Bloomberg Drops an Effort to Cut Building Energy Use

Mayor Bloomberg has initiated a string of legislation that will thrust New York City to the forefront of the environmental stage. The bills he proposes will affect the commercial buildings that comprise such a large proportion of the city. In addition to improving environmental standards on some of the city’s largest carbon emitters, it would also pledges to establish thousands of new jobs for the subsequent work that will have to be done for buildings to be on par with the new environmental standards. However, skeptics of this legislation believe that with the poor nature of the economy, the number of jobs promised would not be nearly as high as predicted. Also, there is much controversy over whether the financing of such a large undertaking. Many do not feel that building operators would be receptive to the impending costs associated with such necessary changes.
I believe this series of bills is an innovative and much needed step for a city renowned for its carbon emissions. New York’s forward motion on this green matter, coupled with the city’s prominence on the national and global level, would hopefully spur others to create their own changes to progress down a long overdue turn towards green living and commercial space. I am concerned with the means of financing such an undertaking in our current economic downturn. I am also worried that building owners would not concede to the needed changes since this legislation relies heavily on their cooperation. I propose that they implement these alterations in gradual shifts which would make it easier to come up with the allotted funds. I think that ensuring that the owners of the building understood the significance of these modifications would make them more open about their occurrence. The fact that these bills relay information on energy consumption to the residents of the affected buildings will proliferate the spread of more eco-friendly energy use. Educating the public is an intelligent means for spreading the popularity of this concept. I commend this legislation on its revolutionary tactics for improving energy use and carbon emission, but am still left with the question from where will the funding will be attained? I am a full proponent of its intentions, but am concerned that with the economy’s current state, it will not be feasible. I advise that New York should take a better assessment of its budget and the pockets of its citizens before enacting such a burdensome legislative measure.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/science/earth/05bloomberg.html?ref=earth
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