Showing posts with label carbon footprint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carbon footprint. Show all posts
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Financial meltdown offers opportunities for green economic growth
With financial markets world-wide frozen and if failed political governance is held to account, opportunities now are beckoning for a environmentally sustainable, regulated, green-collar, solar-thermal, carbon and resource tax-based economy to emerge. read more
Financial meltdown offers opportunities for green economic growth (entire article)
Current measures attempting to stem Wall Street hemorrhaging by the Bush regime act to privatize profits and socialize losses. The failed financial markets and broken government want socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor as patches and fixes. The entire financial structure has evaporated. Credit between banks and businesses vital to expansion and meeting payroll is frozen and curtailed. Rebuilding along the lines of the past greed-based, unregulated laissez-faire markets is not acceptable. Looking at this barren commerce landscape, opportunities now are beckoning for a environmentally sustainable, regulated, green-collar, solar-thermal, carbon and resource tax-based economy to emerge from the wreckage of failed markets, allowing the individual and relocalized communities to survive and prosper, stepping back from the abyss of today's precipice of complete financial, social and ecological ruin dwarfing the 1930's Great Depression.
To avert ever-escalating climate change-caused arctic glacial melt, desertification, drought, extreme weather and wildfires, rising ocean levels, plant and animal extinction, and human settlement dislocation, a collective effort on the scale of a Green New Deal is required immediately. We cannot expect the same financial and political mechanisms who brought us ecological and financial collapse to weigh in our effort to restore our survivability and sustainability. Consuming the planetary ecological services (as if the human species was entitled to use and lay waste to earth's resources) is directly related to unsustainable, unending accumulation of economic wealth that fuels environmental destruction. Conservation and frugality (making sacrifices and taking care of each other) will help define our transition in weaning ourselves off the oil standard and toward a 100% renewable energy economy to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Federal Reserve's possible response of printing massive amounts of paper currency to infuse the lending system only leads to a deflated currency and runaway price and interest rate hyper-inflation. Once U.S. wealth is vaporized, civil insurrection, food and energy shortages will be met by martial law.
Nationalizing the Federal Reserve must make constituents beneficiaries not causalities of 'bail-out' plans. Today's unregulated economy based on the oil-standard, debt, interest and inflation is fueling skyrocketing prices which makes higher education, buying a house or a loaf of bread unaffordable by anyone. Deregulated markets have led to worthless paper backing securities falsely claimed to have had value by now failed mortgage lenders and security trades such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns (purchased by JP Morgan) all of whom must be held accountable for their full participation in the so-called sub-prime meltdown and provide relief to the millions of homeowners and pensioners unfairly treated by the privatized, unregulated banking industry. Any Congressional economic stimulus bill must be a funded mandate drawing from those responsible for the excesses of unregulated banking and oil concerns and directed toward investments in an economy based on 100% renewable energy source (wind, ocean, tidal, solar, geothermal).
To avert ever-escalating climate change-caused arctic glacial melt, desertification, drought, extreme weather and wildfires, rising ocean levels, plant and animal extinction, and human settlement dislocation, a collective effort on the scale of a Green New Deal is required immediately. We cannot expect the same financial and political mechanisms who brought us ecological and financial collapse to weigh in our effort to restore our survivability and sustainability. Consuming the planetary ecological services (as if the human species was entitled to use and lay waste to earth's resources) is directly related to unsustainable, unending accumulation of economic wealth that fuels environmental destruction. Conservation and frugality (making sacrifices and taking care of each other) will help define our transition in weaning ourselves off the oil standard and toward a 100% renewable energy economy to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Federal Reserve's possible response of printing massive amounts of paper currency to infuse the lending system only leads to a deflated currency and runaway price and interest rate hyper-inflation. Once U.S. wealth is vaporized, civil insurrection, food and energy shortages will be met by martial law.
