REDWOOD NEEDLES
REDWOOD NEEDLESPresented by the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter Newsletter, The REDWOOD NEEDLES
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The U.S. is the world's largest culprit behind greenhouse gas pollution that is dangerously warming the earth's climate. Instead of continuing to be part of this problem, California now has the chance to lead the nation in the fight to reduce global warming. This January the California legislature will be voting on Assembly Bill 1058 (Pavley) which would limit greenhouse gas emissions from the state's largest and least addressed source of global warming: passenger vehicles.
In the past there was some skepticism about the reality of human-induced climate change. Today, however, an overwhelming majority of scientists acknowledge that global warming is a problem of serious proportions that will drastically affect our environment, economy, and health. In the past 100 years, the average global temperature has risen 1° F. As a result, oceans are warming, sea levels are rising, glaciers are disappearing, and many species of plants and animals are dying off. By 2100 the Earth could warm another ten degrees increasing floods, droughts, forest fires, and the severity and numbers of storms, disease and pestilence.
Here in California, global warming threatens some of the state's most critical economic drivers&emdash;agriculture, fishing, timber, real estate, insurance, construction, tourism, and the ski industry. As a result, homeowners, businesses and farmers will end up paying higher rates for insurance, while consumers pay more for food, water, and other goods and services. Communities of color and low-income populations stand to be disproportionately affected by global warming through degradation of air quality and loss of jobs.
AB 1058, which is supported by Sierra Club, provides a reasonable approach to reducing the effects of global warming. This innovative piece of legislation would require the California Air and Resources Board to adopt regulations by January 1, 2005 that achieve the maximum feasible, cost-effective, and technologically achievable reductions of greenhouse gas pollution from passenger vehicles. In addition, AB 1058 would give automobile manufacturers, to the maximum extent feasible, the flexibility to decide how to meet the requirements of the regulation.
AB 1058 will also help reduce dependence on oil and mitigate energy price shocks in California because nearly all of the methods the automobile industry is likely to use to meet the greenhouse gas standards will decrease the state's demand for petroleum-based fuels. This reduction will result in lower fuel prices and increased savings for consumers and businesses dependent on affordable fuels.
For the sake of our environment, economy, and health, as well as future generations' quality of life, we can no longer afford to ignore the issue of global warming. By passing AB 1058, California has the chance to become a national leader on the most important environmental issue of our time.
Take Action to Reduce Global Warming! Support AB 1058 and help reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions.
Send a letter to your Assembly Member today urging him/her to vote yes on AB 1058
(Letters needed before January 2002)
Some points to include in your letter are:
• Assembly bill 1058 will limit greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles and make California a leader in efforts to reduce global warming.
• Global warming is expected to cause an influx of tropical diseases and increased respiratory disease, cancer, and heat-related mortality.
• Global warming may result in devastating effects upon most of the critical economic drivers in the state, including the insurance, agriculture, fishing, timber, real estate, construction, tourism and skiing industries.
• Global warming will disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income populations with degradation of air quality and loss of jobs.
Address your letter to:
Assembly Member_______________
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
To find your Assembly Member, visit www.assembly.ca.gov
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