A CALL TO ACTION

Welcome to our EARTH SAVERS webpage. AADC is committed to supporting environmental awareness. Each month author Jody Brady gives us information and tips on how to be more friendly to the environment. Your comments and tips are welcome. Scroll down if you would like to comment. Comments are curated and may not appear immediately.

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

Two new California laws will go into effect in 2026 and 2027 which will require big companies, those with annual revenues of $ one billion or more, to report – not only their emissions, but also the emissions of the suppliers needed to create and use their products.

This could have global ramifications and a profound impact on our world’s environment. These corporations will be required to report their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Surprisingly, the California Chamber of Commerce opposed the regulation, but more than a dozen major corporations endorsed the rule, including Microsoft, Apple, Salesforce and Patagonia. Gov. Newsom signed the bills into law on Oct. 7, 2023.

To ascertain a company’s full carbon footprint, it is necessary to examine three types of emissions: (1) those generated by the company’s internal operations. (2) those generated by the electricity, steam, and heat and cooling systems the company requires (3) emissions from their supply chain.

This is a huge step from current federal and state regulations. It means oil and gas companies like Chevron and Exxon will have to account for emissions from vehicles that use their gasoline. Apple will need to account for materials that go into their iPhones and more.

Be proud of California. It is the fifth-largest economy in the world. What happens here makes a difference. If you start to feel skeptical, think back. For those of us old enough to remember “the good ole days,” can you recall when driving in Los Angeles that you couldn’t see the hills because of the black smog? It’s slow, but we are making progress!

For a pick-me-up listen to I Can See Clearly Now, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBJzxGt0UL0

For this and more in-depth articles, check out https://theconversation.com/us/business