Lofty Matters

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Greetings!

I certainly have no shortage of information I want or feel compelled to share with you about less than positive things that are occurring in our world lately. However…as I was beginning to compile this week’s GOOD NEWS, I realized that this is probably my favorite post to write on this blog each week.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

On Wednesday, Oct. 1, LA officials launched the Clean Truck Program. This is considered one of the most ambitious air-pollution cleanup initiatives in the nation. Effective immediately, they are banning more than 10 percent of port trucks (approximately 2,000 dirty-diesel trucks) from the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

The CTP immediately banned trucks built before 1989. This was the first year of diesel pollution control. By 2012 they will ban any truck that doesn’t meet the cleanest 2007 emissions standards.

At the outset, 598 companies had signed up to participate in the program. This means they are agreeing to abide by the environmental, operational and security requirements of the provision. The CTP had set an initial goal of at least 10,000 trucks.

Some aggressive greener shifts could create more than four million new ”green” industry jobs over the next thirty years.

A recent study released makes a presumption that by 2038 approximately 40 percent of the US’s electricity will be generated by alternative energy sources…such as wind and solar energy.

Only 3 percent of US electricity comes from renewables sources now.

The study also anticipates that by 2038 approximately 30 percent of car and truck fueling requirements will be met by alternative fuels.

This could be the fastest growing segment of our economy over the next several decades. However, such job growth won’t happen unless there is an aggressive shift away from the traditional fossil fuels and a big improvement in energy efficiency.

The report predicts that the biggest job improvement will be from increased use of alternative transportation fuels. This will create 1.5 million additional jobs. Next will be the renewable power generating sector. This will create 1.2 million jobs. Industries connected to making homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient will create another 81,000 jobs according to the study.

After 18 years of trying, the Yankee’s Mike Mussina recorded the first 20-win season of his career Sunday in the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park.

This also may have been the final game of his career as Mussina has hinted that he may just want to go home to his family in Pennsylvania.

“As of right now, it’s my last game in my last year, so I don’t know what the future holds,” Mussina said. “It could be my last year or it may not be my last year, but when you get to your 18th season, it could always be your last year.”

Mussina will turn 40 on December 8. This makes him the oldest pitcher ever to win 20 games for the first time.