Here’s what some members of 350 Sacramento are saying about the recent Sacramento Bee article by Dale Kasler.
Oscar’s response
Fingers crossed: The Bee’s Feb 23 article, “California will fail to meet carbon reduction goals” describes a critique of California’s climate program, but said nothing about local programs essential to meeting climate goals.
Passenger vehicles and building energy are the major local sources of GHG, and counties and cities can control them through land-use decisions minimizing long commutes and building codes aimed at energy efficiency and electrification.
Good local Climate Action Plans depend on citizen input. Sacramento City has a good start with strong public education and a draft electrification ordinance. CCSD, a District providing emergency response and park services to south Sacramento County has adopted a strong climate policy. Sacramento County released a disappointing early draft CAP; another draft will be out for public review in March.
Environmental groups advocating for these plans to be effective can provide info and welcome support.
Oscar B., Co-chair
350 Sacramento CAP Team
Muriel’s response
estimates of emissions are inevitably approximate, especially greenhouse gas emissions from natural sources. cap & trade probably won’t work unless carbon fees are high enough to be political suicide for legislators. imho.
if the auditor is complaining about the precision of the motor vehicle emission inventory, i would ask her to clarify how to balance the resources used to improve the inventory vs. the resources used to actually reduce the emissions from the processes the inventory attempts to measure. i guarantee that the money that would be required to achieve the precision the auditor dreams of would be politically DOA.
imho, the real problem is thinking that these rather arcane calculations of nibbling away at current fossil fuel use, about changing what is, will never be as effective as envisioning what we want and how to achieve that with the resources available to us.
imho, the real problem is thinking that these rather arcane calculations of nibbling away at current fossil fuel use, about changing what is, can ever be as effective as envisioning what we want and how to achieve that with the resources available to us.
