Fridays with Scott: The Green New Deal

Welcome to “Fridays with Scott” segment of the Climate Change program. So what is this Green New Deal that we’re hearing about? Well first it’s not new. The term Green New Deal first appeared in 2007 when Thomas Friedman, a columnist for the New York Times wrote: “If you have put a windmill in your yard or some solar panels on your roof, bless your heart. But we will only green the world when we change the very nature of the electricity grid -- moving it away from dirty coal or oil to clean, renewables. And that is a huge industrial project -- much bigger than anyone has told you. Finally, like the New Deal, if we undertake the green version, it has the potential to create a whole new clean power industry to spur our economy into the 21st century.” Friedman’s article was then taken up by the Green New Deal Group who wrote their report in 2008 and eventually the United Nations Environment Programme, Green Party and now certain Democrats such congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey are bringing it to mainstream. If we look at the latest report from the organization Data for Progress, authors Greg Carlock and Emily Mangan, here is their blueprint: Transform to a Low-Carbon Economy 100% clean and renewable electricity by 2035 Zero net emissions from energy by 2050 100% net-zero building energy standards by 2030 100% zero emission passenger vehicles by 2030 100% fossil-free transportation by 2050   Stay tuned next Friday as I go deeper into the how. And to learn more, visit