Schwarzenegger, E.U. unveil new carbon-cutting schemes

Flexing His OPECs

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) may be hobbled by a broken leg, but his mind is still strong. (File that under Sentences We Never Thought We'd Write.) In his State of the State address last night, the green-leaning Governator announced a plan to cut carbon in transportation fuel 10 percent by 2020. "Our cars have been running on dirty fuel too long. Our country has been dependent on foreign oil for too long. I ask you to set in motion the means to free ourselves from oil and from OPEC," he said. "California has the muscle to bring about such change. I say use it." The effort, hailed as an "innovative and exciting" world first, will likely mean ramping up ethanol and other renewables, and could cause a transitional increase in gasoline prices. Across the pond, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso unveiled a plan that would require member states to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2020. Oh, E.U., that is so 2006. Arnie's been there, capped that.

straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Greg Lucas, 10 Jan 2007

straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Janet Wilson and Elizabeth Douglass, 10 Jan 2007

straight to the source: The New York Times, Jennifer Steinhauer and Felicity Barringer, 10 Jan 2007

straight to the source: BBC News, 10 Jan 2007

see also, in Grist: An interview with California environmental adviser Terry Tamminen

see also, in Grist: A special series on biofuels

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Comments: (6 comments)

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Bristol Bay Drilling

This is idiotic on so many levels I hardly even know where to begin.
Just as a primer, folks out there may want to do a quick Google Images search on Bristol Bay, specifically on "Large" images; what you will find is indicative of a populace heavily reliant on natural resources, fishing in particular... that said, the enormous photos of pleasantly ruddy sportsmen/hunters with recently blown away grizzly bears should also indicate what sort of mindset these folks hold, the same folks that are reportedly dubious of potential environmental harm being done to the Bay and encompassed ecology.
Somebody ship some folks from Prudhoe (sp?) Bay, site of the Exxon Valdez spill, to Bristol Bay to talk some sense into these people. Even better, pack some gear and the Sierra Club Energy Film Fest and head up that way; run "The Day the Water Died," and "Out of Balance" to drive home just what sort of drilling is going to be going on when Alaskans get into bed with Big Oil yet again.
Arg! Didn't the Dems just wrest control back?

"My cats' breath smells like rat poo."

by Hillbilly Goat Says Baa at 12:34 PM on 10 Jan 2007

Drilling in Bristol Bay

What makes my head spin is the timing of Bush un-banning drilling in Bristol Bay. The same day he announces the troop surge in Iraq! As if enough damage weren't already being done in the name of Big Oil, he had to rachet it up another notch.

by willworkforearth at 9:14 AM on 11 Jan 2007

Dell's "Green" micro-steps

Why is offering the customers the OPTION of offseting their carbon considered such a huge step? For the tiny percentage of Dell's customers that will choose that option its valid, but for the rest of the customers it is still the rest of the planet that will be the cost of the carbon emitted, and Dell that will make the profit.

For Dell to claim to be an environmental leader, it needs to make a commitment to offset ALL, or at least a gradually increasing amount, of its emissions. In that case, it would also have an incentive to reduce those emissions significantly.

by mitra at 12:18 PM on 11 Jan 2007

Keep up the good work

Congratulations to Arnold for having the guts to take action on several of the problems facing both Americans and the Earth today.
Nay sayers can have their 15 minutes of fame but something needs to be done and it needs to be started NOW!
If these plans do not work perfectly at this time, they can be modified in the future as we gain more experience.
I watched him on TV on Sunday and he has explained his way of thinking.....he is a Public Servant, serving all of the people of California. The air,streets,schools,belong to all,they are neither Democrat, Republican, Green or Independent, he plans to serve all to the best of his ability.
It is about time that sanity can come into play in American life.
In one of the articles it mentioned that tractors etc run on oil products. If we can begin work out the problems with car engines.......we should be able to work out the problems tractor engines........don't ya think?
The biggest possible problem I can forsee is the greed of our own Humongo, Fat Cat, Greedy Oil Companies, Sad as it may seem to them, they should get their comeupance. The time is nearing to kiss OPEC good bye and use our American ingenuity and take charge and build a a better world for all Americans.
So Right on Arnold !!!!Lets all get going foreward with optimism seeing a good, clean productive for us all.........Thank You

by coveark at 12:25 PM on 16 Jan 2007

Dell's take-back program has limits

"Today, I challenge every PC maker to join us in providing free recycling for every customer in every country you do business, all the time -- no exceptions," Dell said.

Dell's "customers" do not include its institutional clients, like universities. The quote above may leave consumers and advocates with the impression that Dell's take-back programs are free, without exception. I just wanted to let potential insitutional clients know that this isn't true.

by ddelongpre at 12:56 PM on 16 Jan 2007

Arnie's Oil

Good but with caution.
Biofuels can only contribute marginally before they too contribute to our global problems.
Refer the first law of sustainability, PUSI: the Produce Use Sustainability Index: the time to Produce a natural resource must be less than or equal to the time in which we Use it for Sustainability. This law accounts for the finite nature of our planet and the need to provide for future generations.
A photocell produces the energy of manufacture within a couple of years and with appropriate recycling meets the requirements for sustainability. We can not recoup the fossil fuels, or nuclear resources, we use.
The caution with bio fuels is that we must maintain biodiversity, soil, air and water quality and quantity.
Atmospheric polution and other problems are symptoms of an economic (management of the home)system that must be changed to reflect the reality of this finite planet.

by rod fletcher at 7:28 PM on 17 Jan 2007

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