I almost didn’t post anything for Blog Action Day 2009. I had a lot to say about last years theme – Poverty [READ] but Climate Change is an issue that I have very little to say on despite having worked for years on the science and technology policy side of clean tech. I believe that we need to get our act together in terms of how we use energy and resources. That’s clear. There are a number of reasons for doing so. To highlight the point, I want to illustrate the curious case of Israel and its clean tech mecca.

A recent article in Business Week [READ] talked about how Israel has garnered a lot of international attention for its environmentally sustainable technologies. They have entrepreneurs there who have found ways to squeeze every joule of energy out of the sun, the environment and the non-renewable resources that they use. Why? Because there is a siege mentality there that has driven them since the country was founded. I don’t believe that they conserve and get innovative with clean tech in Israel because they care all that much about the environment. I believe they do so because they must.

We are in a priviledged position here in Canada because there are not wolves at the gates trying to take our land and our lives. When we make decisions to be more environmentally conscious here its because we feel morally obligated to do so. In Canada, if you choose to drive a gas-guzzling SUV and drink bottled water and run your furnace with the windows open, there are few penalties. Some disapproving looks from your neighbours, perhaps and some financial hits but at the end of the day, if you want to be a jerk and do these things, you can.

In Israel, if people did these things, the country would be falling apart. They barely have enough resources to go around as it is. As a results, greywater systems, solar collector technology and other innovative solutions to mitigate scarce resources are flourishing there. In this way, Israel is showing us what it takes to achieve mass change in consumption and behaviour – the ever looming threat of ruin if you do not do it.

Sure, climate scientists have been saying for over a decade that doom is knocking at our back door but it’s too abstract for most people. I firmly believe that the only way people will behave resposibly with their energy consumption is if it hurts to not do so. The only way to hurt people here in Canada is by hitting them in the wallet. Look what happened when fuel prices went through the roof last year! People were using transit more, they were buying more fuel efficient cars, they were finding ways to save energy. As soon as gas prices went back down a bit, people are right back to their old, bad habits.

Last year, I wrote a lengthy piece of the BC Government’s Gas Tax [READ]. The gist of it is that I didn’t think the gas tax was high enough. It didn’t affect my finances in a noticeable way and as a result, I didn’t end up driving less. Maybe sin taxes on wasteful energy use is the best solution. I don’t know. What I do know is that Israel has found a way to effectively do more with less and while their main goal probably isn’t to save the environment, they’re doing it anyway.