The task off reducing the emission of green house gases is a daunting one. Where do we start? Industry is the biggest producer of green house gases, so the first place to look would be there. Industry produces such a large amount of green house gases because they are still operated on the idea that the use of fossil fuels is the cheapest but this is not true. In an article titled, “Tracking Global Warming in Wisconsin Can Create Jobs, Save Consumers Money”, they found that, “Wisconsin can reduce 21 percent of the projected growth in emissions of gases contributing to global warming between 1990 and 2010, while creating 8,500 new jobs and $490 million in disposable income. These are the main findings of a 1998 report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the US Department of Energy.”(www.ucsusa.org/releases/11-30-98.html). Contrary to popular belief, this study showed that a move by industries to more energy-efficient technologies would ultimately save Wisconsin citizens and businesses $2.7 billion by 2010. This move would also create 3,316 more jobs. Another interesting fact found in this article deals with the amount of energy saved.

“The amount of electricity saved would be equivalent to the electricity consumed annually in Wisconsin by over one million households," said Clemmer. "Ironically, many of the businesses in Wisconsin opposing US actions to curb global warming are the same businesses that would benefit from lower energy bills and from manufacturing clean, efficient energy technologies.” An example of this is the Trane Company located right here in La Crosse. “The Trane Company has supported developments that resulted in a 25% increase in air conditioning equipment efficiency over the last decade which helped minimize the effects of global warming.” (www.trane.com/residential/library/earthissues.asp#protect).

 It was not mentioned as to whether or not the move to producing more efficient air conditioning equipment saved the company money, but most businesses do not look at gains in terms of environmental protection, but in terms of monetary gain. It is a safe bet that this move has and will continue to save the Trane Company money while also aiding in our battle to prevent Global Warming.

Global warming has the potential to be the most catastrophic natural disaster that this planet has ever experienced; yet it is a natural disaster that can be avoided. It is not a tornado or earthquake, but a human made disaster. There are steps that we can take to make sure that we do not destroy our ecosystem but these are steps that have to be taken on a global level or we will fall prey to the old cliché, “To little too late.”

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