“We will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. … We'll restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.”
(President Barack Obama’s Inaguration Day Speech, January 20, 2008)
President Obama’s inspiring words about science and green infrastructure have brought new hope to Sierra Club California – even amid bad news today that global warming is decimating western forests.
Our hope? That this Administration will apply science and technology to the problem of global warming – just as his predecessor’s administration disregarded science – in time to turn back the threat to our trees.
Last year, then-President Bush’s U.S. EPA denied California’s automobile greenhouse gas waiver request. The waiver would have allowed California and other states to implement a plan to fight greenhouse gases created by cars, trucks and vehicles – the top source of the pollution that causes global warming in our state, scientific studies have shown.
California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols has written the Obama Administration a letter requesting that the waiver be granted. Quick action on this matter will allow other states to follow in California’s lead – and perhaps prompt the production of cleaner cars.
At the same time, we need to keep in mind that harm to our forests has already begun, and is unlikely to stop even if we begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why Sierra Club California started working with state officials to craft a plan to lessen the inevitable effects of global warming on habitats and wildlife.
Obama’s Administration can also follow California’s path in this – or work with our state’s leaders to ensure that science and protection prevails. As our new President said during his inauguration, “With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to .. roll back the specter of a warming planet.”
Let that work begin now.
President Obama’s inspiring words about science and green infrastructure have brought new hope to Sierra Club California – even amid bad news today that global warming is decimating western forests.
Our hope? That this Administration will apply science and technology to the problem of global warming – just as his predecessor’s administration disregarded science – in time to turn back the threat to our trees.
Last year, then-President Bush’s U.S. EPA denied California’s automobile greenhouse gas waiver request. The waiver would have allowed California and other states to implement a plan to fight greenhouse gases created by cars, trucks and vehicles – the top source of the pollution that causes global warming in our state, scientific studies have shown.
California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols has written the Obama Administration a letter requesting that the waiver be granted. Quick action on this matter will allow other states to follow in California’s lead – and perhaps prompt the production of cleaner cars.
At the same time, we need to keep in mind that harm to our forests has already begun, and is unlikely to stop even if we begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why Sierra Club California started working with state officials to craft a plan to lessen the inevitable effects of global warming on habitats and wildlife.
Obama’s Administration can also follow California’s path in this – or work with our state’s leaders to ensure that science and protection prevails. As our new President said during his inauguration, “With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to .. roll back the specter of a warming planet.”
Let that work begin now.
1 comment:
Climate has an impact on forests AND forests have an impact on climate(CO2 emissions AND sequestration).
Clearcutting generates the most CO2emissions and reduces CO2 sequestion more for the near term than any other logging method for a variety of documented reasons. Furthermore the tree plantations planted after the clearcutting do not foster biodiversity and wildlife habita. So clearcutting is really bad (who doesn't know this?). Yet here in California clearcutting is rampant and is being approved by the California's adminstration. Look for yourself on any sattelite map of Sierra Counties or look at stopclearcuttingcalifornia.org or savethesierra.org or epfw.org After looking at these pictures perhaps tell the Sierra Club to actively work to stop clearcutting
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