Nationalizing the Federal Reserve must make constituents beneficiaries not causalities of 'bail-out' plans. Today's unregulated economy based on the oil-standard, debt, interest and inflation is fueling skyrocketing prices which makes higher education, buying a house or a loaf of bread unaffordable by anyone. Deregulated markets have led to worthless paper backing securities falsely claimed to have had value by now failed mortgage lenders and security trades such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns (purchased by JP Morgan) all of whom must be held accountable for their full participation in the so-called sub-prime meltdown and provide relief to the millions of homeowners and pensioners unfairly treated by the privatized, unregulated banking industry. Any Congressional economic stimulus bill must be a funded mandate drawing from those responsible for the excesses of unregulated banking and oil concerns and directed toward investments in an economy based on 100% renewable energy source (wind, ocean, tidal, solar, geothermal).
Monday, June 2, 2008
Solving the state budget problem: Issues & Green Answers critical to the 39th Assembly District - categorized according to Green Party Ten Key Values
Solving the state budget problem first requires:
ecological wisdom:
To slow global warming and stabilize our biosphere, what is urgently required is nothing less than an all-out effort worthy of last century's New Deal. The Democrats take on 'green collar' jobs is too little too late. As a human species, we must halt global greenhouse gas emissions and develop zero net energy technology; reducing is not enough.
The current officeholder has demonstrated an outright opposition to seriously address implementation of AB 1493 (Global Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act) - as evidenced by his fence-sitting which defeated Assemblymember Ruskin's 'Feebates' consumer credits given toward the purchase of energy-efficient, small cars in addition to surcharging purchasers of SUVs.
-----
Then, to stimulate consumer spending, cut prison spending, while actually increasing education spending:
decentralization:
Seeding a 'green collar' economy to provide for a workforce is imperative to maintain, grow and expand zero net energy building developments, affordable housing and innovate greenhouse gas-reducing technologies. By 'getting off the grid', funding will be manageable for maintaining and improving a smaller, more efficient infrastructure.
social justice, respect for diversity, feminism:
Reduce inflationary spiral on lower income workforce by a phased elimination of state tax on wages and salary and sales tax compensated with a graduated tax rate on gross rents, gross business receipts and resource-based taxes.
I will promote legislation to immediately end immigration raids and deportations. Political initiatives need to link every environmental demand to specific legislation that improves quality of life in our working class district – programs that employ youth in a living wage 'green collar' economic community (to answer challenges which cause gang activity), that create more parkspace (given the prevalent immigrant community's pro-environment health-conscious, wide usage of out-door public spaces and green recreational spaces), that extend opportunities for people to enjoy nature and to participate in green politics, that confront the immorality of a rich state while our children are poor.
The combined tab of nearly $15 billion for prison reform has dismayed lawmakers already faced with a $16 billion budget deficit that has prompted huge proposed cuts in spending on education and health care.
The United States has less than 5 percent of the world's population. But it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners.
My opponent's legislative initiatives creates more criminal infractions which would expand the already runaway, double-digit billion dollar California Prison-Industrial complex. My green answer is removing jail time for victimless crimes, removal of 'three strikes' and using the expanded education dollar for educative, correction-oriented programs over punishment to reduce the size and uncontrolled spending of the current prison system. Fully fund educational programs, especially those for early childhood. Costs per student are far less than the cost per prisoner in a dysfunctional prison complex.
-----
Eliminate the deficit by stopping the War for Oil in Iraq and reduce military spending everywhere else, pushing Congress for our fair share given the Federal tax contribution - besides closing developer loopholes, seeding a green collar economy, while replacing the present dirty money, corporatist welfare legislation with Clean Money, publicly financed elections allowing single payer healthcare - saving 30% over the current privatized structure. After all, California is the eighth largest economy on the world stage and the actual savings will be immense.
community-based economics:
In an extended period of spiraling downward real estate value and economic depression, the mark of a civilized society would not to eliminate the 16 billion dollar State Budget deficit by closing parks, workforce healthcare programs, and entitlements to the poor, disabled, elderly and children. Instead, curb unsustainable speculative urban sprawl, mansionification through tax incentives by replacing tax on building improvements with tax on land. Change tax policy to close developer loopholes to provide for the common interest and to increase public coffers.
