Friday, June 26, 2009
With a close vote expected on historic climate and energy legislation, Wisconsin’s Lieutenant Governor Lawton wrote to the Wisconsin congressional delegation urging representatives to vote for the Waxman-Markey bill. Read Lt. Governor Lawton’s letter here.
Call from individuals may be the best way to influence this important vote. Call your legislators today and ask them to vote yes on the the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Science
The Effect
Local Causes
Local Solutions
The Science
There has been consensus among scientists for years that global warming is a serious problem and that it is caused by human activity.
Basically, “global warming” or “global climate change” refers to an increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans over time. This temperature rise is the result of an increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, including methane, nitrous oxide and aerosols, in our atmosphere.
When sunlight strikes the Earth’s surface, some of it is reflected back toward space as infrared radiation or heat. Greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation and trap the heat in the atmosphere. Normal amounts of gases are what keep the Earth warm and habitable. But when these gasses build up beyond the normal levels and at a rate that the environment cannot alleviate, global warming results.
The Effect
Global warming is a serious threat to the environment that sustains our health, our economy, and our security.
An increased global temperature will shift ecosystems. Glaciers will retreat, altering water supply for habitats and millions of people. Plant productivity and vitality will change, destroying fragile ecosystems. Freshwater bodies, including the Great Lakes, will decline, affecting water supplies and wildlife habitat.
An increased global temperature will affect our health and well-being. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in their wake. The increased number of hot, smoggy days will cause increasing frequency and intensity of lung-related illnesses, including asthma. What’s more, the increasing intensity and frequency of “natural” disasters can destroy people’s homes and livelihoods.
An increased global temperature will dramatically change global economies. In addition to the expensive damage caused by ever-increasing catastrophic weather events, many industries will be touched by global warming. Some are more obvious – like the ski industry for lack of snow – but many more are affected in more nuanced ways. For example, as temperatures rise, certain insects might survive longer in the year and affect the crops that provide raw materials for any number of manufacturers and consumers.
An increased global temperature will affect our national security. The more attention we must divert to cleaning up after a hurricane or rebuilding an industry after it’s been decimated by global climate impacts, the fewer resources we have to divert to keeping our country secure.
Local Causes
The Midwest is at the center of our global warming problems.
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin account for 20% of the carbon pollution in the United States with only 5% of the world’s total pollution. The Midwest alone is responsible for more global warming pollution than most countries across the globe except for China, India, Russia and Japan. There are several factors that make the Midwest critical to global warming solutions, namely:
- The Midwest has the largest concentration of old, dirty coal plants that produce large amounts of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.
- As the hub on the U.S. transportation industry, the crossroads of America has developed a heavy carbon burden.
Local Solutions
The Midwest has the potential to be at the center of our global warming solutions.
Clean technologies mean a cleaner world for all. Not only do modern technologies reduce carbon pollution, they reduce other harmful pollutants that poison our lakes, make our land infertile, and harm human health. To help reduce global warming pollution, we are helping to make our energy and transportation systems more efficient, protect our forest ecosystems, wildlife and biodiversity, and improve our air quality and protect peoples’ health.
We need the political and economic capital to make clean energy decisions happen today. For example, renewable energy, such as wind and solar , currently supplies about 2% of the region’s electricity supply. We have the technology to meet 20% of our energy supply needs through clean, renewable energy. The result – a 51% reduction in carbon dioxide – is a larger reduction than proposed by the Kyoto Treaty.
Clean car technology, electric vehicles, and high-speed rail systems can produce more efficient, less polluting transportation options while creating needed manufacturing jobs. We have the technology, but we can only achieve success by avoiding roadblocks and creating policies that reduce pollution.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Environmental Law and Policy Center is currently working to organize grassroots support in the Chicagoland area for national global warming legislation. The American Clean Energy and Security Act will take nationwide action to solve global warming by expanding renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, and curbing carbon emissions.
We need your help to raise public awareness and support for this historic bill. After successfully passing the bill in the House of Representatives it is now up to the Senate and President Obama to ensure that the Unites States takes action to solve climate change and adopt a coherent clean energy policy.
If you would like to learn about future volunteer opportunities to help raise support for this historic environmental legislation please contact Katy Hintzen today by calling 773-812-3567 or e-mailing khintzen@elpc.org.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
President Obama has announced new nationwide pollution reduction and fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. The new standards will largely track the clean car standards being advocated by the Environmental Law & Policy Center and considered by the Illinois General Assembly in HB422 and SB1941.
