Published Wednesday, April 11, 2007 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “60 simple steps could save you money, planet.”
Al Gore came to town on Monday touting the inconvenient truth that our planet is warming at an unprecedented pace due, not to natural rhythms, but human activity. It’s not just the planet that’s warming. After years of relative inactivity, the public debate on the issue has begun warming, too.
Arizona has taken initial steps. Governor Janet Napolitano joined other Western states’ governors in committing to reduce green house gasses. Her Climate Change Advisory Group has recommended that by 2020 we reduce to 2000 emissions, which given our population growth represents a reasonable target with the real work reserved for the following 20 years, with emissions to be cut in half. Meanwhile, oblivious to these declarations, developers build in the East Valley’s outer reaches, now expanding to Pinal County, with most residents traveling 30 miles or more each way to work. As traffic snarls, instead of public transportation, the mantra is more freeways. Read the rest of this entry »