Prudent land-use policy does not promote sprawl. My opponent believes not, by beginning his term in office by gutting and amending defeated legislation, accepting a developer's campaign donation in return for allowing the same developer to sponsor AB 212, his proposed bill (limiting L.A.'s ability to control land use) favored the same developer whose sprawling 229 single-family home Tujunga project would benefit from the legislation. Justifying developers writing state law for their own profit, my opposition claimed the legislation's rationale was to protect developers from NIMBYism.
The move has riled Los Angeles City Council members (voting last month to oppose the state intervention in local land-use decisions), in addition to residents in Tujunga, La Crescenta and Glendale who have banded together to fight the proposed development and preserve the golf course. We need State Representation supportive of the local community. Green Party Member and tested leader in the community, Jack Lindblad provides that support, representing "We, the People" not "We, the Corporation."
Fully fund an expanded number of Tujunga-Pacoima Watershed projects to restore riparian and chaparral areas - especially to clean up contaminated properties (closed landfills, and auto salvage yards) for green space (our lungs), ground-water recharge, potable water (to offset Delta and Colorado River water cutbacks), flood control, recreation, community gardens, horse, bicycling and hiking trails. Convert impervious paved areas to pervious.
Parks and recreation areas foster human development, strengthen public safety and security, promote health and welfare, bolster community self-image and instill a 'sense of place,' promote cultural solidarity, and facilitate community problem-solving.
Maintain the mission of Hansen Dam to protect urban development from flooding and promote small water retention ponds, underground aquifers and cisterns. Establishment of governance based on bioregional-determined ecological conservation, watershed-based economic, political boundaries. By doing so, we begin to answer the shifting Mediterranean regional climate, rising sea levels and temperatures, drought, and water shortage challenging the continued existence of 18 million Southern Californians, while providing this planet with a new model for governance and eco-mindful consumption.
Expand rail and jitney transit to compensate for the required trips now taken by private, gas-consuming vehicles - which will be phased off the roadways.
personal/global responsibility:
The incumbent has amassed an unknown number of 'hidden' campaign committees with unknown amounts of dollars. One might conclude that his legislative initiatives appear to be gestures toward nursing a corporatist money flow into his campaign committee treasuries. My green answer is to promote Clean Money and publicly financed elections to hold elected officials responsible and accountable to the people's interests, not corporate interests so that single-payer health care can save 30% off the cost of providing quality healthcare for all.
(from california budget project)
Who (and How Many People) in our 39th Assembly District Would Be Affected Under the Governor’s Proposed Budget Estimated Impact?
• 3,260 Low-Income Children Who Would Lose Medi-Cal Coverage Due to Increased Paperwork Requirements in 2008-09 - By: 2009-10: 5,940 Children.
• 2,300 Low-Income Children Who Would Lose CalWORKs Cash Assistance Through June 2009.
• 106,570 Low-Income Medi-Cal Recipients Who Would be Affected by Reduced Payments to Medi-Cal Providers and Health Plans - Loss of Funds: $21,616,000.
• 14,330 Low-Income Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Who are Recipients Would be Affected by Suspended State Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for SSI/SSP Grants, June 2008 Through June 2009.
• 13,620 Children Who are Healthy Families Program Recipients Would be Affected by Reduced Payments: - Loss of Funds: $900,000
• 5,340 Low-Income Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Who are Recipients Would be Affected by Reduced Number of Hours Provided for Domestic Services in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program, 2008-09.
The Governor has proposed substantial reductions to virtually all state-supported services to close the state’s budget gap. The Legislature will consider these proposed reductions and other options during upcoming budget hearings.
Who (and How Many People) in Los Angeles County Would Be Affected by the Governor’s Proposed Budget?
