Yesterday, part 1: the criticism
Today, part 2: the defense
Andrew Savage, who used to enjoy sliding down hills on flat boards but then got swept up in this whole political thing and went to D.C. to be the spokesvoice for Rep. Peter Welch, offered up these arguments in support of carbon credits:
1. They must be combined with other actions. Which he said Welch is doing by backing of the Waxman Safe Climate Act (would reduce U.S. global warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 through greater reliance on clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency), other measures in the office to conserve energy such as changing to better light bulbs, and drumming up support for climate change legislation among colleagues.
2. These efforts send a message to the world that global warming matters.
3. It's a concrete step that's better than nothing.
The projects slated to be built with the help of Welch's offset contribution are a methane digester project on a Westminster dairy farm and a biomass pellet-fired boiler that will replace a fossil fuel-fired boiler at Vermont Technical College in Randolph.
- Terri Hallenbeck
