Climate grab bag: a few steps forward, one step back
Adam Stein | September 18, 2007
- A federal judge has dismissed the California suit against automakers for the role of vehicle emissions in global warming. Just last week, automakers lost a similar suit in Vermont.
- Harvard is building a new science center, and the university has agreed to keep emissions from energy use in the new buildings at 50% below national standards. By itself this isn’t the biggest deal in the world, but it alerted me to some of the aggressive state-level efforts to curb emissions from buildings, which make up almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
- Bicycling is now sexy, says this wonderfully absurd New York Observer article from the about sexy, sexy cyclists. I can’t help wondering if this “trend” is at least in part a mainstream outgrowth of the fixie subculture, as hipsters look for their own two-wheeled accoutrements. But, hey, any publicity for cycling is a good thing, even if celebrities tend not to wear helmets.
- Nissan is putting fuel mileage gauges in all cars. These are the little readouts that show you what mpg you’re getting at any given second. Anybody who’s experienced one of these knows what a salutary effect it has on fuel efficiency. As soon as you can see how much gas you’re using, you take steps to do better.
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We just returned from Europe (yes, we bought Terrapass Flight)and the thing that struck me was that they are no longer debating Global Warming; they accept it is real and are trying to do something about it. They have mass transit for everywhere you want to go and people walk! All the conversation in the states about renewable energy should be directed towards our natioanl security and then maybe people would wake up and judges would hold the automakers accountable!
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By now most of us realize that the major lobbying powers in the U.S. including coal and the automaker unions go to great lengths to protect themselves by pumping life into the global warming debate. Their livelihood depends on it. And as Cindy points out all one has to do is step outside the U.S. for a short while and look back in; you quickly realize that things are very subjective here.
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I was shocked when I read in a German newspaper that the German government's goal is that by the year 2015 20% of the energy used in the country will be produced by alternative sources (mainly wind, water and solar power). This July I traveled about 1200 miles in Germany and was surprised that you can not drive for 15 minutes without seeing a wind-turbine somewhere. They seem to be done talking, they are doing. Time for us to catch up.
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I am really happy to see that the fuel mileage gauge is hitting the streets (via Nissan).
It is my contention that ordinary car drivers can get hybrid-like mileage (20% better mpg) just by driving a bit more sanely. The fuel mileage gauge is/can be like a constant sanity check.
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Many collegecampuses are requiring new construction to be built to energy efficient standards (often with pressure from students). An organization that promotes this and sets standards is the Green Building Council. Their LEED program has various levels of efficiency. Concerned progressives should let their local officials know about the standards, the cost savings and other benefits.
http://www.usgbc.org/
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