It’s been fascinating to watch the way the national media has picked up on the threat of Proposition 23, on the ballot in California next month. For those not familiar with the proposition, it’s a ballot initiative that proposes to suspend California’s landmark greenhouse gas reduction legislation, AB32, until unemployment in the state hits 5.5% or lower for four consecutive quarters. Judging from California’s current unemployment rate of 12%, this is really about delaying the legislation indefinitely. Tom Friedman does a nice job summarizing the situation in a recent New York Times column.
Here at Terrapass we are hearty advocates for laws reducing our climate impact, as you might imagine, and have gone out of our way to support greenhouse gas reduction projects that align with the Climate Action Reserve standards that are most likely to become qualified carbon offsets under the law. In fact, we’ve been rewarded for our efforts in this department.
For the most part, we stay out of the political world, believing that the threat of climate change is about as bipartisan an issue there is, not to mention multinational. But when it comes to Proposition 23, which by definition is neither a Democratic nor Republican proposal, but rather a measure put to the people of California, we have a recommendation. It’s not hard to guess where we stand.
If you live in California, please vote No on Proposition 23. Don’t let this proposition, largely funded by two Texas oil companies and the Koch brothers, do away with the state’s landmark greenhouse gas abatement law. AB32 puts a price on carbon emissions, making it more expensive to pollute, and giving a big and sustainable advantage to clean energy production. That helps clean tech businesses get off the ground in California, and points the way for other states to follow; it’s good for the economy as well as for the environment. For more information please visit the No on 23 website.
Even if you don’t live in California, but feel strongly about the issue, please help us spread the word. If you have friends, family, or colleagues in California, please forward this blog post, or the Friedman article, or the Stop the Dirty Energy Proposition website. There are 9 different statewide propositions on the ballot this November, which makes for a crowded field of play. Help the people in your network understand the issues, and why they should vote No on Proposition 23.
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