How I’m voting for the environment on Nov. 7, 2006.
My vote on Prop 87: Yes
Make oil companies pay to save the environment. That’s the idea behind Prop 87.
Prop 87, aka the Clean Alternative Energy Act, would charge oil companies for drilling in California, then use that money to fund initiatives promoting clean, alternative energy and increased efficiency. The measure, in the next 10 years, would put $4 billion toward reducing California’s dependence on oil by 25%.
And Prop 87 will be funded ONLY by oil companies that drill in California. Gas prices will NOT go up. [Update, 9/23/06: Okay -- It's actually unclear whether the prices'll go up or not -- Read the comments for more info. In any case, most environments would be more than happy to see gas prices go up, so this is prolly a happy bonus for most readers of green LA girl.]
So you can imagine who’s putting the money behind defeating this issue. The biggest naysayer: Chevron, which has already put $12.8 million toward killing the prop. This has, of course, got campaigns going against Chevron.
Endorsed by the Sierra Club, California Federation of Labor (PDF),
California League of Conservation Voters, California Farmers Union, the American Lung Association of CA, and many many others. Plus, Grist and Bill Clinton love it.
And a weird tidbit — The Yes on 87 people got sued by the No people, cuz the yessers bought a buncha No URLs and redirected the visitors to the Yes site.
Wanna get involved? The Yes On 87 Campaign page is here.
Update, 10/6/06: Pledge to vote yes on Prop 87 here :)
GAG —
I highly doubt that the cost will not be passed along to the consumer (see this skeptical, but fair, analysis at The Oil Drum. But to me that’s a feature, not a bug.
Comment by Delicious Pundit — September 21, 2006 @ 7:08 pm
Emm interesting idea. But I think it would probably would put the price of oil up but not by that much as the increase would be spread over a good portion of the country. A much better idea would be to put tighter controls on car engine sizes. The size of cars in America never ceases to amaze people from here. Also the utter waste of energy.
A friend of mine was over in Arizona. They were in a room and it was warm.
The heating was too high. So an american guy got up and turned on the air conditioning.
My friends was utterly shocked by this as his reaction would be to turn the heating off and possibly open a window. But this guy thought nothing of leaving the heat on and turn on the Air-con.
Not sure about you but to me that is sheer madness . That is a attitiude in people and no prop will change that. Changing that attitude would do more then taxing fuel.
Comment by simon — September 22, 2006 @ 11:44 am
Hey Delicious — Thanks for the link! I don’t agree with all the points that Robert makes in the post — For one, many oil companies have really, really had a LONG history of resisting research into alternative technologies — they’ve only entered into the field due to persistent and unrelenting public pressures.
But about the issue of whether or not prop 87 will raise gas prices — I really have trouble figuring out whether it will or not. On the other hand, I’d be v. v. happy to see the price of gas go up above $10 a gallon, so I s’pose it’s a bit of a moot point for me, as I’m guessing it is for you too :)
simon — It really is quite frightening living in a place where pointlessly-huge, and in my opinion, super ugly, vehicles block your view on a daily basis :( It’s madness made real –
Comment by Siel — September 23, 2006 @ 5:34 pm