California's Global Warming War

Swarzenegger was offered a method three years ago that would see a reduction in emissions of over 50% at the same time saving over 50% of the buildings energy use, why wait until 2015 when you can have the reductions and savings today. The best for last the energy you save pays for the method.

Are you talking about reducing energy consumption in existing buildings or in new construction? There are lots of points to address in this law and code.

Though he may have been given methods three years ago, he is acting. Are other governors?

I agree that by tackling energy and water savings today you have the money to tackle bigger issues tomorrow.

I've been thinking about this topic since Cragg posted a comment on the 22nd. First, though I don't like it, it seems big businesses respond slowly to information. Even if the information saves them lots of money.

Schwarzenegger seems to have acted on the information he was given, by passing a law to force energy and water conservation. But budgets and sheer size of California's government probably kept him from making the deadline as short as I would like. And to have the building code reflect the new law is another good step, in my opinion.

Change is hard. I commend Schwarzenegger for acting on what he learned. Business people have gotten the same information and haven't acted, even knowing their bottom lines would be improved. I really prefer small government and no goverment interference in people's lives, but I also think that if people won't act in some cases, like water and energy conservation, then government interference is reasonable.

The lack of action on government and business's parts impacts me in my daily life. My air isn't as fit to breathe as it used to be. Water isn't as plentiful or clean as it used to be. Something needs to happen to change that, and Schwarzenegger is what happened in California.

Now I hope other governors will act so that things can start changing and improving.

Kit, Both for new construction and old buildings. I said 50% but this can go up to 90% it depends on how much you wish to spend.

This is a no brainer and would save an average household over $1,000.00 per year.

I sent many many letters, emails and telephone calls to California's governor there is a sunken oil tanker sitting in 900 feet of water one mile off of Monterrey Bay with 79,000 barrels of crude oil in her 1920's era riveted single hull found in 1996 sunk in 1941, I have an innovation that can seal her where she lays forever, there another 130 oil tankers off of the east coast of the United States. Another offer a global warming solution for a city, LA would be a perfect city to set this up in as I can capture emissions and lock them away forever I sent many letters to the governor not one reply and I know his best friend.

Another, I have a system that goes after heavy oil there is twice the heavy crude oil in the world today versus light crude oil, all of the other systems that produce oil are big polluters my system does not pollute, my figures would see a barrel of oil at $20.00.

Another Water, I told the governor that our country has so much water we don't care our tap water is better than bottled water, I told him of our sanitary and sewage systems we used to clean the water to be able to drink not any more we clean it and dump it, when California could have this grey water maybe not to dring but for plants that absorb carbon and grow food.

Your post said how bad the air and water is I have a solution for you, "Canada" clean air and lots of water but a lousy government.

Cragg, you have shared some interesting ideas and actions. I don't agree with all you say -- like the US having lots of water and that Canada has better air and water quality than the US -- but I don't see how any of this applies to the article.

I still give a thumb's up to the actions taken by various California offices for taking action on water and energy efficiency and look forward to seeing what it does to the rampant waste of the hospitality industry.

It depends where you live in the US, the most of Canada has no industry to pollute the air (other than the new development the Athabaska Tar Sands in Northern ALberta a huge environmental tragedy).

I live in Vancouver comparing this city to LA our air is far better than that city.

One cannot blanket the entire US with poor air and water quality some areas are fantastic others with industries are not.

What I offer is all about reducing emissions and making and saving energy, the oil tanker off of Monterrey they say when she lets go 1/3 of california's coast will be ruined this also about pollution.

Cragg, I agree that air quality varies from place to place, but it's at least mildly polluted everywhere since air moves -- and pollutants move with it. I also agree energy savings are important. I further believe that water savings are important.

And since the hospitality industry -- the audience of this website -- is a known wasteful industry, I do my best to point out steps that are being taken by others and how the hospitality industry can do its part to make changes too. Giving credit where credit is due is important, even if the steps are small and seem late.

You seem critical that more wasn't done sooner. I'm praising people for acting now, rather than not at all.

Critical a little for sure after five years of trying to offer helpful solutions and getting very few responses from the powers that be, all talk no action. Maybe my thinking was too far ahead of them but now they seem to be getting in line to do something even in my country they are making progress. One should be critical with the powers that be as the UN scientist said we only have 10 years and that was 3 years ago we don't have much time left to see if global warming is going to do us in. I have a business global warming as catapulted my business into a mutimillion dollar business and growing in BC we have a carbon tax, high vehicle fuel prices, high electricity prices, which all help my business in a big way I only wish I could tell everyone what I do as what I do is the Kyoto Accord for all able to reach there targets today rather than in 2020. Your hospitality industry could really benefit from what I have but I am not going there as the trucking industry turned me down and I can save them a huge amount of fuel costs I sent a letter to every North American energy saving program not one wanted what I have as they all said you will ruin our bottom line, critical yes with egg heads like this who do not care. Never say Never I will keep on until I get to where I want to go.