New York City To Reduce Greenhouse Gas By Thirty Percent

The City Counsel of New York City has passed legislation that will reduce greenhouse gases by thirty percent by 2030. According to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NYC will focus on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the hundreds of thousands of buildings in the city and it's boroughs.

This legislation, the most sweeping of its kind, is aimed at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions produced by buildings using fuel oil, natural gas, electricity and steam for power. A 2007 report by the Mayor's office showed that almost eighty percent of the city's greenhouse gases were emitted by buildings using these conventional power sources.

The new legislation puts New York City out in front in the green energy effort and a model for the rest of the country to follow.

"It's one of the most comprehensive, aggressive efforts anywhere in the country," said Donna De Costanzo, a senior attorney specializing in energy policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Part of the measure calls for the city to create a New York City energy code that existing buildings will have to meet whenever they make renovations.

A third bill requires buildings larger than 50,000 square feet to upgrade their lighting systems to comply with the new energy code by 2025.

The passing of this legislation is a great step toward the use of viable alternative energy and green living.