A coalition of environmental groups including Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, the Pew Environment Group and Audubon Ohio are extolling the virtues of market-based carbon legislation:

The Senate today started a historic debate on a first-ever legislation to implement a U.S. global warming policy.

This landmark piece of legislation will set up a "cap and trade" system to reduce global warming. Cap and trade places limits on the maximum level of greenhouse gas emissions, then creates a market for trading pollution between older, dirtier and newer, cleaner facilities. The net result is reduced pollution and a strong price incentive to use clean technology. This method has been road-tested and proven successful in reducing acid rain pollution. Ohio is ready to supply the country with the low carbon energy products of tomorrow and has created thousands of jobs manufacturing energy products like wind and solar.

The map below shows the companies in Ohio that are directly producing or are part of the supply chain for renewable energy manufacturing.

The environmental groups are encouraging supporters to call Senator Sherrod Brown (216) 522-7272; (202) 224-2315 and Senator George Voinovich (202) 224-3353 to support a strong global warming policy.