Social/Political Action You Can Do To Live Greener

Take the DFA CO2 Petition Challenge!
What the petition is asking?

Governor Jennifer Granholm, declare CO2 emissions a global warming pollutant!

We, the undersigned, applaud Governor Jennifer Granholm for her efforts to help stop the advance of global warming, including a strong proposed renewable energy standard requiring Michigan produce at least 25% of our electricity from non-polluting, renewable sources by 2025 and recruitment of renewable energy manufacturing jobs to Michigan.

To reach these goals and to decrease the emission of Cardon Dioxide (CO2), we ask that Governor Granholm direct the Department of Environmental Quality to regulate CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants and other operations as a global warming pollutant in all future air quality decisions. Coal-fired power plants already have serious negative impacts on public health, and today they are a major force behind global warming. Global warming is the most significant environmental and humanitarian emergency that has ever faced our planet; Michigan must play a leading role in reducing emissions of CO2, a significant cause of global warming.

What YOU can do.

• Print the attached petition. (If unable to do so, send e-mail to Jan O'Connell, janoconnell@sbcglobal.net or 616 956-6646, with your mailing address and request for form.)
• Join Clean Water Action and more than 40 other supporting organizations, and gather petition signatures from friends, family and neighbors!
• Attend the Global Warming Hearing on May 29
• Then, immediately after the Hearing, bring your petitions to San Chez, 38 W. Fulton, for a little cameraderie while we celebrate the person having the most signatures with a complementary drink! (Or send them in, as directed.)
  

Issue Background

• Scientists largely agree: we must reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of global warming.
• CO2 is a primary contributor to global warming.
• Use of coal contributes 40% of the world's CO2 emissions.
• Michigan currently operates 19 coal-fired power plants. Seven more are in various stages of permitting.
• Michigan's energy demand is currently in decline.
• Costs of generating energy from new sources is rising.
• But according to a recent report by Lazard, a preeminent financial advisory and asset management firm, projected cost of new energy from coal well exceeds projected costs of new energy from wind, of which Michigan has an abundance.
• The Department of Energy has reported that Michigan's potential electrical generation from wind is, and will be for some time, double its electrical demand.
• Bills have now passed the MI House including an adequate energy efficiency bill (1%/year savings and the cheapest way to make power available for more use) and a weak Renewable Portfolio Standard (10% by 2015, when utilities are already delivering 4%!)
• The Senate should act quickly with a stronger, mandatory RPS to encourage the rapid growth in renewable energy sector that other states have already enjoyed, before we suffer additional competitive disadvantage. ACTION ITEM: CONTACT YOUR SENATOR!
• While we wait impatiently for our lawmakers to enact the EE and RPS bills with strength and for the renewable energy sector to surge in response, as it has elsewhere, there is yet another measure we can take to curb CO2 emissions in our state.
• We can urge the Governor to exercise her executive authority by ordering the DEQ to regulate CO2 emissions as a pollutant! ACTION ITEM: GATHER PETITION SIGNATURES.