Solving Global Warming

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is actively engaged in activities throughout the Midwest to reduce global warming. 

Midwest-focused solutions are critical. Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin account for 20% of the nation’s carbon pollution. The Midwest alone is responsible for more global warming pollution than any country, except China, India, Russia and Japan. That’s because the Midwest has the largest concentration of old, dirty coal plants that produce large amounts of carbon dioxide which cause global warming, and because we are the hub of the U.S. transportation industry.

Much of our work focuses on environmental solutions that can dramatically reduce global warming pollution:

wind powerCLEANER ENERGY: 32% of our country’s global warming pollution comes from generating electric power. How we produce that power, and how much we generate, has a profound impact on global warming.

  • Promoting Farm Energy. Producing energy from biofuels, biogas, wind power, and solar energy can reduce our demand for foreign oil, create jobs in America’s heartland, and reduce carbon pollution.
  • Creating Markets for Renewable Energy. Renewable energy resources are the fuel of the future and passage of renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in every Midwestern state is a critical step to building a clean energy future.
  • Cleaning Up Dirty Coal Plants. The Midwest still depends on coal-fired power plants for more than 75% of its electrical power. Coal plants are among the dirtiest sources of power. ELPC is working to bring these older plants up to modern pollution control standards.

istock_trainTRANSPORTATION: Motor vehicles consume almost 75% of the oil we use and produce about 26% of our global warming pollution.

  • Promoting High-Speed Rail. Trains are three times as efficient as cars. By promoting fast, frequent rail service, we can reduce our dependence on cars and planes.
  • Opposing Wasteful Highway Spending. ELPC partners with local environmental groups to oppose unnecessary highway projects, such as I-69 in Indiana, which promote sprawl and encourage more fuel consumption.
  • Advocating Cleaner Cars. ELPC is pleased that under a new federal law, states may choose between two vehicle emissions standards: the federal Clean Air Act standards or the more stringent California standards, which were adopted by 14 states. These standards require fleet-wide reductions of carbon dioxide pollution by 30% – 50% or more by 2016.

GREEN BUILDINGS: Heating, cooling, and lighting buildings is a major source of carbon pollution. That’s why ELPC works to promote green buildings that reduce our demand for fossil fuels.

  • Implementing Energy Efficient Building Codes. Doing energy efficiency “right” at the new construction and major rehab stage is by far the most cost-effective time to make these pro-environmental and energy cost reduction investments. ELPC was instrumental in getting a commercial energy efficiency building code passed in Illinois in 2004 and a residential energy efficient building code in Illinois in 2009.

Learn more about global warming and how you can make a difference at GlobalWarmingsolutions.org, our comprehensive website focused on climate change in the Midwest.

We publish one of the Midwest’s most important online information hubs on global warming; visit us at GlobalWarmingSolutions.org.