• 1,544,710 students served by Los Angeles County’s public schools. Cuts to five of the largest funding allocations for public schools in the county would equal $670 per student.
• 66,140 low-income children dropped from the CalWORKs Program.
• 418,840 low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who would lose the state cost-of-living adjustment for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment cash assistance grants.
• 163,700 low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who would receive fewer hours of services through the In-Home Supportive Services Program.
• 5,170 fewer children enrolled in child care and preschool due to funding cuts to child development programs.
• 61,590 low-income children in 2008-09 – and a total of 112,140 children by 2009-10 – who would lose Medi-Cal coverage due to increased paperwork requirements.
• 2,261,650 low-income Medi-Cal recipients who may have reduced access to health care
services because of payment cuts to health care providers.
• 249,220 children enrolled in the Healthy Families Program, which provides low-cost health coverage for children in low-income working families. The Governor proposes to increase family premium contributions and copayments and reduce dental services.
• Visitors to five state parks in Los Angeles County, which the Governor proposes to close.
ecological wisdom:
To slow global warming and stabilize our biosphere, what is urgently required is nothing less than an all-out effort worthy of last century's New Deal. The Democrats take on 'green collar' jobs is too little too late. As a human species, we must halt global greenhouse gas emissions and develop zero net energy technology; reducing is not enough.
The current officeholder has demonstrated an outright opposition to seriously address implementation of AB 1493 (Global Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act) - as evidenced by his fence-sitting which defeated Assemblymember Ruskin's 'Feebates' consumer credits given toward the purchase of energy-efficient, small cars in addition to surcharging purchasers of SUVs.
-----
Then, to stimulate consumer spending, cut prison spending, while actually increasing education spending:
decentralization:
Seeding a 'green collar' economy to provide for a workforce is imperative to maintain, grow and expand zero net energy building developments, affordable housing and innovate greenhouse gas-reducing technologies. By 'getting off the grid', funding will be manageable for maintaining and improving a smaller, more efficient infrastructure.
social justice, respect for diversity, feminism:
Reduce inflationary spiral on lower income workforce by a phased elimination of state tax on wages and salary and sales tax compensated with a graduated tax rate on gross rents, gross business receipts and resource-based taxes.
I will promote legislation to immediately end immigration raids and deportations. Political initiatives need to link every environmental demand to specific legislation that improves quality of life in our working class district – programs that employ youth in a living wage 'green collar' economic community (to answer challenges which cause gang activity), that create more parkspace (given the prevalent immigrant community's pro-environment health-conscious, wide usage of out-door public spaces and green recreational spaces), that extend opportunities for people to enjoy nature and to participate in green politics, that confront the immorality of a rich state while our children are poor.
The combined tab of nearly $15 billion for prison reform has dismayed lawmakers already faced with a $16 billion budget deficit that has prompted huge proposed cuts in spending on education and health care.
The United States has less than 5 percent of the world's population. But it has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners.
My opponent's legislative initiatives creates more criminal infractions which would expand the already runaway, double-digit billion dollar California Prison-Industrial complex. My green answer is removing jail time for victimless crimes, removal of 'three strikes' and using the expanded education dollar for educative, correction-oriented programs over punishment to reduce the size and uncontrolled spending of the current prison system. Fully fund educational programs, especially those for early childhood. Costs per student are far less than the cost per prisoner in a dysfunctional prison complex.
-----
Eliminate the deficit by stopping the War for Oil in Iraq and reduce military spending everywhere else, pushing Congress for our fair share given the Federal tax contribution - besides closing developer loopholes, seeding a green collar economy, while replacing the present dirty money, corporatist welfare legislation with Clean Money, publicly financed elections allowing single payer healthcare - saving 30% over the current privatized structure. After all, California is the eighth largest economy on the world stage and the actual savings will be immense.
community-based economics:
In an extended period of spiraling downward real estate value and economic depression, the mark of a civilized society would not to eliminate the 16 billion dollar State Budget deficit by closing parks, workforce healthcare programs, and entitlements to the poor, disabled, elderly and children. Instead, curb unsustainable speculative urban sprawl, mansionification through tax incentives by replacing tax on building improvements with tax on land. Change tax policy to close developer loopholes to provide for the common interest and to increase public coffers.
