Emission possible (greenhouse gas reductions, Sweden)

[jpak]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/emission-possible/2007/06/17/1182018934799.html?page=1

IN THE cool forest region of southern Sweden, the city of Vaxjo has turned off the heating oil, even on the darkest, snowbound days of winter.

Coal, too, is gone and next on the fossil fuel hit list is petrol. In the underground car park of the local government offices, there are no private vehicles, just a communal green-car fleet. Staff who cycle or take the local biogas buses to work book ahead to drive - fuelling up on biogas or E85, a blend of 85 per cent renewable ethanol.

Petrol is still readily available to the public, but carbon emissions in Sweden are heavily taxed. Drivers pays about 80 cents a litre extra at the bowser.

Vaxjo is chasing a future free of fossil fuels, and it's almost halfway there without having sacrificed lifestyle, comfort or economic growth.

<much more>

[Nihil]

1. Excellent article - thanks for posting.

Interesting that the cultural aspect was noted:

> Culturally, there's probably an undercurrent of "lagom" in play.
> The word dates back to the communal beer bowls of Viking times.
> To drink too greedily was frowned on. The small personal sacrifices
> involved in living in a carbon-constrained economy echo the
> moderation that ensured everyone got a fair share of the beer.

In Britain, the cultural equivalent used to be that everyone would
stand politely in a queue to each take a turn then move politely
out of the way again whereas now it would be the first people there
would drain the bowl and start a fight ... <sigh>

I think that the areas (countries, states, villages) with the greatest
amount of community spirit are the ones with the best chance of
survival in the future. Bodes well for Sweden at least.