2007 Hybrid Cars
| 2007 Hybrid Cars Check out the 2007 hybrid cars that are making an impact with the green and automotive communities alike. |
| Mayor Hickenlooper on Sirius Radio Last Sunday, Mayor Hickenlooper was a guest on Meet the Planet, a national radio talk show on Sirius satellite radio (channel 114 LIME). He discussed Greenprint Denver’s current and long-range goals with co-host Jenny Griffin on “Earth Warrior” Doug Ivey’s educational program, which aims to improve awareness about environmental issues and sustainable solutions. You [.] |
| Fuel Additives Fuel additives are supplements that may be added to gasoline in an effort to improve the octane rating or inhibit corrosion. |
| Press Release: Texas Environmentalists Praise By-the-Mile Auto Insurance Option
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ramon Alvarez, Environmental Defense Fund, 512. 691.3408-w Media Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c or csmith@edf.org
(Austin – Nov. 12, 2008) Environmental Defense Fund praised MileMeter for recently launching a pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance program that will reward low-mileage drivers with lower premiums than traditional, flat-rate insurance.
Texans will become the first in the nation to have a “by-the-mile” choice of auto insurance that gives drivers the opportunity to save money while also protecting the environment. “Texas drivers now have a choice to do the right thing by their pocketbooks as well as by the environment,” said Ramon Alvarez, senior scientist with Environmental Defense Fund. “Pay-as-you-drive insurance policies help to increase our awareness of how many miles we’re driving and therefore, think twice before making an optional trip to the store, or better yet, walk, bike or use public transportation to get there instead.”
Traditional insurance offers 15 percent or less mileage-based discounts that don’t typically capture the full benefit of driving fewer miles. However, insurers are slowly moving in this direction. Progressive Insurance has in the last five months also launched partial mileage-based insurance policies in seven states, offering 40 to 60 percent mileage-based discounts. GMAC Insurance also offers up to 40 percent mileage-based discounts in several dozen states for motorists with On-Star equipped vehicles.
“By providing a strong monetary incentive to drive fewer miles, these policies also have the added environmental benefit of reducing traffic, air pollution, dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming,” Alvarez added.
A Brookings Institution report released in July estimates that if PAYD were offered to all drivers, it would save two-out-of-three households an average of $270 per car, result in an 8 percent decline in driving, reduce driving-related damages by $50 billion to $60 billion, and cut carbon dioxide emissions and oil consumption.
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| Gas Scooters Gas scooters will save you tons of money on gas costs and are a great way to get errands done. Find out the benefits of a gas scooter here. |
| Insulate and Seal Rebates Now Available Insulating and sealing your home helps reduce heating and cooling needs, which saves energy and money. But many of Denver’s older homes lack proper insulation. If you’re a homeowner of an existing home that needs retrofitting, rebates are now available to help with your installation costs. Learn more. |
| Sun screens reduce summer heat Sun Screens block up to 90% of the sun’s harmful UV rays and reduce temperatures in rooms by as much as 20 degrees. |
| Water Guzzlers Removed from City Hall Last Friday, Mayor Hickenlooper announced that new water-saving toilets and urinals are being installed in the City and County Building. Over the next couple of weeks, 133 water-guzzling toilets (averaging 3.5-5.0 gallons per flush) and 28 urinals (averaging 1-5 gallons per flush) will be replaced with 1.6-gallon toilets and half-gallon urinals. In 2006, occupants used [.] |
| Press Release: Final AB 32 Scoping Plan Contains Key Improvements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact
Derek Walker, (410) 980-0939-c, dbwalker@edf.org
Jesus Mena, (415) 948-4220-c, jemena@edf.org
(Sunnyvale, CA – October 14, 2008) The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) revised final scoping plan for implementing the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) contains important improvements from the original plan, according to Environmental Defense Fund. The final plan incorporates feedback received from a diverse group of stakeholders since the first draft was released in June. CARB is scheduled to vote on the final plan during their December 10-11 board meeting in Sacramento.
