|
thoughts on recycling CF bulbs (they contain mercury) and the superior virtues of LED lights.
Now is definitely the time to bring these issues up.
The California legislature adjourns for the year on Thursday, so this week will be the last chance for California to pass Governor Schwarzenegger's global warming bill. A cap and trade bill, it would mandate that all businesses reduce greenhouse gases by 25 percent by the year 2020. An important companion bill would bar California utilities from buying electricity from out-of-state power plants that don't cap emissions. That would force more than two dozen coal-fired plants under development in the West to adopt non-polluting technologies or lose access to the California market.
And even bigger opportunities are on the horizon. Last Thursday, California Senator Diane Feinstein outlined the Democrats' thinking on climate change policy, describing a legislative package she intends to introduce in the next Congress in January. The bills would increase car mileage standards and offer incentives for power producers to meet emission standards. She called for a 70 percent cut in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels as what is needed to begin stabilizing the atmosphere.
Senator Feinstein said, "It is time to stop talking and to begin acting," but the details, including the strength of "incentives" have yet to be worked out, and there will be a lot of pressure on the Democrats from industry to avoid mandatory caps.
Businesses are lobbying hard against the California global warming bill, saying that emission caps will just drive business to their competitors in other states. That's why ultimately federal emission caps are essential.
When solid carbon emissions caps are in place, most likely your utility will either buy CF light bulbs for you or give you a rebate. It will make economic sense. But don't wait until then because there are lots of other things you will need to do to save energy - everything from weatherizing your home to buying more energy efficient appliances. Here's a handy To Do List for you.
Buy those light bulbs now. We've got to get going on the little things, because we simply have to start somewhere.
Chaos theory affirms that a butterfly flapping its wings in Africa can set off a chain of events that causes a tornado in Kansas.
In the same way, it is perfectly possible that a person in Chicago who changes a light bulb can prevent a hurricane in Florida, or at least save a rural community in Iowa from a disruptive and toxic coal-fired power plant.
And now, just before another national election, when the political winds blow fitfully, is the time when each small voice raised in favor of a new low-carbon economy can make a big difference.
|
|
