Editorial: Carbon-reduction plan a step forward

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 5/27/2007 | Anon

[ProtectOurFreedom]

If California wants to achieve its goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 to fight global warming, it must find a way to cut down the biggest source of those pollutants: cars, trucks and other motor vehicles.

Even though transportation contributes 41 percent of greenhouse gases, our society is too geographically dispersed and mobile to realistically expect that we can dramatically reduce the number of miles we drive, ride and fly. So that means our vehicles need to become far more fuel-efficient. The less gasoline per mile that a car uses, the less heat-trapping carbon dioxide it spews into the atmosphere.

National fuel-efficiency gains have stalled for years as automakers peddled gas guzzlers while fighting every attempt to raise overall mileage standards.

California, which has a long history of pioneering environmental protections for the rest of the country, must take the lead again.

Assemblyman Ira Ruskin, D-Los Altos, with help from environmentalists at the Union of Concerned Scientists, has crafted an innovative bill, AB493, that uses a market-based approach to push drivers and automakers toward cars that emit less carbon dioxide.

State lawmakers should pass it.

The fees could make heavier-duty vehicles more expensive for some people who really need them. But supporters were careful to carve out exemptions for very small businesses, the poor and the disabled. And because new fuel-sippers would be cheaper after rebate, that also should push down the price for used cars that get good mileage, helping low-income commuters.

[hermgem]

We also can go for carbon offsets similar to Al Gore with his monthly $33,000 energy bill for his house.
Such carbon offsets can start with one of the most wasteful items that cause felling of millions of trees per year worldwide, the erosion of land, depriving wild animals of their habitats.
Newspapers, yes newspapers, which draw in all those wood imports from as far away as China and Brazil for their raw material: paper.
It’s the best kept secret, but monumentally contributory to global warming.
Need a carbon offset: Cancel your paper subscription and go on the net for information.

[sionnsar]

If California wants to achieve its goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 to fight global warming,

California can do it much more easily than that. Just keep jacking up the taxes until the population drops by 25% to 50%.

[xcamel]

FReepmail me to get on or off

Click on POGW graphic for full GW rundown

New!!: Dr. John Ray's
GREENIE WATCH

Ping me if you find one I've missed.

---

"Carbon: The New Pork!"

[JustDoItAlways]

Just noting that Transportation only accounts for 14% of GHG emissions (not 41% as quoted in the article).

Furthermore, passenger vehicles are only a small percentage of the Transportation sector’s emissions.

So don’t worry about your car. The solution to the (phony?) problem of global warming is not personal transportation. That is a red herring.