BY Ryan Curtis
Contribution Writer
Monday, April 16, 2007
A cold and rainy Saturday morning did not stop a town hall meeting in Berkeley called “The Temperature’s Rising!”, which brought together local and state officials, environment experts and area residents to discuss global warming and ways to combat it.
Over 200 people from around the Bay Area attended the meeting hosted by Assemblymember Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, and featuring 14 other speakers, including Hancock’s husband, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, and other government and academic experts.
“We know that reversing global warming is the challenge of our time,” Hancock said. “California has recognized that and is leading the way in solving the crisis.”
Those present at the meeting expressed enthusiasm about the California Global Warming Solutions Act, passed in September, which they said brought California more in line with the Kyoto Protocol than any other state.
They also said that the Bay Area is at the forefront of reducing global warming, but that the rest of the world needed to act too.
“Over 200 businesses in Berkeley are working on being green,” said Bates, who added that governments need to use their influence in forcing more environmentally friendly changes. “The dollar bill has got to be green, too.”
In early 2005 Berkeley became one of the first U.S. cities to pledge to meet the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, which calls for a set reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2010. The city has also pledged to decrease its level of solid waste.
Speakers discussed a number of ways to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, pointing to a need for greater energy efficiency. Transportation emissions were cited as an especially big problem in California.
“Driving is a huge problem,” said Catherine Witherspoon, executive officer for the California Air Resources Board. “We need to bring jobs closer to where people live and closer to mass transit.”
Speakers said the money for developing energy-efficient practices exists, but that more governmental organizations need to focus on implementation.
“Bay Area governments have been very cooperative,” said Dan Kalb, the policy coordinator for the Union of Concerned Scientists. “However, the rest of the state may require some economic incentives.”
Several other speakers emphasized the need for individual action, suggesting ways in which individuals could reduce their carbon emissions, including recycling, composting and limiting driving.
Contact Ryan Curtis at rcurtis@dailycal.org.# # #