There's a great deal of media commentary and interest in tomorrow's energy bill vote. It's being backed by President Obama, who called the bill 'extraordinarily important' at a White House news conference earlier this week. Weighing in at a hefty 1,201 pages, the document obviously covers a huge range of ideas and implications - though in a nutshell it focuses on limiting emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases that have been blamed for global warming.
It's being sponsored by Representatives Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and also includes a number of provisions to offset carbon emissions created by agriculture.
With a bill as far reaching as this, there are obvious wrangling about costs, winners and losers – and how different markets, industries and regions will be affected. For example, there are concerns that if the bill is passed it may act as national energy tax that could destroy jobs in the manufacturing sector, or impact states such as Indiana, which currently gets 94% of its energy from coal, an obvious high-carbon fuel. The list is seemingly endless, and hard to generalize or prioritize.
In a difficult economy, there are also concerns about increasing fuel costs. The Congressional Budget Office and the E.P.A. have responded to reassure the American public that the rise in utility bills for households and companies wouldn't leap up by an extortionate amount. The E.P.A. has also been quick to point out that because of the efficiency provisions in the bill, by 2020 utility bills would be on average 7% lower than if there was no change in the law at all.
It's easy to see both sides of the argument. At The Refinishing Touch, we're in the enviable position of saving businesses and organizations money while promoting sustainability and protecting the environment. The bill needs support but with it going to have an impact on 306 million Americans, its uncertain what effect the bill will have in the end and understandable there is debate. But regardless of the outcome, it’s an important bill that facilitates dialog on energy and the environment and we believe that it is an important step in advancing the discussion. The energy bill is turning on light bulbs for both sides.
Budgets announced: Environmental government agencies hold discussions for 2010 goals and objectives
2010 budgets have been unveiled by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which outline goals and objectives for the upcoming fiscal year. These outline details that commit to a stronger economy with the promise of new 'green' jobs, and a better environment.
With a $38.7 billion budget, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and an EPA budget of $10.5 million, there are varying responses to the different elements and line items within the budgets. We plan to offer some of our thoughts on specifics over the coming weeks.
At a more basic level, what about everyday sustainability within government departments? As departments of the federal government are planning spend for the coming year, do they find themselves thinking of everyday items that are within their offices, reach, and internal budgets?
From what we can see, yes. How do we know this? From the contacts within the government who we have worked with over the past three decades as well as those that we work with today, we know that there are a number of internal discussions taking place along these lines; and from feedback and interest in our analysis and findings which we published in a government-related whitepaper: "Government Employees with a Sustainable Future."
This whitepaper outlines how a more sustainable view of government furniture assets improves quality of life, cuts pollution and slashes expenditure by up to 80%. Interest has come from senators and government officials we have met both in Georgia and in D.C., as well as from a large number of government contacts that have downloaded it from our website.
As an organization that has prioritized smart spending and has modeled our business around environmentally sound practices, it's good to know that there’s a shared commitment on all levels to save money and the environment. In these economic times, everyone is struggling to meet the demands of agendas that aim to implement cut budgets with the ever important focus on green practices. There's an environmental groundswell, and it's building.
