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1. McCain announces climate plan
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2. Pedal-powered camaraderie
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3. Sign the 'gas tax holiday' petition
McCain announces climate plan
This week John McCain delivered a speech on his long-awaited climate plan, the first of a series of talks on energy policy. The highlights:
- McCain favors a cap-and-trade program with roughly 15% reductions by 2020 and “at least” 60% by 2050.
- McCain will proposed giving allowances away for free, but over time an “increasing fraction” could be auctioned to raise revenue for infrastructure in the post-carbon economy.
- Regardless of what China and India do, “we still have an obligation to act.” McCain hopes to use “effective diplomacy” and technology transfer to motivate developing countries. (In the published version of the speech, McCain also alluded to trade restrictions on uncooperative countries, but he dropped those comments from the delivered version.)
- Heavy plug for nuclear energy, although — at least in this speech — no mention of subsidies. Instead, McCain just mentioned that carbon pricing will make the economics of nuclear energy more favorable. It’s unclear whether this represents a policy shift.
So, what to make of this? There are two very different ways to look at the speech: as a statement of principle or as a statement of policy.
As a statement of principle, the speech is watershed moment. McCain’s language was unequivocal:
We have many advantages in the fight against global warming, but time is not one of them. Instead of idly debating the precise extent of global warming, or the precise timeline of global warming, we need to deal with the central facts of rising temperatures, rising waters, and all the endless troubles that global warming will bring. We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great. The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge.
The speech provided an urgent enumeration of the dangers of global warming and mapped out a clear and credible set of principles for addressing the problem. In both tone and content, it marked dramatic departure with the current administration, and signaled that our next president, whoever that might be, will take the issue seriously.
As policy, the proposal is…OK. Decent, but not in any way bold, and certainly not as good as Clinton or Obama’s plan:
- McCain’s long-term reduction target of at least 60% is well below the level scientists deem necessary, and also below his rivals’ proposed cuts of 80%. It bears mentioning, though, that this long-term target isn’t really the most important element of a climate plan. Over the next forty years, more data about the pace and consequences of global warming will come to light, and these long-term targets will undoubtedly be adjusted many times.
- The short term targets are roughly in line with what the other candidates have proposed. This is a much more important figure, because it affects near term infrastructure decisions.
- Clinton and Obama both propose auctioning 100% of allowances, which is quite a bit better than McCain’s 0% auction. This issue doesn’t effect the stringency of the cap, but it does mean that McCain is giving away a large pot of money to polluters that could be put to much better uses.
We’ll have more to say about all of this over the coming days.
Pedal-powered camaraderie
TerraPass news
“Nice rig you got there,” said a cyclist as I lifted my bike into the Caltrain headed to San Francisco. I looked around thinking the guy was talking about somebody else, or perhaps referring to a big truck parked at the Palo Alto station. Then I realized he was talking to me.
My “rig” was my year old, less than $500, hybrid commuter with cushy seat and disc brakes. Thus began a familiar ritual in which bike commuters compare notes on their equipment. We talked about my rear wheel rack and how much weight I could carry in a reusable shopping bag secured with bungee cords. I asked him about his rear-view mirror that clipped to his sunglasses. “It really helps me keep an eye on cars coming up behind me,” he said. “You can get one for $20 at most bike shops.”
Among the most rewarding aspects of bike commuting is the kinship one feels with other people doing the same thing. Everyone has their routine (e.g., home to the office direct, home to the office with an assist from the train or bus, etc.) and it all starts with two wheels. A remarkable variety of bike models are on the streets. At TerraPass alone, you can find a mountain bike, a hybrid commuter, a touring bike, a vintage tourer, and a cyclocross. See pix of the gang in San Francisco (Erik, yours truly, Katie, and Tom) on the roof of our office —
— and brave Adam Stein on the Brooklyn Bridge about to ride into Manhattan.
Nothing is very fancy here — just practical transportation that suits the needs of each rider.
To help get your bike outfitted with practical, carbon-saving accessories, TerraPass is featuring a new section in our store. Try out the HYmini personal wind turbine (to charge your cell phone or iPod), Trevor Baylis Eco Bike Light Set (wind it up with a crank), or the Reelight Battery Free Bike Lights (magnets power the lights by induction). Our product line is growing quickly, and we welcome your recommendations.
It’s National Bike to Work Day this week (Thursday in SF; Friday everywhere else). Many cities are running events to encourage people to get on the saddle. If you're a bike commuter already, we'd like to hear your story about why you ride to the office. And if you're not riding yet, what barriers can the TerraPass bike community help you overcome? Happy trails (I mean, bike lanes)!
Sign the 'gas tax holiday' petition
Politics
We take a keen interest in politics as they relate to climate change, and recently we’ve written a bit about the “gas tax holiday” being proposed and endorsed by Senators Clinton and McCain. Unsurprisingly, we think this gas tax holiday is a Really Bad Idea, even if we recognize that the media coverage has become a little overblown.
But probably worse than the proposal itself is the fact that our political leaders (and possible presidents) feel that they can reap electoral rewards by playing games with climate and energy policy. They need to hear loud and clear from their constituents that these panders are simply not what the world needs right now. We could write them on behalf of TerraPass, but we think it will be much more effective if we ask our members and anyone else who shares our interest in sending this message to get involved.
So we’ve launched our first-ever bit of political action with our petition to “say no to the gas tax holiday.” Please join us in letting Senators McCain and Clinton know that you want them to pull their support for this idea. It will only take a couple seconds. And of course, please pass the petition along to like-minded citizens who are concerned about the environment and America’s energy security.
Sign the gas tax holiday petition.
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