Clean technology will be California's next hightech economy

Environmental Entrepreneurs has gathered background and related publications that lay out the promise of the new "green house gas reduction targets" in California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

First the Cloud

Carbon dioxide and other air pollution collects in the atmosphere, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century, leading to undesirable climatic, biodiversity and public health consequences. Effects such as warmer winters, longer wet seasons and changing ocean temperatures could have serious impacts on such American industries as tourism/recreation, agriculture and fishing. E2 contributed to the passage of California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and will continue to work on its implementation.

Second, the Silver Lining

Economists have found that limiting California’s global warming pollution to 1990 levels by 2020 will provide tens of thousands of new jobs for residents of the Golden State, while saving families and businesses billions of dollars. Today, California sends $30 billion out of the state every year to buy fossil fuels, the primary cause of our global warming pollution; this means that on average $2,500 from every California household is leaving the state. We can break that addiction and bring our money back home to invest in clean technologies, providing jobs and economic benefits for Californians. And by acting soon to limit global warming pollution, California can provide a clear market signal to spur entrepreneurs to deploy clean technologies. Leading the clean technology revolution will be the next hightech economy fueling California’s prosperity for decades to come. (According to the NRDC).



What jobs will be created? Living clean takes work. Just ask the rural nurses of the early 19th century who worked hard to bring food safety and hygien practices to rural America. Ask mothers and fathers who nurture infants into adults. Good work is hard work.

And in the economic sector, good work is also hard work. The Clean Air Act in 1970 set the stage for the hard work of removing harmful air pollution emissions from power platns, cars and factories. It took 130,000 people do do the cleanup.

And today, because of that hard, early, innovative work, America has a global leadership position in the air pollution control industry.

Good work -- hard work pays off in many ways and for many years.

According to the NRDC, "No market exists in California today for clean technologies that reduce global warming pollution because the pollution can be emitted without charge. An enforceab le limit on global warming pollution will provide clear market incentives to reduce pollution, unleashing California's world-famous entrepreneurs to pursue clean technologies."

Come on, California -- The work has just begun!