When Michelle Obama announced plans for a White House kitchen garden, local foodies, gardeners, and health advocates rejoiced: what better way to promote the value of home-grown food than get the first family involved. It turns out that the Obamas aren’t the only executive family growing vegetables on the grounds of the official residence: a number of governors and their spouses have taken up the cause of not just planting vegetables, but also implementing more sustainable landscaping practices at governors’ mansions and even state capitols.
By SolveClimate •
May 29, 2009
By David Sassoon. Originally published May 28, 2009, at Solveclimate
If Florida embraced its solar and wind power potential and got 20 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, it would create 37,000 new jobs, generate more than $16 billion in economic activity by 2025, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 319 million tons, a new study commissioned by the state Department of Environmental Protection shows.
The just-released report examined 28 policy measures in Republican Gov. Charlie Crist’s 2008 Climate Action Plan, including the 20 percent by 2020 renewable electricity standard.
In all, it found that implementing the full Climate Action Plan could add almost 150,000 new jobs and bring almost $40 billion in increased economic activity to the Sunshine state.
Unfortunately, the Florida legislature undermined the governor’s efforts to turn that renewable energy standard into law this spring during what longtime observers of the statehouse said was one of the most dysfunctional and depressing legislative sessions in memory.
By Timothy B. Hurst •
February 24, 2009
In Washington, D.C. today, governors from the 23 states that make up the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition released a report outlining the benefits of wind energy for their states and the country.
By Cassie Walker •
November 13, 2008
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced earlier this week that five additional US governors will co-host the upcoming Governor’s Climate Summit at UCLA. The summit brings together leaders from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, Mexico, and the European Union, and attendees from 36 states and Washington, D.C.
To be held November 18 – 19, people are encouraged to join in via webcast. The event will consist of high-level negotiations to lay the groundwork for the next global agreement on climate change. The United Nations will begin negotiating this agreement in earnest in December at a meeting in Poland.
“This international summit will bring together world leaders to develop creative, collaborative actions to advance the global climate agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that will be negotiated in Poland in December and in Copenhagen next year,” the governor said.
When Michelle Obama announced plans for a White House kitchen garden, local foodies, gardeners, and health advocates rejoiced: what better way to promote the value of home-grown food than get the first family involved. It turns out that the Obamas aren’t the only executive family growing vegetables on the grounds of the official residence: a number of governors and their spouses have taken up the cause of not just planting vegetables, but also implementing more sustainable landscaping practices at governors’ mansions and even state capitols.
