California pushes to go green, while other states fall behind

by amyjudd | December 23, 2008 at 04:49 pm

329 views | 25 Recommendations | 14 comments

During an interview on CBS's 60 Minutes, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pushes forward with his environmental platform despite the current recession. He dismisses economic crisis as a reason to slow down energy changeover.

He speaks about the need to continue with some of the most important and dire situations affecting our world right now and despite economic woes, it's important to keep going with environmental platforms.

“The more difficult it gets, the more joy I find in it. Because it’s just great to figure out all of the ways of bringing people together and shaping policy. But to get it done, to get there is always a long process. But when you get it done, it’s very satisfying,” Gov. Schwarzenegger told 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

“I think that there’s never the wrong time. There’s always the right time. I will argue the opposite. Because we have seen that the industries that are performing well in California, even right now in this economic decline, is green technology. It’s really spectacular to see those manufacturers coming up to me and saying, ‘Our business is booming,’ while there’s an economic decline. So, green technology’s where it’s at,” the governor retorted.

“I have been in Detroit in 2000 and have talked to the car manufacturers then to put hydrogen engines in the cars and start experimenting. And they said to me then, ‘Well, this would take five to ten years to do something like that.’ Well, that time has come now. Where are the cars?” Schwarzenegger questioned.

When Pelley noted the hatred that the city of Detroit had for him after he came out with his ultra-strict emission laws, even going as far as displaying a billboard which read ‘Arnold to Detroit: drop dead’, the governor pretty much joked it off.

That was the best free publicity I could get. But actually I was not saying, ‘Arnold to Detroit: drop dead,’ I was just saying, ‘Get off your butt,’” Schwarzenegger said.

Mr. Schwarzenegger also spoke about the Hummer he owns, which he spent $100,000 to convert from a military vehicle to a legal civilian one. In fact, he is the inventor of the civilian Hummer, the infamous gas-guzzler, when he invested the astounding sum after being told by the military manufacturer that it couldn’t be done.

His Hummer has been modified and can now run on bio-fuel.

“You can literally go up to a restaurant and get cooking oil,” he said. “it runs, basically, on anything. Anything natural.”

He also knocked environmentalists who tried to hold up a proposed solar project in the Mojave desert for what they said can endanger some animals.

“The environmentalists are the first ones to say, ‘Yes, we need renewable energy. We should get rid of, you know, using our energy from coal and from natural gas,’ and all those kind of things. But then when you say, ‘Okay, let’s do renewable, let’s go that,’ ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up, not so fast,’” reasoned Schwarzenegger.

However, on the other side, states in the Midwest, such as Illionis, that pay farmers for allowing wind turbines to go on their fields, are having to shut down their operations, as there just isn't enough money to sustain it.

That expansion is now drastically slowing as financing dries up for many projects because of the global economic crisis. Companies that bankrolled much of the boom — the insurer AIG, now-bankrupt financial service company Lehman Brothers and Wachovia Corp. — are among the meltdown's biggest losers.

"There's definitely a lot of, obviously, upheaval," said Ric O'Connell, a renewable energy consultant with Black & Veatch Corp., an Overland Park, Kan.-based engineering and construction company. "I would definitely think in 2009 there are going to be projects that are going to be delayed."

Already some developers are scaling back.

Noble Environmental Power, an Essex, Conn.-based developer with projects from Maine to Michigan, Wyoming and Texas, said last month it is cutting back development next year and laying off workers.

It's still up in the air as to what could really happen, but 2009 will see many environmental companies struggle to keep their footing in a world that is just not ready to pay extra to save the planet.

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158

at 19:25 on December 23rd, 2008

Going green costs money. The economic downturn may slow this effort.

SOLARLIFE

at 01:03 on December 24th, 2008

158 going green returns investment in 5 to 10 years doubling green economy, look at green export leader Germany, $10bn green exports in 5 years $100bn forecast. Once a country like the US idea to market specialist can creates local work

Jawa Lunk

at 07:42 on December 24th, 2008

I agree.

I think a lot of the "going green" we tried and failed at in the 70's has really scared (or turned off) people to the idea.

We are a consumer society, which wastes everything, from our energy and money to food.

