San Diego's Greenhouse Gas Footprint Group #2

Have you ever considered how your city and even you could reduce carbon dioxide emissions? In San Diego, Mayor Sanders has advocated reducing carbon dioxide emissions in San Diego County to 15 % below 1990 levels by 2012. After some investigation, it was found that San Diego County’s Greenhouse Gas Footprint, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere via various sources, for 1990 was 3.16 E10 kg of carbon dioxide and 3.87 E10 kg in 2005. Since San Diego has managed to increase their emissions in the last 15 years, the reduction needed to reach 1990 levels is 30 %. Taking into account electricity, natural gas, and industrial emissions reports from the SDG&E it was concluded that the problem needed to be solved with 6 solution wedges, each representing a 2 billion kg decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. The 6 solution wedges included the following:

Widespread electrical conservation included turning off computers when not in use and unplugging appliances in the home while not in use. Many suggestions were included in the transportation wedge including biking, walking, raising gas prices, and adding incentives for carpools. Also purchasing cleaner 4 stroke marine engines would limit carbon dioxide emissions from transportation vehicles. Environmentally economical zoning and building purposes high density housing and living close to work as options for lowing carbon dioxide emissions. Two other suggestions focused on increasing laws and knowledge about carbon dioxide emissions. For example, people in San Diego should purchase locally grown food instead of allowing massive transport from far away places. Not to mention, they should recycle and conserve and educate others to do so.

In an article entitled, “Alter climate? Change Ways”, authors sadly claim that Mayor Sanders’ goal will not be reached because people are unable to change their lifestyles to accommodate carbon dioxide emission reductions unless national laws were in place. However, I believe that if we educate the citizens, which the city claims to be attempting, that anything is possible. Not to mention, national laws take many years to establish and enforce, but each individual doing some of the suggestions above could be done tomorrow without significant sacrifices except maybe high density housing. Therefore, I suggest that we continue to educate individuals about global warming and give suggestions that people can do themselves for relatively cheap to help in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.