The Go Green Debate

The U.S. population is growing faster then ever despite the lack of resources & the impact it has on the planet. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population will hit 303.15 million on January 1, 2008. This is up 0.9 percent from last year. They also estimate that in 2008, the country will add one person every 13 seconds.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about why it’s important that the United States act on global warming and why the states have had to do so in the absence of leadership by the federal government on NBC’s Meet The Press.

Congressmen Dennis Kucinich strongly supports the idea that human pollution is a significant cause of global warming.

“Do you have to be a scientist to know there is something quite unusual going on with our environment? Do you have to be a member of congress to understand? All over the world, people have seen the effects of global climate change…I don’t need a scientist to tell me this is happening, because I see it myself. The problem comes when you get scientists who tell you something that’s different from what you’re seeing with your own eyes. Why do we even get trapped into that kind of thinking?”

At the CNN / YouTube Debate, Congressmen Dennis Kucinich answers global warming question.

“We need to move away from reliance on oil and coal and toward reliance on wind and solar. That’s the basis of my WGA, Works Green Administration, where we take an entirely new approach to organize the entire country around sustainability, around conservation.”

Congressmen Dennis Kucinich also strongly supports international treaties to cut greenhouse gas emissions like the Kyoto Protocol.

“The Kyoto Climate Change Treaty is just the first step. We need to go beyond Kyoto. We need to reach out to the world and reduce our carbon emissions, and we need to have environmental protection to secure our food supplies.”

Take Back America 2007 Conference on June 20, 2007

On October 19, 2007 John Edwards appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher where they discuss various environmental issues including ethanol.

President Bush signs the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, at the Energy Department in Washington on December 19, 2007.

What’s in the new energy law?

• Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) – Raises average fleet fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
• Renewable fuels – Expands the renewable fuels standard to 9 billion gallons in 2008 and increases it to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
• Biofuels - Requires the US to produce 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol.
• Light bulbs – Increases national efficiency standards of light bulbs by 30 percent and phases out most types of incandescent bulbs by 2012-14.
• Green buildings – Mandates that federal buildings renovated or newly constructed in 2010 reduce their fossil-fuel-generated consumption by 55 percent in 2010 and 100 percent by 2030.

Marlo Lewis & Dennis Avery talk about the problems with government subsidies for ethanol producers on CNBC’s Squawk Box.

Are you curious on where the presidential candidates stand on global warming issues and how they compare to each other?

Well the crew over at The Heat Is On put together this great quick-reference guide that breaks down the current positions of the presidential candidates on topics such as fuel efficiency and renewable electricity standards.

On November 10, the presidential candidates spoke at the Iowa Farmers Union Convention in Des Moines, Iowa on some environmentally concerning topics. View them below in no particular order.

Senator Barack Obama speaks on Renewable Energy & Land Stewardship.

Senator John Edwards on Buy Local & Carbon Footprints.

Senator Hillary Clinton speaks on Renewable Energy, Bio-Fuels & Energy Plan.

Senator Joe Biden on Renewable Energy & Energy Policy.

Senator Chris Dodd on Conservation & Carbon Tax.

What are the presidential candidates suggesting to reduce Americans’ environmentally destructive high level of animal product consumption? Check out this funny video where PB&J Girl and PB&J Boy have a suggestion to this global problem. (There is no audio, so no need to adjust your sound.)

Is your hometown one of the most eco-friendly cities of the world?
Grist reports the top 15 greenest cities of the world. They compiled a list of cities deserving recognition for making impressive strides toward eco-friendliness, and helping their residents live better, greener lives.

Top 15 Greenest Cities
1- Reykjavik, Iceland
2- Portland, Oregon, U.S.
3- Curitiba, Brazil
4- Malmö, Sweden
5- Vancouver, Canada
6- Copenhagen, Denmark
7- London, England
8- San Francisco, California, U.S.
9- Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador
10- Sydney, Australia
11- Barcelona, Spain
12- Bogotá, Colombia
13- Bangkok, Thailand
14- Kampala, Uganda
15- Austin, Texas, U.S.

Runners-up
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Freiburg, Germany
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Quebec City, Canada