The Sierra Club has a petition going on to put pressure on Congress representatives to support the Save American Energy Act (H.R. 889), introduced by Representative Ed Markey (D-MA-7). Says the organization:
We need aggressive action from Congress to curb global warming emissions and build a clean energy future. The recently introduced Save American Energy Act will address our pressing economic, energy and environmental challenges by requiring that utilities gradually increase energy savings – an average of one percent a year starting in 2012 through 2020.
By establishing an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard, the Save American Energy Act will reduce consumers’ energy bills, create jobs, cut global warming pollution, and avoid the construction of over 300 expensive new power plants.
Increasing energy efficiency is the most cost-effective step we can take to address global warming and jump start emissions reductions in the near term and along with a Renewable Electricity Standard and an economy-wide cap on global warming emissions will reduce the threat of climate change.
To read the template letter and sign the petition, please go here.
Hi,
Starvation! Okay. If you want me to support this bill I need to know how water, nuclear, coal, gas, solar, and wind utilities can increase there outputs by 1% /year. In other words, the premise although wonderful, seems absurd because their business models are based on efficiency. If you are suggesting switching resources like coal for say, solar or wind, then I would need to see not only the reduction in total carbon footprint (cradle to grave) but also the decrease in cost and the environmental impact studies. Because wind power makes people near by sick and takes up too much acreage, and solar is sucking up huge parts of the Mojave Desert while using up precious water. And if you don’t permit nuclear power, because it is IMO the cheapest and has the least impact on the environment, then you are just treating me like some naive green energy follower.
Give me good reason and I will gladly sign.
Diane, An engineer.