Schwarzenegger To Recommend Higher Gas Prices, CO2 Reports
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 02.21.06
According to the Chicago Sun Times of February 21, 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger is planning to have California step beyond it's "information clearing house" role, and "get active", with a climate change program. Word on the street hints at less-than penny a gallon gas tax increases and mandatory reporting of carbon dioxide emissions from fixed sources. Per the Sun Times: "The proposal, drafted by the governor's senior environmental advisers, has both business groups and clean-air advocates girding for a fight in Sacramento that could have profound national environmental and political implications. With President Bush reluctant to steer federal policy toward lowering greenhouse gas emissions, states and cities have taken the lead on what most environmentalists agree is the most critical issue facing the planet".
From the San Francisco Gate of February 17, 2006 : "Schwarzenegger instructed a team of administration officials, led by state EPA head Alan Lloyd, to compile a report detailing how emissions could be cut. A draft of the report was published in December; the final version is expected to be released by the end of this month.
The draft report listed dozens of options -- many already under way -- to lower emissions, ranging from requiring farmers to change the way they handle animal manure to ramping up the state's use of the wind and sun to generate electricity.
The report will be delivered to the governor's office and the Legislature. Many of the proposals would have to be enacted through legislation".
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Any Nation That Wants to Combat Climate Change Has an Ally in the US: President-Elect Obama
- California Prepares for Rising Sea Levels
- Will the Next New Deal be Transit-Based? Three Plans to Rescue the Economy and the Earth with Public Transportation
- Michelin Unveils Active Wheel in Affordable Electric Car
Well done Mr. Governator, as always, we Californians need to be the trendsetters. Sice we can't depend on any of the red states to progress our environment past the "clean air, healthy forests act" (aka the "green light to the U.S. Timber Industry[aka BIG campaign donors] to log and mill trees act") we will pick up the slack!! Change has to start somewhere, right?
Arnie would have more credibility as an environmentalist if he got rid of his oil-guzzling Hummers.
I find it hard to understand why 'less-than-a-penny' tax increases would make any difference to CO2 emissions. I see hummers and other stupid vehicles in London all the time and it is $1.70 a LITRE here !
Cigarettes are $9 and people still smoke'em ... addictions are hard to crack.
Anyway I guess it is a move in the right direction ...
W
Donny: Clearly you haven't heard that "Arnie" was instrumental in the development of a Hydrogen powered Hummer dubbed the "H2H"! http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2005/01/04/cx_dl_0104vow.html
True - we have had 50mpg diesels and $5 a gallon fuel for some time here in the UK....and yet I still see 90% of cars with just 1 person in, a massive increase in 4x4s, and the roads are busier than ever.
Like you say Will, addictions are hard to break.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has ONE Hummer that runs on hydrogen power. He has several Hummers, and the rest run on old-fashioned gas.
Besides, Schwarzenegger convinced the company to develop the civilian version of the Hummer, so he's partly responsible for all those polluting monsters on the road.
The Hummer has a gas mileage of ten miles per gallon: less than half the mileage of the Model T Ford 80 years ago! Hummers emit over three times more carbon dioxide than average cars, and they give off substantially more smog-producing pollutants. And because they are categorized as light trucks, they are exempt from meeting emission or fuel-efficiency standards.
So Schwarzenegger is as much an environmentalist as I'm a vegan. Now excuse me, I need to grab my fur coat to go have lunch at the steakhouse.
=== author's response follows ====
Thanks for the well written and amusing perspective.
Thinking ahead to the next election, a man is what he becomes. He could be sensing a renewed interest in government playing an enabling role for resource efficiency development. The pendulum is at rest and could return to the center
Good response sig!! I think Arnie is trying to make a change though. I think what he is stating is that if hydrogen powered vehicles (Hummers) were readily available as was refuelling stations, that he would drive a hydrogen powered one over a gasoline one! Still, indeed no excuse for driving a Hummer in the first place! I find it funny that you (sig) don't make mention of how you get around?! I personally have never owned a vehicle in my life (I'm 24) and rely on my bicycle and public transportation to get me around my beautiful home of Vancouver, Canada! I don't plan on buying a car until they are 100% environmentally friendly! Change is definately hard, but worth it if it is for the better good, maybe you should stop eating our cows so we can put them to better use (perhaps harnessing methane?! hehe) By the way I'm not a vegetarian either, definately trying hard though!
Well, Vets, I live in the glorious island of Manhattan so I don't own a car. I'm happy to say that I either walk (a lot) or take the subway.
As for Arnold, I hope you're right that he's trying to change. From what I've seen so far, though, when it comes to the environment, he wants people to do as he says, not as he does (private plane, Hummers). I call that being a hypocrite.