Comment Log Display

Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments. The air we breath
is of such great importance that we cannot look lightly on the
matter. It appears from past experience that some corporations,
while looking at their bottom line, overlook the long term (and
indeed short term) effect of their actions. Keeping this historic
perspective, it makes sense to incorporate a provision that makes
polluters pay for their emissions of greenhouse gases. By using
the resulting revenues to promote clean energy and aid low-income
consumers we would be increasing the probability of making choices
that produce less pollution. We should also limit sharply and
verify any offsets. The California program should not be linked to
any states with weaker emission standards. 

We can also do so much more when we look at statewide and local
general plans. Include stronger measures to reform land use
planning in ways that reduce vehicle miles traveled and
incorporates alternative transportation such as walking and
bicycling. 

In California we are so fortunate to have the best available
source of energy in abundance-the SUN. Many people would choose to
use solar power for most of their household use if given the
choice. For others it is not an immediate option. When given the
choice, numerous consumers would switch to clean renewable power
provided by the grid. We should promote and enable Community
Choice Electricity Aggregation (CCA), which lets communities pool
their buying power to generate clean power.

Numerous transportation choices can be powered technologies that
have zero emissions. Auto companies should be making full use of
those technologies and promoting them to the public. Mandate that
auto companies sell hundreds of thousands of Zero-Emission
Vehicles (ZEVs) by 2014, not the feeble proposed level of 7500
ZEVs.

Much of our smog can be seen along the interstate and is produced
by diesel trucking. Mandate that trucking and heavy equipment
clean up their emissions. 

Golf courses and homeowners use dirty and noisy maintenance
equipment for their landscapes. Ban the use of equipment that
pollutes the air (and is noisy) in favor of clean quiet machines.
Mandate the use of zero emission equipment such as lawnmowers,
edgers, weed wackers, blowers.   

Waste is a huge issue for our communities, but has not been
addressed. Put Zero Waste front and center:  increase recycling by
businesses, mandate building facilities to compost all green waste,
and require producers to take responsibility for the end-of-life
disposition of their products. Ban plastic bags for groceries
unless biodegradable, ban styrofoam for take out in favor of
degradable products. 

Looking forward to cleaner air and to see the mountains once again
in Southern California. 

Sincerely, 

Jenny Wilder