Archive for September, 2006
California Global Warming Solutions Act Becomes Law
Posted on September 29, 2006 - Filed Under Air Pollution, Curbing Pollution, Environmental Pollution, General, Global Warming, Land Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution News, Water Pollution
The San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Tribune, and LA Times all have positive articles covering the California Global Warming Solutions Act which was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday. This law symbolizes a great turning point for our country, our culture, our species and our planet. On the surface, it is a great victory in the battle to protect the life-sustaining systems on the planet. It is the start of a process that brings a large portion of America into cooperation with the world in seeking solutions to the threat of global warming.A parallel story is that we may have just witnessed a dramatic turing point in American politics. As we have mentioned earlier, the California leaders of the two parties worked together to implement a viable solution to a problem that a vast majority of the population wants to see solved. This is true democracy and our nation’s founders would be proud.Joining Gov. Schwarzenegger on San Francisco’s Treasure Island for the signing ceremony were Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome (Democrats), New York Governor George Pataki (Republican), and (via satellite) British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Labour).Last week the Schwarzenegger hosted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (Republican) on a tour of alternative energy facilities in California. As Schwarzenegger had previously said, "it’s amazing the work that can be done for the people of California when Democrats and Republicans work together."And are California businesses upset? Not Pacific, Gas & Electric (PG&E), the state’s largest electric utility. Tom King, President and CEO of PG&E said that this is "the right thing to do for California and the right thing to do for our nation… Climate change is the defining environmental challenge of our generation."As we move closer to the November elections, lets all do what we can to remove those in power who have been dividing our nation by placing party above country, politics above truth, and profit above humanity.
Read More..>>Cleaner and Cheaper Transportation
Posted on September 26, 2006 - Filed Under Air Pollution, Curbing Pollution, Environmental Pollution, General, Global Warming, Land Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution News, Water Pollution
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) is asking its 5.1 million customers to petition automakers to speed up development of plug-in electric-gasoline hybrid vehicles. In an insert to their electric bill, the company is encouraging customers to visit PlugInPartners.org and make a pledge to buy such an environmentally friendly vehicle. Plug-in hybrids are feasible and have been demonstrated by converting regular hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius. Extra batteries are added to provide extra power and distance in electric-only mode. These batteries can be refueled using a regular household electrical outlet. According to EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute), half the cars on U.S. roads are driven 25 miles a day or less. Consequently, a plug-in hybrid with a 25-mile all electric range could eliminate gasoline use in the daily commute of tens of millions of Americans. The PlugInPartners.org petition states: “If I could buy a vehicle that was cheaper to operate, cleaner, ran on domestic electricity, and I could buy it from you for a few thousand dollars more, yes I would positively WANT to plug it in to a 120-volt outlet.” PG&E is California’s largest utility. source: San Diego Union Tribune
Read More..>>Bush to America re Clean Air: You are on your own
Posted on September 24, 2006 - Filed Under Air Pollution, Curbing Pollution, Environmental Pollution, General, Global Warming, Land Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution News, Water Pollution
The Bush Administration has left the American people vulnerable to death and disease by allowing dangerously high levels of soot pollution in the air.Every five years the EPA must review and update regulations on various pollutants. This year, the EPA’s own scientific panel identified soot pollution as a serious threat to American lives and well-being. Lethal soot particles are released from power-plants, trucks and ships. These particles have been identified as a source for thousands of premature deaths, asthma attacks, heart attacks and other health problems.The new EPA rules have done nothing to further protect Americans from the steady flow of harmful pollution spewed into the air that we breath every day. "This was a decision based on political science rather than real science,” said Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch. "We’re terribly disappointed that EPA has chosen to disregard its own science advisers. The results will leave millions of Americans unprotected from the dangers of particle soot.”Dozens of health groups — including the American Medical Association, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and American Academy of Pediatrics — had urged the agency to set tougher standards for short-term and long-term exposure to particle pollution.While many hope that political pressure and a change in Congressional leadership will produce better Federal protections in the future, it is clear that we are on our own for now.We must limit our driving, our use of electricity and the use of petroleum diesel engines.We must use energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.We must do our best to keep the air in our homes, schools and businesses clean by using air purifiers.
