Could this Energy Bill actually save energy?
It was 93 degrees here in Buffalo yesterday. While those of us who live here know better, a lot of people would be shocked to hear that it ever gets that hot here in “Bills Country,– let alone in mid-September. But unfortunately extreme temperatures are becoming the norm all over our increasingly blue planet.
This summer, that quasi-useful body of government we refer to as Congress passed two different bills to help decrease the amount of CO2 our vehicles and power plants flatulently spew into our atmosphere: the Senate addressing the former and the House addressing the latter. But when they went on vacation last month, the auto industry went to work on a PR campaign designed to scare the American consumer into thinking that these regulations would somehow have a negative impact on society.
This is something that I can't, for the life of me, figure out; how will increased CAFE standards harm the economy, job market, car market, etc. I've heard all of the arguments; none make any sense. Here's why, courtesy of our friends at the Union of Concerned Scientists:
Recent UCS studies prove the benefits of the Senate provision: it would create over 170,000 new jobs, would not limit consumers' vehicle options, and would save consumers over $24 billion at the pump each year.
That's a lot of jobs, a lot of options, and a lot of money in American pockets (rather than Saudi). UCS has put together a letter to be sent to your Senator and Representative asking them to support both pieces of legislation when the two versions of the Energy Bill are reconciled once Congress shakes off the post-vacation blues and gets back to work. The letter's already written; all you have to do is sign. 30 seconds, tops. And in the meantime let's all continue to do our part to curb global warming. You can learn how here, here, and here.
Thanks to this gas sipper for the pic.
Make this your homepage 
Add this to your favorites