Today I saw an interesting article in the New York Times. This article detailed the story of a new movement in the Bay Area against a new clean air bill. Ya, AGAINST a new air bill. That didn’t seem right. One of the most liberal parts of the country is fighting what seems to be a very liberal bill. Something isn’t right here.
Bt as I read the article, it all became clear. The bill would make it expensive and difficult to build any new building in heavily urban areas. So it’s about money? Well, a little bit, but there is a legitimate environmental grievance against this bill. If development in urban areas is restricted, there will be more suburban development. More suburban development leads to more commuters driving polluting cars farther distances to work, which has a huge environmental impact.
This finally leads to the big problem: why can’t our legislation do anything right? This clean air bill was supposed to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gasses and make our air cleaner. This is a novel and necessary motive, but it was executed terribly. A clean air bill that will lead to more cars on the road and, ultimately, more pollution? Come on now. Decreases in CO2 need to be implemented immediately and strictly, but half-hearted attempts and blunders will do absolutely nothing to help save our dying planet.