Read More..>>Gathering Winds: USA Wind Power Capacity Continues Growth
Posted on September 5, 2006 - Filed Under Air Pollution, Curbing Pollution, Environmental Pollution, General, Global Warming, Land Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution News, Water Pollution
As American states are beginning to awaken to the need to take action on destructive Climate Change caused by human emissions of Greenhouse Gases, the wind energy industry has passed a symbolic milestone. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has done the math, and the total amount of Wind Energy capacity in America now exceeds 10,000 megawatts (MW). On a typical day, this could power more that 2.5 million U.S. homes without increasing dependence on polluting fuel sources that may come from unstable parts of the world. One project, expected to be the largest in the US, will provide a boost in achieving the next wind energy milestone. In Iowa, one expects to see farms producing corn, soy, hogs or dairy products. When the new Iowa Winds farm is built, clean and renewable electricity will be the profitable harvest. The project will involve hundreds of local landowners who will contribute to the generation of 300MW of electricity. According to AWEA, wind projects provide a broad range of benefits:
Economic benefits:
Supplying electricity: Wind was the second-largest source of new power generation in the country in 2005 after natural gas, and is likely be so again in 2006, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Creating jobs: Wind turbine manufacturing companies have recently opened facilities in Iowa (Clipper Windpower), Minnesota (Suzlon), and Pennsylvania (Gamesa), and wind turbine orders are creating jobs all the way down the supply chain, sometimes in areas that do not have a large wind resource, such as Louisiana.
Environmental benefits:
Less global warming pollution: Today’s 10,000 MW of wind power are keeping 16 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO 2), the leading greenhouse gas associated with global warming, out of the air EVERY YEAR. That’s equivalent to the amount of CO 2 that would be absorbed by over 9,000 square miles of forest, an area about the size of Vermont.
Better air quality: If the same amount of electricity as that generated by America’s 10,000-MW wind turbine fleet were instead produced using the average utility fuel mix, it would emit 73,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 27,000 tons of nitrogen oxide per year, as well as other pollutants such as mercury.
Energy security benefits:
Saving fuel: Today’s 10,000 MW of wind power saves about 0.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/day), or about 3.5% of the natural gas used nationwide to generate electricity.
Domestic, inexhaustible energy source: America’s wind resource potential is vast–theoretically more than twice enough to meet current U.S. electricity supply. President Bush said earlier this year that wind could meet 20% of the country’s electricity supply (the share that nuclear power provides today).
AWEA expects the U.S. to pass the 15,000 MW mark by the end of 2007 and can have 25,000 MW installed by the end of 2010, with the proper policies in place. At this growth rate, the U.S. could have 100,000 MW installed by 2020, which would provide the nation with approximately 6% of its future power needs, about as much as hydropower provides today. Iowa’s new farm would be a big boost in reaching these goals.
Read More..>>Next on California’s Agenda
Posted on September 1, 2006 - Filed Under Air Pollution, Curbing Pollution, Environmental Pollution, General, Global Warming, Land Pollution, Ocean Pollution, Pollution News, Water Pollution
This week California leaders of both parties produced the California Global Warming Solutions bill, which will become law as Governor Schwarzenegger has said he will sign it. (Previous post - updated 9/1/2006) This type of leadership on the most pressing issues facing our economy, our planet and our political environment signals a new era in America. The next step for California is to defeat incumbent Congressman Richard Pombo in November’s election. Richard Pombo is a key ally of the disgraced former Speaker of the House, Tom Delay, who "cut and ran" from Congress after being indicted on corruption charges. Richard Pombo was the trigger man for many of convicted-felon Jack Abramoff’s criminal activities. Richard Pombo wants to destroy California’s vibrant tourism economy by drilling for oil on the coastline (against the wishes of Republican Governor Schwarzenegger). Richard Pombo is devilishly working to gut the endangered species act. In the emerging ethical-centrist political atmosphere, politicians like Richard Pombo are an endagered species, and this type of species (like the Plague or the Polio virus) should be extinct. These troubling times require a new type of political animal, who inspires Americans to bravely reach for greatness instead of fearfully sink to violence. California will not be sending Pombo back to Washington. No more corruption. No more selling of our national wildnerness heritage. No more support for Bush’s Iraq debacle. Jerry McNerney is the grass-roots candidate who will defeat the slick political machine. Read more. Find out what you can do: Jerry McNerney for Congress Say No to Pombo Progressive 11TH (C.D.-CA) Blog Pombo’s In Their Pocket
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