Unit 4

Obama Cuts Federal Governments's Carbon Emissions

Summary:

The President is known for supporting renewable energy and reducing the United State's greenhouse gas emissions.  On March 19, 2015, he signed an executive order that reduces the government's carbon footprint.  The plan calls for a forty percent reduction in heat trapping emissions over the next ten years from the 2008 levels.  The White House said that transition will save 18 billion dollars in taxpayer money, and it will increase the government's use of renewable energy sources by 30 percent.  Major government suppliers, like IBM and General Electric, were expected to announce their plan to reduce their carbon footprint as well.  In November, Obama pledged to lower the U.S. carbon emissions by 28 percent in the next ten years.  Conservative lawmakers and groups are not too fond of the President's actions to deal with climate change.  They say that his plan will endanger grid reliability and raise utility prices.

       

Analysis:

Despite the Republicans opposition to environmental regulation, the President signed the executive order that cuts the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions.  The President effectively used the Environmental Protection Agency and other groups to avoid the Republican opposition in Congress and take actions against global warming.  Signing an executive order is one of the implied powers of being president.  Obama has used that power to act on his promise to make this issue a main focus of his second term.  I love the environment and care about protecting it, so I agree with Obama's measures to try and reduce the United States's carbon emissions.  I agree with protecting the environment as long as it doesn't raise utility prices like the Republicans threaten it will.

Article:
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/03/19/obama-cuts-federal-governments-carbon-emissions-to-address-global-warming