Florida Government is going "GREEN"

Back in July 2007 Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed an agreement with Germany and the U.K. to work together on combating global warming.
The agreement is a very similar to the ones that the Governor of California signed with the Prime Minister of Britain. Gov. Schwarzenegger said he is not going to wait on the Federal Government to take action and Britain said it is not trying to go behind the backs of the White House but something needs to be done.
Crist signed executive orders that mandate sweeping changes in Florida's energy policy, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions from utilities, imposing strict mileage requirements on cars and revamping the building code to require greater energy efficiency.

Now in 2008 where do we stand on "GREEN"?

Melissa Meehan, a Florida-based organizer for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, stated that "He (Crist) has changed the whole dynamic of going green", "I believe that Gov. Crist truly is a leader on climate change."

Crist issued a series of executive orders designed to achieve a massive 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050, as well as "green" building codes and boosting investment in alternative energy technology. Crist called for utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind. He also called for adoption of California's tough vehicle-emissions standard, which mandates a 30 percent reduction by 2016.

As the State is rolling forward with the green initiatives the local levels of government are taking action also, take for example Pinellas County.

Pinellas County holds a unique position in that the county was the first government in the state to receive the designation of Green Local Government, and St. Petersburg was the first city designated in the state. Dunedin has since received the honor and other cities are applying. Other municipalities support sustainable practices through their efforts in recycling, public education and other conservation practices.

The Green Government designation is administered through the Green Building Coalition, the organization promoting the signing of the Mayor’s Green City Action Accord throughout the state. The accord supports green initiatives in the community, and is strongly supported by the Florida League of Cities.

This year, my priority is to assist Florida's cities in becoming "Green Local Governments" by adopting and implementing environmental stewardship practices that conserve energy and protect natural resources for future generations. It would be my desire that all 412 cities in Florida embrace this as a priority for their city. 2008 President Frank Ortis of the Flroida League Of Cities.

As you can see Florida is still working hard on becoming a role model in preserving this country and keeping our drinking water safe and keeping our air clean to breath.