This country needs a "way of thinking" adjustment, and projects (like Decaprio is working on) may just be the "test" example the people need to see it can be done, and the advances we have made since the 70's put going "green" in a different light.

Kirk Howard

at 20:59 on December 23rd, 2008

Location: San Clemente Pier, San Clemente, California
Date: Friday, Sept 22, 2006
Time: 6:42 PM

Kirk Howard has contributed a photo to this story.

Pythiian1

at 21:21 on December 23rd, 2008

California has some of the most stringent environmental legal measures in the country even at great cost to Californian drivers. I'm still wondering why the state zoning department has not limited the construction of beach-front homes from Santa Barbara down to San Diego, which has caused continual beach erosion.

SOLARLIFE

at 01:36 on December 24th, 2008

the governer Schwarzenegger convincing in tough times to spend money where it returns, green economy, his strongest "partner" Obama. Obama considering to renew the US grid (40% to repair) with a modern Smart power grid for 2way electricty transport Buy/sell from solar homes or windpower. The smart metering over WiMax or Google or Iphone makes your house the spot market for cheap Electricity to buy, switch on AC one hour earlier by phone. at peak demand times your plug in Hybrid cars sells electricity back to the Net. Make money. As advanced as Internet the electronet smart grid. It's Christmas, so holiday time. My article will be delayed, but promising results at the DER world power conference at Nice. Amazing on-site Renewable cities on the test field US already. The nice thing the cell works during power rupture with local CHP (combined heat and power) plant. So have all a great start what brings us into 2009 local businees job creation. US and Europe turning the wheel of Cleantech jobs it will work to replace the obsolete sub-prime market by Cleantech "Topprimes" government tax incentives; Germany showed the way. Exciting article at the end of the Year with nature slideshow, I enjoyed it calms the spirit. thanks for cleantech effort amyjudd and developing the Environment channel to a serious tough green business channel. America makes money again.

Jawa Lunk

at 03:41 on December 24th, 2008

Did Uncle Arnie stop driving his Hummer?

I know he was driving a Hummer, but I'm not sure of the gas mileage it gets...the H2 gets 8-10MPG

If he switched to an H3, he could double that gas mileage.

Or better yet, stop driving one of the worse gas hogs on the road...getting some of the least bang for the buck, creating the same pollution as other cars, but getting 1/4 of the miles out of it while doing so.

I loved him in the movies...

Art_By_Alida

at 06:56 on December 24th, 2008

California is probably the most progressive state in environmental issues.

Glad we have California as a leader and wish other states would follow suit.

polylogue

at 18:39 on December 25th, 2008

There is so much opportunity in renewable energy. Those who don't move forward on this are so damn shortsighted.

miggs (not verified)

at 17:52 on December 26th, 2008

The whole question of whether we should pursue environmentalism "despite" the economic downturn bespeaks a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. We can help the economy and curb greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. I'm associated with Recycled Energy Development, a company that turns manufacturers' waste heat into clean power and steam. The result is more efficiency -- which cuts down on both power costs and pollution. Our nation needs to do more things like this.

Jawa Lunk

at 11:58 on December 27th, 2008

I agree.

I think the real problem is lack of knowledge and waste of spending in government.

Leee

at 17:55 on December 27th, 2008

If all of these people in government and the auto companies are so concerned about our environment and excess why did they allow the EV1 to be shut down and all of the cars taken away from consumers who loved them and wanted to keep them. The cars were taken into the desert and destroyed. They even got a restraining order against the inventor of the batteries so he could not speak to the press. When you check out this whole story you have a better idea of what really goes on.

Jawa Lunk

at 02:53 on December 28th, 2008

Like with everything in a capitalistic society, money rules and is the great voice of reason, justice and morality of those in power, regardless of claims of party association.

Milieunet

at 03:11 on December 28th, 2008

Well the plan is ready to repower America. Great work already of some states and please don't forget one special person in Texas: T. Boone Pickens with Pickens Plan

Change will come fast. Just wait for Barack Obama and his Green Dream Team. I guess it will go fast, just because it is the only way out of the economic crisis, just like Al Gore said in his Challenge