14 DAY TRIAL // The state of Florida took another step forward in the struggle against global warming, as Republican Governor Charlie Crist announced that he had passed legislation forcing the auto industry to produce less-polluting cars. By 2020, the levels of tailpipe exhausts will have to decrease by 23 percent, and they will have to be 30 percent lower than they are now by 2016.
Auto lobbyists naturally argued against the new measure, aimed squarely at protecting the environment, by saying that car prices would increase by about $4,000 per car. State officials dismissed these arguments as without grounds and said that an average car would cost about $100 to $400 more than it does now. But these costs would be offset within a matter of months, as variations in gas prices would be far more costly to those still driving gas-guzzling SUVs, than for those who invested in more fuel-saving automobiles.
"The new rule sets Florida on the right path toward significantly reducing our greenhouse-gas emissions and protecting the natural beauty that is so important to the Sunshine State's economy," Governor Crist says in a statement, after the announcement of the legislation. However, it will still be a few more months before it enters effect, as Florida's state legislature only convenes in March.
"I am confident that future generations will applaud this step as well as the many others that our state and people are taking to become more energy efficient, use more renewable energy and provide business opportunities for the growing green technology industry," he adds.
Florida thus joins other 12 states that have adopted similar measures, in front of the growing threat that global warming poses. The Sunshine State is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, as its coast lines are very low-lying, and it's surrounded by water on three sides.