Global warming strategy from PIRG

An editorial in the Charlottesville Daily Progress calls attention to a 6-point plan from the Pubic Interest Research Group to offset global warming.

The newspaper says the stakes involved are at least as high as the Cold War crisis of the '60s in that we rely on energy sources subject to control by our adversaries. The PIRG measures are short-term recommendations with a long-range goal of energy independence.

The full plan is available on the PIRG Web site. Basically, the 6 steps are:

• Stabilize vehicle travel with better transit service and more carpool and telecommuting programs.
• Increase fuel-economy standards to 40mpg and set standards for large trucks.
• Replace 10 percent of the current gasoline supplies with alternative biofuels.
• Reduce energy consumption in homes and businesses by 10 percent
• Obtain 20 percent of electricy from renewable sources.
• Hold down emissions from other sources.

Nowhere in the 51-page report is there a cost analysis of the proposals. One point caught my eye: more effort should go into producing ethanol from cellulose, not corn.

[Source: Charlottesville (VA) Daily Progress]