning consumers who might choose to douse land with such chemicals upon which children might unknowingly play.
A group of short term tasked with assisting homeowners for low cost or free with analysis of the energy efficiency of home. Cheap methods of sealing up holes in attics, attic fans, insulation, timers, etc. should be the most common solutions. A third party, not the electric/gas company or contractor, is most useful here. This group might produce the most benefits for least cost.
Tax or penalize homes made with current needlessly wasteful low energy efficiency standards. Homes can be constructed of comparable cost to modern homes that do not need air conditioning or heating. Most homes today are built of habit not forethought. We could make a new habit.
Areas of desert or drought should be encouraged to pass building codes that encourage water catchment systems. All new homes should be built with such systems. At the very least the lawn can be watered with rainwater to offset the drain on reservoirs.
Feedlots produce huge quantities of smelly methane (I’m looking at you Hereford, TX) that could be captured and bottled to be used locally or sold for vehicles. This is money to the feedlot, reduced environmental impact (methane is a greenhouse gas), and no smell. Drilling is not required, production is continuous, and a renewable resource is used.
Forbid the construction of single cycle gas power plants which are 25%-30% efficient when a combined cycle plant can be 40%-50% efficient. Both burn the same quantity of gas, the single cycle lets the energy go into the atmosphere as heat, wasting a vital nonrenewable resource and raising the prices of gas on the energy markets. The only difference is in capital cost to build the plant, which over the lifetime (30-50 years) is tiny in comparison to the cost of fuel burned.
Longer term..
Require companies who make products consider their whole life cycle. When transportation was a horse; fuel, waste, and maintenance were close together. As a car; fuel is in the ground, waste goes in the air, and maintenance goes to both. The car company is freed from truly considering the cost of the car, which should rightfully include gathering up all the emissions and rendering them inert. Cars and many other items are cheap only, because the public (including those who do not participate) pays for the cleanup of the exhaust and harmful chemicals.
The energy economy should be diverse and rich. Cars that run on gas, gasoline, electricity, diesel, and the ever fabled myth of hydrogen. Electric cars should be preferred because they can further diversify energy that comes from a power grid based on solar, coal, gas, and wind power.
Phase out plastic to something that will degrade in a knowable timespan. This material is too ubiquitous to remove, but we go too far. Plastic silverware and plates don’t need to be plastic. Other materials can be made to fill the gaps.
Conversely, develop a microbe that can digest plastic like wood fibers. This will cost in maintenance to many, many objects and industries, but odd corners of the world won’t fill up with junk.
Anyone else have any bright ideas?