“California’s leadership on global warming will usher in a new wave of entrepreneurial innovation and be the economic engine that will drive greater prosperity in the state,” said Derek Walker, director of the California Climate Initiative at Environmental Defense Fund, which cosponsored AB 32. “The final scoping plan lays the groundwork for California’s transformation to a low-carbon economy through robust policies and an increased emphasis on green job creation and green job training.”
The final plan recommends several new actions that will put California on a path to reduce our emissions by 30% by 2020, as required by AB 32. Important new measures include: reducing leakage of harmful air conditioning and refrigeration gases, expanding commercial recycling programs, and establishing greenhouse gas reduction targets for local governments. The plan reinforces the vital role of energy efficiency, the development of cleaner fuels, and the swift transition to renewable power, features that will save businesses and consumers money, create jobs, and unleash innovations in clean technology, according to Walker.
CARB has also put increased focus on the importance of placing workers into green jobs, a category estimated to grow by more than 100,000 new jobs by 2020. Last month, Environmental Defense Fund released a Green Jobs Guidebook for California, which identifies and profiles hundreds of high paying jobs available to low and middle income workers throughout the state.
"The final AB32 scoping plan recognizes that training workers and connecting them to available positions will be key to creating a thriving green economy," added Walker.
The final scoping plan appears at a pivotal moment for California, the nation and the world. Governor Schwarzenegger recently announced he will convene a Global Climate Summit in California in November, and global warming has been a major issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.
“The era of inertia and inaction is over,” said Walker. “AB 32 has already prompted several other U.S. states to put mandatory caps on global warming pollution. Now California’s robust scoping plan can be a model and a catalyst for national action.”
The promise of a clean energy economy is also very appealing to the residents of California. A recent poll commissioned by the non-partisan nonprofit research organization Next 10 and conducted by Fairbanks, Maslin, Maullin & Associates shows nearly three out of four voters (73 percent) support state energy policies to reduce global warming pollution. Despite the weak economy, nearly six out of 10 voters (58 percent) support these energy policies even if they result in higher prices.
Although the final scoping plan is scheduled for approval in December, major decisions will still need to be made about how different policies are designed. Walker pointed to several areas where substantial work remains, particularly in the design of a robust and effective cap-and-trade program and the enactment of proven land use and transportation policies, including indirect source rules and congestion pricing.
“As Americans get set to elect a new President, global warming is at the top of the national agenda,” concluded Walker. “Implementing AB 32 successfully is critical to getting strong national climate policy enacted.”
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| Unleash the Future CAMPAIGN MEMORANDUMTO: Environmental Defense Fund Members and ActivistsFR: Fred Krupp, PresidentRE: Our Strategy for Enacting National and International Global Warming Pollution Caps The consequences of global warming are potentially devastating, but they are not inevitable.For decades, Environmental Defense Fund has been a leader at both the national and international level, bringing together diverse partners such as major corporations, government agencies, farmers and advocates for the poor to develop innovative solutions to avert this crisis.But if our efforts are to be truly effective, we must secure a global cap on greenhouse gas pollution that guarantees a reduction in emissions. Ultimately, all that matters is the number of tons of global warming pollution released into our atmosphere.Without a worldwide mechanism to ensure needed reductions, the effects of climate change will continue to encroach upon us.There is reason for optimism, however, provided we act quickly.The new administration and Congress present us with the greatest opportunity we have ever had to enact effective climate legislation here at home and strike a global compact to reduce emissions worldwide.Here are the exciting initiatives we will be embarking on as we begin transitioning to a new president and preparing for the international climate conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009.As a member of EDF, I hope you realize how vital our work is to ending the climate crisis and I urge you to remain steadfast in your support as we seek to solve the greatest of all environmental challenges. National Action: Capping America’s Global Warming Pollution
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