All eyes on Calif. climate-change fight

[bananas]

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071010/a_warming10.art.htm

All eyes on Calif. climate-change fight
Proposed measures would set law in motion to battle global warming

By John Ritter
USA TODAY

SAN FRANCISCO — Make big-rig trucks more aerodynamic. Allow docked ships to shut off engines and plug into electrical outlets. Require oil-change technicians to check tire pressure.

Those measures and six more that California regulators will consider this month are among early actions in what will be a long, fiercely debated and politically perilous battle against global warming.

Sleeker trucks, ships that don't idle in port and proper tire inflation don't seem earthshaking, but each would be a small step toward reaching California's ambitious goal — spelled out in its landmark 2006 law — of producing fewer greenhouse gases, which most scientists believe cause the planet to warm.

California, whose economy is larger than Canada's, is the only state that has ordered mandatory cuts in greenhouse gases. With no federal action yet on climate change, the process here is being closely watched across the country and worldwide.

<snip>

[NNadir]

1. California's been talking big through ass hats like Governor Hydrogen Hummer for decades.

They couldn't care less that their ZEV law which promised that 10% of cars sold in California by 2003 would be emissions free - a law passed in the 1990's - didn't do a damn thing.

Of course, California has lots and lots and lots and lots of anti-nukes who can't comprehend the first (or last) thing about something called <em>numbers</em>.

For everyone else, here's California's numbers: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_use/total/pdf/use_ca.pdf

[kestrel91316]

4. You would prefer we do NOTHING?

[NNadir]

6. You ARE doing nothing.

Maybe you think you're doing something, but in fact, repeating mantras and prayers from the 1970's showed its worth in the 1970's.

Last I looked, Californians pretended to being doing something by reelecting Governor Hydrogen Hummer on the "brazillion solar roofs" program.

So, now, where the fuck are the Brazilian solar roofs? What is important, fighting climate change or talking about climate change.

When do you think that climate change will become a problem? If you're staring for hours at the Greenpeace website and thinking about 2050 you are doing less than zero.

[melody]

5. We're doing more than any other state -- and we're hampered by big business

So you're going to criticize one of the states that is really trying?

[Nihil]

2. K & R

These measures don't solve the big problems but they serve two
very useful purposes:

1) Small steps with minimal cost making progress towards the goal.

2) Raising the awareness (necessary even in California) of the issues.

It might be "too little, too late" but even that's better than the
Washington attitude of "nothing, ever".

[progpen]

3. "Better than...nothing, ever."

Exactly. I'm not going to piss on California's parade because I know that they are doing as much, if not more in the fight against global warming than any other state. Even though I'm no fan of Governor Schwartzendrubber, the state as a whole is moving in the right direction, albeit slowly.

And those in the Green and Sustainable movement know that small changes on a large scale = large changes. They should be supported in their efforts.