Political Solutions
Manufacture cleaner cars
**Read ELPC’s new report - Breathing Free in Illinois: Reducing Air Pollution and Improving Health through Cleaner Cars. The report highlights the public health and environmental benefits of bringing Clean Cars legislation to Illinois. Download the report (pdf).
Imagine your car spewing out almost one-third less global warming pollution. Now imagine slicing your gasoline bill by almost a third, too.
Both dreams can become reality if your state joins 12 others-all along the East and West coasts-in adopting California’s vehicle emissions standards. 
The Clean Air Act permits individual states to adopt either the federal standards, or California’s, which are much more strict-particularly when it comes to carbon dioxide, the main global warming pollutant.
Here’s what adopting California’s standards would mean in Illinois, each and every year:
• Remove 10.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution from Illinois air
• Significantly reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and several carcinogenic air toxics
• Cut school and work days lost to respiratory health problems by tens of thousands
For every gallon of gas burned, 19.6 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution is released.
So the most direct way to reduce cars’ global warming pollution is to make them more fuel efficient.
California’s standards call for a 30% reduction in global warming pollution, which translates into a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency.
And there’s an economic benefit, too.
So when all of us save 30% on gas, we can spend those dollars in our own state on local goods and services, rather than fueling the economies of other regions, countries, and continents. The University of Illinois’ Regional Economics Applications Laboratory forecasts that extra spending will result in almost 39,000 net new jobs created in Illinois alone.
Talk about a win-win-win-win! Reduced global warming pollution, better air quality, improved public health, and an economic infusion
to boot. It’s time for states across the Midwest to adopt California’s standards.
Eleven other states have adopted California vehicle emission standards, and many others are actively considering similar proposals. The map at right, via the Clean Cars Campaign, display state-by-state status of clean car initiatives. Canada has developed a voluntary agreement with automakers.
Support the campaign for clean cars in Illinois -visit CleanCarsIllinois.org or click here to send a letter to your lawmaker.
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October 22nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
i drive a prius!!! Save the polar bears!!!
October 22nd, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I have two hybrid cars in my family a Honda Insight and a Prius. After driving a hybrid car for a month you cant go back. They are amazing and so cheap to drive.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Does anyone know that Co2 is good for the trees? Well, for you that don’t know Carbon dioxide is needed for plants to live and grow. So we are helping the trees by giving co2. Global Warming is a myth and if you want to create jobs and help the economy, STOP BUYING FOREIGN CARS!!!!!
November 6th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
You are right Frank, trees do need Co2, but you fail to lack the ignorance to know that trees do not need that much Co2. Besides stating that, there is record setting amounts of deforestation occuring all around the world and that means there are even less trees to “feed”; so even if you were right and science was wrong it probably would not matter. Frank, you sound like a lazy american by saying lets just use our money to fix the problem by buying higher matinance american cars that cost much more. It is just as easy for Ford or Chevy to make cars with 50 MPG as Toyota or Honda does. Better yet, why not have Chevy, Ford, or Chrysler acquire the technology to make hydro dependent cars? That would crete jobs (scientists hired, manufacture workers…), help our enviorment (no emissions), save americans money (no gas payments), and return money to many americans (through the stock market). I do not seek to prove how dumb you are, but rather try and help an issue that despretely needs to be addressed. PLEASE ELECT A PRESIDENT THAT WILL ACTUALLY ACT ON THIS DILEMMA!!!
sorry for that rant, but this is truly something that needs to be fixed -peace-
November 29th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Frank is a dumb American. “Trees need CO2.” Wow, you paid attention in elementary school biology, good for you.
Instead of denouncing something that is pretty obviously in existence, why don’t you do something to prevent it? Oh gosh, you might have to give up your gas-guzzling American car. Darn. At least foreign car companies had the foresight to know that cleaner emission cars were definitely needed. But, being Americans, we have to hold on to our gas hogs, complain about gas prices and do nothing about our problems, simply expecting someone else to fix them for us.
Don’t look for a solution, be one.
Peace out, love another, and grow up.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
You guys do realize that all these ideas are great, but I truly think that the American government is “too selfish” to let us have “clean cars”. Bush likes money and oil, therefor oil means money. Also, there’s plenty of jobs building clean wind power…..