Arnold Strikes Again

If Stephen Harper wants to jump start his stalled environmental programme, he could send Baird down to California for a chat with Governor Schwarzenegger. The Harpies are now dressing up in their party frocks and proclaiming that they finally get it - but... But, for the Reform Conservatives, means saying nice things and then adding that it's a long-term problem with no quick fixes so don't expect anything really meaningful anytime soon.

Schwarzenegger would agree that the environment, and Arnie isn't afraid to say "global warming", is indeed a long-term problem but he sees it as one that needs intervention, now.

His latest move is, "...to require the state’s petroleum refiners and gasoline sellers to cut by 10 percent the emissions of heat-trapping gases associated with the production and use of their products."

That goal envisions a move to alternative fuels, such as ethanol and other additives. Environmentalists foresee the governor's goal as driving new technologies such as cellulosic ethanol, fuel made out of plant waste, switch grass or wood chips.

The New York Times reports the governor's initiative has been praised by environmentalists such as Hal Harvey, environmental programme director of the William & Laura Hewlett Foundation. "The plan, Mr. Harvey said, is unusual in its focus on the so-called cradle-to-grave emissions associated with each fuel. In the case of ethanol, this can mean carbon emissions generated in the production of fertilizer, in the planting and harvesting of corn, in distilling the fuel and, finally, in transporting it to the distributor and burning it in a car.

"Thus, two otherwise identical gallons of ethanol could have different greenhouse-gas ratings, if one were refined using carbon-intensive coal-fired electricity, while the other was refined using relatively carbon-light electricity from natural gas."


It sounds as though this initiative would make California off-limits to Tar Sands gasoline. It will certainly draw attention to the intense carbon output generated in production of Tar Sands fuel and the more light shed on that nasty little issue, the better.