I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Blaming competing demands like college midterms and the Balloon Fiesta, UNM organizers acknowledged a smaller-than-expected turnout for Sunday’s 10/10/10 “Take the Next Step” climate policy summit.
Despite live reggae and jazz music, and vendors offering pastries and locally-grown organic farm produce, fewer than 100 visitors were on hand for talks by state Sen. Tim Keller and Public Regulation Commission (PRC) Commissioner Jason Marks.
Of 30 state and local policymakers invited to speak, only two elected officials — Keller and Marks — participated, UNM biology professor Bruce Milne told The Independent.
“I would have thought more of them would come share their ideas with the public,” Milne said. “So I’m disappointed in that. But the ones we had were awesome — factually based.”
The gathering was one of more than 7,000 climate and energy policy summits held around the world.
Keller and Marks promoted the potential economic benefits to New Mexico of a green jobs agenda.
“The economic impact of making New Mexico a carbon-neutral state would be profound,” Keller said. “If we acted to produce solar power here, there would be a $240 billion impact annually in our state. That would put us in the top 10 (state) economies in the U.S.”
“New Mexico receives enough solar energy that if we came close to developing it…we could produce more electricity than the entire U.S. uses just here in New Mexico,” Marks told an audience composed primarily of college students. “Nuclear and clean coal have financial and environmental problems. We have much stronger options (with solar) here in the Southwest.”
The U.S. electric sector is the single largest emitter of so-called greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide, Marks said.
“Three-quarters of those emissions are from coal plants,” Marks said. “It’s pretty simple. We cannot build anymore conventional coal plants.”
But conservative politicians have blocked renewable energy policies for short-term political gain, suggested Marks.
“It’s a combination of greed and selfishness,” Marks said. “Exxon-Mobile makes $45 billion in annual profits but we have people out there saying we can’t afford to go green.”
After the speeches, Milne led a campus tour showcasing UNM’s environmental sustainability initiatives.
“We have a carbon-neutral plan signed and ready to go,” Milne said.
Keller urged voters to elect candidates who support making New Mexico a carbon-neutral state.
