Honey, pack up, we're moving to ... Minnesota!

Who knew the stoic people of Minnesota were so advanced?

Posted by JMG (Guest Contributor) at 10:45 PM on 31 May 2007

Wow, we hear about California this and California that, occasionally some Vermont or Oregon thrown in, once in awhile someone will know that Texas is a wind capitol.

But I can't remember anyone ever mentioning that, when it comes to a serious program to address global heating, Minnesota rocks!

Just for comparison, note how weak and pallid Oregon's renewable energy standard (which only applies to electricity, not energy) is compared to Minnesota's comprehensive greenhouse gas law.

From the Union of Concerned Scientists:

Minnesota:
On May 20, the Minnesota Legislature overwhelmingly passed groundbreaking global warming, energy efficiency, and community-based energy legislation that Governor Tim Pawlenty has said he will sign into law.

The bill sets a goal of reducing statewide global warming pollution across all sectors to 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. To accomplish these goals, the legislation requires the state to establish a carbon cap and trade program and to develop and implement a regional approach to reducing global warming pollution. ...

The bill increases annual energy savings in conservation improvement programs to 1.5 percent per year, which will result in a 25 percent decrease in Minnesota's electric and natural gas use by 2025. The law also requires utilities to consider community-based renewable energy for the satisfaction of the standard. UCS Minnesota consultant Barbara Freese was integrally involved in the passage of the bill.

Oregon:
On May 23, the Oregon House passed a 25 percent by 2025 renewable energy standard, making Oregon the twenty-third state plus the District of Columbia to adopt a renewable electricity standard. Governor Kulongoski has said he will sign the bill into law.

For story: Honey, pack up, we're moving to ... Minnesota!
13 Comments | Post a Comment

80% reduction by 2050... is it enough?

I hope the 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is enough. It seems that is the new gold standard for those who are really getting alarmed by global warming. For example, the United Kingdom recently announced a very similar goal.

However, there is in parallel a good deal of news that seems to indicate that we need something more like an 80% reduction within 10 years. Now, that is my own estimate, and I don't think there are well-agreed exact numbers, but look at the recent NASA report declaring that we have 10 years to make dramatic changes. Honestly, I just don't know for sure what the timeline is... and it seems no one else is sure, but when you analyze by risk factors, it seems we need to move even faster in the right direction than Minnesota is doing.

Can we do it? I don't know, it seems so unlikely. But if there are some additional major climate events such as a large glacier disintegrating, perhaps we will put our foot to the gas pedal, excuse the expression.

I am in the somewhat doubtful but not hopeless camp. The world will take some actions, and there will be some climate change despite that, as the change has already started and will certainly increase before there is improvement. I will do what I can, and will work at it. The rest is up to destiny.

David Alexander
PlanetThoughts.org
Love your Planet.

by planetthoughts at 3:23 AM on 01 Jun 2007

And while we're on the Minneapolis kick....

Who needs stinking, polluting moving vans? Not this guy: http://crccoffeebar.blogspot.com/2007/05/leave-moving-van ...
Upper midwest - yo!

by Planner at 6:41 AM on 01 Jun 2007

Yeah, that's my home

Although our wonderful governor ignored the environment completely his first term, maybe winning reelection by the closest margin of any Minnesotan governor in recent history helped. Well, that and having a House and Senate that are willing to overrule any veto on environmental issues.

One of the best parts of this bill is the complete ban on all future coal plants and the gradual (too gradual, I'll admit) phasing out of all current coal power. That and the efficiency standards make me very happy.

by Grevangelical at 8:32 AM on 01 Jun 2007

Cancun of the North

Thanks to Global Heating, Minnesota will soon be a tropical paradise.

