Houston, America’s “Energy Capital,” Takes On Global Warming

Responding to the frustratingly slow federal response to climate change, the mayor of Houston revealed his plans to slash the city’s carbon emissions.

Houston’s dense concentration of industry, heavy dependence on cars, and weather, make the southern city into one of the nation’s smoggiest.

Mayor Bill White’s target emission plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 11 percent below 2005 levels by 2010. The target has been described as conservative by some, but the general opinion seems to be that it’s an extremely important step in the right direction.

The goal of this plan is to reduce the city’s impact on the climate by buying renewable power and hybrid cars, replacing lightbulbs, and increasing the energy efficiency of existing buildings, among other strategies.

Neil Carman, an Austin-based air quality specialist for the Sierra Club’s Lone Star chapter, said  “I think it’s great that the city of Houston is making such a major stab at getting a comprehensive plan in place, even if 2005 is the baseline.”

Under the mayor’s plan, the largest reductions in emissions would come from Houston’s shift to wind energy.  Currently the city already purchase 1/3 of its energy for its municipal facilities from wind-driven sources, and the contract calls for increases over time.

Under the plan, the city would slash emissions of nitrogen oxides to 16 percent below 2005 levels, while emissions of volatile organic compounds would remain the same, despite Houston’s increasing population.

Source:  chron.com
Photo Source:  Wikimedia Commons

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