Prudent land-use policy does not promote sprawl. My opponent believes not, by beginning his term in office by gutting and amending defeated legislation, accepting a developer's campaign donation in return for allowing the same developer to sponsor AB 212, his proposed bill (limiting L.A.'s ability to control land use) favored the same developer whose sprawling 229 single-family home Tujunga project would benefit from the legislation. Justifying developers writing state law for their own profit, my opposition claimed the legislation's rationale was to protect developers from NIMBYism.
The move has riled Los Angeles City Council members (voting last month to oppose the state intervention in local land-use decisions), in addition to residents in Tujunga, La Crescenta and Glendale who have banded together to fight the proposed development and preserve the golf course. We need State Representation supportive of the local community. Green Party Member and tested leader in the community, Jack Lindblad provides that support, representing "We, the People" not "We, the Corporation."
future focus/sustainability:
Redirect "Enterprise zones" (in which the City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency engages in real estate speculation while allowing growing blight in the community) toward attracting and encouraging transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly, mixed use, zero net energy, smart, compact, ecological-inspired architecture to reduce urban sprawl's carbon footprint and meet the 2030 mandated reduction of 80% - 90% of global greenhouse gases to mitigate global warming.Fully fund an expanded number of Tujunga-Pacoima Watershed projects to restore riparian and chaparral areas - especially to clean up contaminated properties (closed landfills, and auto salvage yards) for green space (our lungs), ground-water recharge, potable water (to offset Delta and Colorado River water cutbacks), flood control, recreation, community gardens, horse, bicycling and hiking trails. Convert impervious paved areas to pervious.
Parks and recreation areas foster human development, strengthen public safety and security, promote health and welfare, bolster community self-image and instill a 'sense of place,' promote cultural solidarity, and facilitate community problem-solving.
Maintain the mission of Hansen Dam to protect urban development from flooding and promote small water retention ponds, underground aquifers and cisterns. Establishment of governance based on bioregional-determined ecological conservation, watershed-based economic, political boundaries. By doing so, we begin to answer the shifting Mediterranean regional climate, rising sea levels and temperatures, drought, and water shortage challenging the continued existence of 18 million Southern Californians, while providing this planet with a new model for governance and eco-mindful consumption.
Expand rail and jitney transit to compensate for the required trips now taken by private, gas-consuming vehicles - which will be phased off the roadways.
personal/global responsibility:
The incumbent has amassed an unknown number of 'hidden' campaign committees with unknown amounts of dollars. One might conclude that his legislative initiatives appear to be gestures toward nursing a corporatist money flow into his campaign committee treasuries. My green answer is to promote Clean Money and publicly financed elections to hold elected officials responsible and accountable to the people's interests, not corporate interests so that single-payer health care can save 30% off the cost of providing quality healthcare for all.
(from california budget project)
Who (and How Many People) in our 39th Assembly District Would Be Affected Under the Governor’s Proposed Budget Estimated Impact?
• 3,260 Low-Income Children Who Would Lose Medi-Cal Coverage Due to Increased Paperwork Requirements in 2008-09 - By: 2009-10: 5,940 Children.
• 2,300 Low-Income Children Who Would Lose CalWORKs Cash Assistance Through June 2009.
• 106,570 Low-Income Medi-Cal Recipients Who Would be Affected by Reduced Payments to Medi-Cal Providers and Health Plans - Loss of Funds: $21,616,000.
• 14,330 Low-Income Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Who are Recipients Would be Affected by Suspended State Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for SSI/SSP Grants, June 2008 Through June 2009.
• 13,620 Children Who are Healthy Families Program Recipients Would be Affected by Reduced Payments: - Loss of Funds: $900,000
• 5,340 Low-Income Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Who are Recipients Would be Affected by Reduced Number of Hours Provided for Domestic Services in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program, 2008-09.
