California “the Green State”…..yeah Right!!!

The Govenator signed into legislation recently the “Greenhouse Gas Bill” This “landmark bill that establishes a first-in-the-world comprehensive program of regulatory and market mechanisms to achieve real, quantifiable, cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases.” (http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/4111/) According to the kindergarten cop…..”We must do everything in our power to slow global warming before its too late.” Sounds like a doomsday prophecy for our future. But is this bill really necessary or is it just a ploy to gain popular opinion. Many will argue tooth and nail that there is no such thing as global warming……just like the big Ozone layer debate of many years ago. Along with this bill and the Green Building Iniative….California as a state seems to be on the right track towards environmental friendliness…..RIGHT?

BIG WRONG…….Sweden has recently taken the wind out of our sails by announcing that they will be oil free by 2020. Where California has been taking baby steps, Sweden has gone right for the jugular by making a promise to give oil the boot and focus on renewable energy. Is it possible to have an entirely oil free country. Well we only have to wait 12 years to find out.

While they are dependent on Fossil Fuels for transportation purposes, and nuclear and hydroelectric power for electricity; Geothermal Energy is the future for Sweden, and that is how they plan to accomplish their goal. Ethanol and Biofuels will soon power the cars or Sweden. Wind and wave power may also play a role in Sweden’s renewable energy sources.

Our European friends have been thinking outside the box for years. And California has been twiddling its thumbs most of this time. It is going to take more than 2 pieces of legislation to get us where we need to be in terms of renewable energy.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0208-05.htm