Falling Behind

Ok, reality check time. The Boston Globe reported today that

"New England is not on track to meet its targets for global warming pollution reductions -- a commitment made back in 2001, according to a report issued by a coalition of environmental groups. ...If current warming trends continue, the region's average year-round temperatures will rise between 6 and 10 degrees over the next 100 years making Boston's climate feel more like Richmond, Virginia's or Atlanta's, said Barry Rock, a climate scientist with the University of New Hampshire.
"Nothing against Richmond or Atlanta, but they don't have sugar maple trees," Rock said. In addition to killing off trees the maple sugar industry depends on, rising temperature would also threaten the region's outdoor winter sports, fall foliage colors and timber industry, Rock said."

The Report, called "Falling Behind: New England Must Act Now to Reduce Global Warming Pollution" states that :

"Massachusetts emissions increased by 2 percent between 2001 and 2005, with the transportation and electricity sectors driving
the increase. Electricity consumption grew faster in Massachusetts than in any other state at 9 percent over the period."

Further, "Maine and Massachusetts saw the biggest increases in emissions from gasoline
consumption between 2001 and 2005."

I guess my household was not the only one who changed from oil to gas:
"In Massachusetts, rising oil prices led many homeowners to conserve heating oil, or
even convert to heating systems fueled by natural gas, leading to a large fall in heating
oil emissions in the state, and only a small increase regionwide."

In MA, we're "responsible for 44 percent of all New England emissions." There's a frightening thought.