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Putting a Spotlight on Issues That Matter To Us All
By Erik Kirschbaum
As a journalist, I sometimes get the opportunity to put a spotlight on important issues. While we go to great lengths to ensure our reporting is unbiased, there’s still something satisfying about finding stories that people are passionate about. It’s a great feeling to work on stories and blogs that might enlighten others about issues that impact us all.
After reading about the perils of climate change in Reuters articles in 2006 and getting fed up with inaction, I decided to put a small solar power system on my house in 2007 to cut my own CO2 output. Before that I had written a story about Germany’s robust renewable energy laws and growing number of rooftop solar systems. In 2008, I took out a loan for another solar power plant on the roof of a nearby school, and then borrowed more for another solar power plant on top of another school in 2009. By focusing on schools, I had 3 goals: cut CO2, try to get children interested in renewable energy, and earn some supplemental retirement income down the road.
In 2010, a former Reuters colleague and I took out a loan to build a large solar system on a barn that produces enough power for 50 homes (about 200,000 kw/h per year) and in 2011 we built two more solar power plants that generate enough electricity for 150 more homes (about 600,000 kw/h) — altogether these systems eliminate a total of 400,000 kg of CO2 per year. We’re looking to do a big solar power project every year. To reduce my carbon footprint further, I commute as often as possible by bike up to 40 km per day. At the same time, I try to write stories about renewable energy and climate change when opportunities present themselves. As always, I write these as objectively as possible. Sometimes these stories are critical; while the country I live in, Germany, is a world leader in renewables, it is also still a leader in CO2 emissions. Like many journalists at Reuters, I’d hope some of these stories might make a difference to someone, somewhere. It’s a great opportunity to be part of a organization where sharing information, such as what works and doesn’t work in Germany, is a part of my job.
Erik Kirschbaum is a correspondent for Thomson Reuters and is based in Berlin, Germany.