The Governor has proposed substantial reductions to virtually all state-supported services to close the state’s budget gap. The Legislature will consider these proposed reductions and other options during upcoming budget hearings.
Who (and How Many People) in Los Angeles County Would Be Affected by the Governor’s Proposed Budget?
• 1,544,710 students served by Los Angeles County’s public schools. Cuts to five of the largest funding allocations for public schools in the county would equal $670 per student.
• 66,140 low-income children dropped from the CalWORKs Program.
• 418,840 low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who would lose the state cost-of-living adjustment for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment cash assistance grants.
• 163,700 low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who would receive fewer hours of services through the In-Home Supportive Services Program.
• 5,170 fewer children enrolled in child care and preschool due to funding cuts to child development programs.
• 61,590 low-income children in 2008-09 – and a total of 112,140 children by 2009-10 – who would lose Medi-Cal coverage due to increased paperwork requirements.
• 2,261,650 low-income Medi-Cal recipients who may have reduced access to health care
services because of payment cuts to health care providers.
• 249,220 children enrolled in the Healthy Families Program, which provides low-cost health coverage for children in low-income working families. The Governor proposes to increase family premium contributions and copayments and reduce dental services.
• Visitors to five state parks in Los Angeles County, which the Governor proposes to close.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Meeting the global warming challenge
My architecture firm and my legislative agenda once I'm elected to the California state assembly share the same goal: To require all new construction and remodeling to meet the 2030 target of a graduated reduction of fossil fuel usage to zero by implementing innovative sustainable design and tax strategies, encouraging transit-oriented, pedestrian friendly, mixed-use development, generating on-site renewable power and/or certified renewable energy credits. The overall objective is to 'get off the grid' by achieving net-zero-energy performance.
The goals set in California were inspired by the 2030 Challenge goals, in which the nonprofit organization Architecture 2030 calls for no fossil fuel use for buildings by 2030. But California's goals are focused on net-zero-energy performance instead of fossil fuel use. CEC based its definition of net-zero-energy performance, and many of its recommendations, on a report by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), which states that a goal of “no net purchases from the electricity or gas grid” may be met with energy-efficient design and “onsite clean distributed generation.” Neither agency explains how net-zero-energy performance would be calculated in a building needing to offset natural gas usage with renewable energy.
The goals set in California were inspired by the 2030 Challenge goals, in which the nonprofit organization Architecture 2030 calls for no fossil fuel use for buildings by 2030. But California's goals are focused on net-zero-energy performance instead of fossil fuel use. CEC based its definition of net-zero-energy performance, and many of its recommendations, on a report by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC), which states that a goal of “no net purchases from the electricity or gas grid” may be met with energy-efficient design and “onsite clean distributed generation.” Neither agency explains how net-zero-energy performance would be calculated in a building needing to offset natural gas usage with renewable energy.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Lindblad announces run for California State Assembly
Against the dire backdrop of what scientists are saying that humanity has until 2010 to stop unchecked global warming "before it's too late" to avoid catastrophic effects to the health and economy of humankind, Jack Lindblad is announcing his candidacy to be elected to the California State Assembly.
California's Assembly legislates for a state that (if considered a nation) would be the world's eighth-largest economy and twelfth-ranked contributor to global greenhouse gases.
The current Democrat officeholder in a mostly Latino working class district is not reflecting the urgency required of political leadership to transform our wasteful, consumptive society from pending extinction to sustainability that both Democrats and Republicans refuse to address in realistic measures.
California's Assembly legislates for a state that (if considered a nation) would be the world's eighth-largest economy and twelfth-ranked contributor to global greenhouse gases.
The current Democrat officeholder in a mostly Latino working class district is not reflecting the urgency required of political leadership to transform our wasteful, consumptive society from pending extinction to sustainability that both Democrats and Republicans refuse to address in realistic measures.
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