Texeme.Construct(function(x)=Participation(x))

by jabailo at 8:37 AM on 01 Jun 2007

Mr. Bailo, you are a silly man

Were you here last year with the incredibly high temperatures that reached over 110?F? If it hadn't been for the drought there would have been no relief at all, high humidity in places like Minnesota means that the temperature does not drop very much at night (greenhouse effect) and that means it can stay over 80?F for weeks without even dropping below at night. Minnesota will be dreadfully unpleasant if the average temperature increases another 3-6?C.

by Grevangelical at 9:03 AM on 01 Jun 2007

Irritatingly enough Gristmill doesn't like degrees

by Grevangelical at 9:05 AM on 01 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

No, 80% is probably not enough

But any state willing to commit to 80% now will be in the best shape to adopt the more aggressive goal. The 80% by 2050 is a watershed whether it's actually adequate or not---it's so far in the right direction that it's a complete rejection of business as usual. The key is getting started on an aggressive program NOW, before we commit to an intolerable amount of warming.

The 5% Project

by JMG at 9:52 AM on 01 Jun 2007

Re: is it enough?

I'm less hopeful than that. I predict that we will pump more carbon into the air in 2027 than we do in 2007. When you take this chart and add all of the additional coal plants we're building, we'd likely need to completely remove all vehicles just to stay even. If our entire country committed to reduce our carbon by 80%, we'd need to completely remove coal plants and switch to electric vehicles. That's just not going to happen in the near future, short of an obvious crisis like the oceans rising up and swallowing cities.

by Matt G at 10:26 AM on 01 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

Once again, I hear that voice

If our entire country committed to reduce our carbon by 80%, we'd need to completely remove coal plants and switch to electric vehicles. That's just not going to happen in the near future, short of an obvious crisis like the oceans rising up and swallowing cities.

(Booming celestial voice heard everywhere):

"Your offer is accepted."

The 5% Project

by JMG at 10:36 AM on 01 Jun 2007

"Tropical Paradise?"

I know your primary skill is 'talking from ass', but man, you should at least VISIT MN before talking about tropical paradises. As Grevangelical points out, it's already insanely hot here in the summer. I've lived in the deep south (Texas) and the heat there simply can't compare to the sweltering mess that descends on us more agressively year after year. Trust me, MN is already a freaking tropical paradise for several months of the year and we'd rather not have any more. Unless "mass heat deaths" amongst the poor, children and elderly is your idea of a true paradise. And hey, with your track record, it could be.

by PBrazelton at 10:36 AM on 01 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

Sounds like a fluke

My climate model forecasts a lot more rain for MN this year.

Check out the current Minneapolis weather:

http://www.ask.com/weather/c?wcwid=20682&wdow=&ws ...

No need to panic -- nice warm summers, cooled by rain, melting ice in winter, moving into the mild 40's.

Texeme.Construct(function(x)=Participation(x))

by jabailo at 11:53 AM on 01 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

Minnesota goes Green - Don'tcha Know?

Well, before you move to Minnesota...you should go meet some of the people who are making change. I don't think there is a more engaged bunch of students than in Minnesota. People point to California and Vermont, but change doesn't just come from the coasts. Read about them here!
Does Minnesota Know How to Bring it? You Betcha!

Check out dispatches from the youth climate movement: http://www.itsgettinghotinhere.org/

Check out dispatches from the youth climate movement: http://www.itsgettinghotinhere.org/

by Its GEtting Hot in Here at 12:42 PM on 01 Jun 2007

Whoa

It had never occurred to me that my hysterical fears over our increasingly warm and uncomfortable summers could have been allayed by referring to tomorrow's weather prediction! This whole time I've been concerned with the impacts of global warming both here and abroad, but I totally forgot to see if it was going to rain on Saturday - and it is. Now only if someone - anyone! - could get the news to the IPCC that the June 2nd weather forecast for Minnesota shows a high in the low to mid 70's and a 59% chance of precipitation we can finally be done with this global warming nonsense.

Touché, my good man, touché. I bow to your brilliance.

by PBrazelton at 1:42 PM on 01 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

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