At the opening ceremonies for U.N. World Environment Day, Greenpeace unveiled our banner as mayors from around the world attended the conference.
The banner was unfurled as Mayors from around the world attended
the conference focused on greening the world's cities and
confronting global warming.
Greenpeace is calling on the cities of the world to find true
energy independence and implement real solutions to global warming
such as solar and wind power. Just yesterday, California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a plan at the conference to cut
statewide emissions of greenhouse gases.
"Despite the inaction of the Bush administration, cities around
the world including the United States, are joining together to take
action against the very real threat of global warming." Said
Samantha Rodgers, Greenpeace Clean Energy Now! campaigner. "Urban
centers are where most of the world's power is consumed. Plans such
as Community Choice energy allow cities to lead the way in cutting
greenhouse gases by implementing real solutions."
Presiding over the ceremonies was San Francisco mayor Gavin
Newsom. San Francisco is the first city in California to pass
Community Choice energy legislation. The policy empowers the
citizens of a city to decide for themselves whether their energy is
sourced from dirty fossil fuels or clean renewable sources and who
provides it. Currently, electricity generation is the largest
source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. While San
Francisco has passed the legislation, the policy has yet to be
enacted.
The "Rolling Sunlight," Greenpeace's mobile solar power station,
demonstrated that the technology for clean energy is readily
available, powering a display at the event.
Four states - Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island
- have passed and successfully implemented Community Choice energy
laws. Local control of energy purchasing decisions has saved
ratepayers money while reducing global warming emissions and
cutting air pollution. Currently more than 1.5 million Americans
across the country receive their energy from Community Choice
plans.
An annual event put on by the United Nations, World Environment
Day 2005 is the first to be hosted inside the United States. Mayors
from many of the world's largest cities are slated to attend. The
conference runs from June 1-5 in San Francisco.
The banner was floated above the Civic Center Plaza with the
help of several large helium balloons.
Photos Available at: http://usaphoto.greenpeace.org/sanfran
Other contacts: Contact: Clark Stevens, Greenpeace Media Officer in D.C., (202) 319-2429; Samantha Rodgers, Greenpeace Clean Energy Now! campaigner at the conference, cell (415) 867-0119
Exp. contact date: 2005-07-02 00:00:00