There is much to be desired with regard to the US response to global warming. In many cases, it seems as if the US has arrived on the scene too late. However, the US is making efforts to take the appropriate and needed steps to combat the negative effects of global warming. In fact, this week one of the US’s largest states, California will announce its plans for an aggressive approach to combat global warming.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this plan should impact the state’s residents, industries and government agency, though the impacts will take about a decade to fully develop. This plan, comes only 18 months after Governor Schwarzenegger passed legislation which will curb one-third of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. The plan is meant to encourage residents to buy and use energy efficient appliances, such as energy efficient light bulbs and gas efficient hybrids. It will also, press industries to lessen pollution, even at the price of paying fees for the amount of pollutants they release.

The state of California, has indicated its desire to place the nation’s strictest requirements on greenhouse emissions coming from cars, trucks, SUVs and the like. This desire has sparked some controversy between California and the Bush administration, resulting from the Environmental Protection Agency’s refusal to allow California to impose these regulations. California is also interested in charging a fee on industries, businesses, plants and refineries, in order to lessen the amount of carbon they release.

These desires have been received warmly by envrionmental groups, while industry groups see these changes in a negative light preferring market-based systems, which would encourage businesses to lessen greenhouse gas emissions but also allow them to purchase carbon emissions from other industries with lower emissions.

In any case, these forms of legislation, are very encouraging for environmental groups and individuals interested in improving our environment. By simply buying energy efficient products, such as light bulbs and other lighting fixtures, one is helping improve our energy dependency and in turn protecting our environment.