The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Illinois PIRG as world takes action, don't let U.S. ignore global warming

Dear Illinois PIRG supporter,



Next week, the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty to curb global warming emissions, will officially come into effect without the involvement of the United States. While the rest of the world has affirmed the serious threat of global warming and has taken action to move forward, the U.S. remains a mere bystander, watching the parade pass by while refusing to tackle the problem head-on.



As the world's largest contributor to global warming pollution, it is time for the U.S. to establish our own national emissions goals. The U.S. global warming bill, known as the Climate Stewardship Act, is a good first step toward solving the real and serious environmental threat that we can't afford to ignore any longer.



Please take a moment to ask your senators to support the Climate Stewardship Act. Then ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.



To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=35&id4=ES





Background



Burning dirty fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas) to power cars and homes and industry releases heat-trapping global warming gases into the atmosphere, which alters the climate of the planet and throws weather systems out of balance.  Scientists warn that global warming will increase the temperature of ocean water that fuels hurricanes, leading to stronger winds, heavier rains and larger storm surges, and that doing nothing to reduce global warming pollution will increase the severity of these costly extreme weather events.  Extreme weather events cost Americans nearly $20 billion in 2002.



While the U.S. is responsible for one-quarter of all the pollution that causes global warming, politicians in Washington have taken no steps to reduce global warming emissions, and the U.S. refused to join the 128 countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.  This international global warming pollution reduction treaty seeks to reduce emissions about five percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012 by setting up an emissions trading system and will officially go into effect February 16, 2005.



The good news is that we already have technologies to dramatically reduce global warming pollution through clean energy solutions.  We can make our cars, homes and buildings more energy efficient and switch to clean renewable energy such as solar and wind power.  The U.S. Climate Stewardship Act seeks to cap global warming emissions at 2000 levels by 2010, by setting up an emissions trading system and promoting clean energy solutions.



Please take a moment to ask your senators to take the first step toward curbing global warming pollution by supporting the Climate Stewardship Act.  Then ask your family and friends to help by forwarding this e-mail to them.



To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=35&id4=ES



Sincerely,



Rebecca D. Stanfield

Illinois PIRG Environmental Attorney

RebeccaS@illinoispirg.org

http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org



P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.