“President Obama is driving automakers to develop cleaner cars and innovative pollution reduction technologies that the public wants,” said Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “Illinois drivers will save more than $500 million per year by using 280 million gallons less of gasoline when these standards take hold.”
The new clean car standards will cut global warming pollution from passenger vehicles by 30 percent by 2016. The transportation sector is the second largest source of global warming pollution nationwide. Pollution from cars and trucks is also a leading cause of asthma and other public health problems.
Read ELPC’s press release.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Michigan Scientists Call for Strong Federal Action on Climate Change
More than 175 scientists from universities across Michigan delivered a letter to the Michigan Congressional Delegation urging strong federal policy action on climate change. The effort to bring the scientists together around this critical area of consensus was led by ELPC Science Advisory Council member Knute Nadelhoffer, who is a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan and Director of the University of Michigan Biological Station at Pellston. The letter began:
“As scientists living and working in colleges and universities in the state of Michigan, we urge the Michigan Congressional delegation to support strong federal policies for rapid and deep reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We are convinced that immediate action is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of global warming on Michigan’s economy and environment, including the Great Lakes.”
The scientists noted that getting scientists to agree on any one thing is often a challenge, but “when it comes to climate change and the need for action now, we all agree: Congress must pass measures to protect Michigan and the Great Lakes from climate change.”
Read the letter and list of scientists.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A message from celebrity chef rick bayless on how you can help solve global warming. Visit GlobalWarmingSolutions.org.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Developing clean energy is critical to solving global warming, strengthening our economy and increasing our energy independence. A clean energy future will require us to use energy more efficiently and generate more of our electricity from clean, renewable sources including wind and solar power.
Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to meet our growing energy needs. Taking advantage of energy efficiency will lower consumers’ energy bills, reduce pollution and put hundreds of thousands of people to work performing energy audits, retrofitting older buildings, manufacturing energy efficient building materials and more. ELPC is part of the national Campaign for an Energy Efficient America that is pushing for nationwide energy efficiency standard- you can learn more at www.energyefficiencyworks.org
Renewables
Generating electricity from renewable sources like wind, sunlight, plants, moving water and the earth’s heat will greatly reduce global warming pollution while increasing our energy independence creating new jobs and income, especially in rural America. Investing in clean energy will diversify our energy supply and create a sustainable way to move our country forward.
ELPC is working on state and local policies that encourage renewable energy development and is part of the coalition advocating for federal clean energy legislation. You can learn more at www.renewableenergyworks.org.
Working Together
In combination, energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas cap-and-trade will greatly reduce global warming pollution, grow the clean energy economy and stabilize consumer energy prices. Click here to read an analysis of how the three components work together.
What can I Do?
Transitioning to a clean energy economy will take political courage. Contact your elected officials and ask them to support that national Energy Efficiency and Renewable Electricity standards.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
In an Argus Leader OpEd, ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner explains that South Dakota is well-positioned to gain both economic as well as environmental benefits from global warming solutions legislation. Learner says that the state stands to benefit from a carbon-capped economy because of its excellent wind power resources and through new energy efficiency savings and a new agricultural offset and carbon sequestration program that will provide additional income to farmers. South Dakota also currently gets more than half of its energy supply from nonpolluting hydro power already.
Read the full opinion piece.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
ELPC’s Iowa Global Warming Campaign took the cue on the national Day of Service held on Martin Luther King’s birthday to help Des Moines families to weatherize their homes. Of course, the crew took along a video camera.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Environmental Law & Policy Center commends President Barack Obama’s directive to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider the prior administration’s decision denying the waiver for 14 states that have enacted legislation to reduce the global warming pollution from cars.
“President Obama’s action will spur automakers to develop the cleaner cars and innovative pollution reduction technologies that that public wants,” said Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We appreciate President Obama’s actions to remove the prior administration’s roadblock to states moving forward. Illinois now has a green light to enact the clean car legislation that is currently being considered.”
The state’s proposed legislation would cut global warming pollution from passenger vehicles by 30 percent by 2016. The transportation sector is the second largest source of global warming pollution nationwide. Pollution from cars and trucks is also a leading cause of asthma and other public health problems.
