By Theodora Filis The State of Massachusetts has set the highest possible reduction requirement for greenhouse gas emissions allowed under state environmental legislation. Massachusetts will seek to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels over the next 10 years, giving the state one of the strictest emissions codes in the country under new regulations. Energy Secretary, Ian Bowles, announced the legally binding targets last week after a two-year review process, choosing the most stringent emissions control level available under the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act, which set the parameters for reductions by 2020 of between 10 percent and 25 percent. The plan incorporates electricity production, transportation, and other non-energy emissions policies, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions from plastics, developing a market for solar thermal water and space heating, and using trees around buildings for better cooling. Secretary Bowles suggested
It is imperative we all pay attention to the impact of our collective and personal actions on the environment. During the next decade, our global community will be unable to deal effectively with the formidable environmental challenges posed by decades of environmental mismanagement. There are many environmental issues I write about in this blog, some will scare you, and it is my hope, these articles will give you a reason to question and search for answers.