Mike- Very good information. Have you read "The Last Hours of Antique Sunlight" by Thom Hartmann? Essential to understand the Immense Picture. Daryl On Dec 27, 2007, at 3:59 PM, Mike Carberry wrote: > Apologies for multiple postings. > > > http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071227/ > OPINION02/712270307/1018/OPINION > > Thursday, December 27, 2007 > > > President can make green easier > > > By Mike Carberry > Guest Opinion > > Web sites for candidates' global warming solutions: > > • Iowa Global Warming:www.IowaGlobalWarming.org. > • League of Conservation Voters:www.presidentialprofiles2008.org. > • National Public Radio: www.npr.org/news/specials/election2008/ > issues/climate.html. > • Grist: www.grist.org/candidate_chart_08.html. > > "It's not easy being green," said Kermit the Frog. > > I'm sure he wasn't talking about the climate change crisis and what > we should do during this election season. The phrase seems to fit > nicely, however, when considering how to be green on Jan. 3. > > Iowa has a unique position as lead off state in this presidential > primary season. That uniqueness brings the spotlight on the Hawkeye > State. That spotlight brings with it a great deal of responsibility > to get it right. We have the opportunity to help launch the first > woman as our 44th president. We also could help elect the first > African-American, Latino, Mormon or Baptist minister as president. > But what if we elected the first truly "green president?" > > What does being a "green president" mean? I know that there are > other very important issues facing this country, including the war, > health care, education, the economy and immigration. There are even > other very important environmental issues like water quality and > factory farms. But these problems in my humble opinion, pale in > comparison to the threat we face with global warming. In the long > run, global warming threatens our very existence on this mortal > coil. I am not advising you to become a one-issue voter but if you > were to become one, this might be the issue that you could fly solo. > > The caucus is a week away, so time is getting tight. The candidates > will be concentrating their campaigns almost exclusively on Iowa > during this time because it is that imperative for them to do well > here. It is not too late to get to an event and ask them what > specifically they will do about global warming and the environment. > If you don't have the time or inclination to ask the candidates > yourself, I recommend checking out the independent, non-partisan > Internet sites that have already asked those tough questions (see > sidebar above). These sites may not tell you who to caucus for, but > they will give you the information you need to make an informed > decision on where the candidates come down on the issues that > define the challenge of our generation. > > Here are 10 specific things to look for in your candidate's plan to > address global warming solutions: > > • Reduce greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050. > > • Require U.S. autos to average a minimum 35 m.p.g. by 2020. > > • Require that at least 15 percent of our electricity be generated > from renewable energy by 2020. > > • Require new coal-fired power plants to capture and sequester > carbon from day one. > > • Repeal government subsides for big oil companies. > > • Work with other nations to reduce global warming worldwide. > > • Investing in sustainable next-generation biofuels like cellulosic > ethanol. > > • Require a carbon cap, auction and trade system or a carbon tax. > > • Balance federal funding for public transportation and road > construction. > > • Invest in energy efficiency and research and development into > clean renewable energy to create millions of green collar jobs in > America. > > The problem of global warming is huge, but so are the economic > opportunities to create a new green, clean energy economy. We can > do this at the same time that we protect Mother Earth for our > generation and future generations. We need a green president to > lead us to this new future. Maybe if we choose the right president, > it will be easy to be green. > > Mike Carberry is the regional field director for IowaGlobal > Warming.org. > > Return to article > > Copyright © 2005, Iowa City Press-Citizen. > Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service > (updated 1/3/2003). > > > > -- > Mike Carberry > > Iowa Global Warming > Regional Field Director > > 2029 Friendship St. > Iowa City IA 52245 > > Office: 319.338.8820 > Mobile: 319.594.6453 > > > [log in to unmask] > [log in to unmask] > > www.IowaGlobalWarming.org > > Please consider the environment before printing this email. > > > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To > unsubsribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: IOWA- > [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv > Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/ > lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp