Some local environmental news from here in California: Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill that puts a cap on all greenhouse gas emissions. This is significant because California is the first state to voluntary impose this kind of cap. The goal of the bill is to reduce greenhouse gases by roughly 25 percent by 2020. The bill requires utility plants, refineries and other industries that emit greenhouse gases to reduce their emissions, so obviously certain business leaders in the state weren’t too happy about this bill.

This bill follows similar steps in recent years by California to reduce emissions. In 2004, the state enacted a law to reduce tailpipe emissions, and last year Schwarzenegger issued an executive order calling for the state to reduce greenhouse emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The man known as Conan the Barbarian/the Destroyer also recently signed a deal with Tony Blair to allow California and Britain to work together on alternative energy technologies. Schwarzenegger’s actions have gone against some of his fellow Republicans, who would prefer to rely on national environmental laws.

Now, if they could just get working on getting people to recycle their ink cartridges….

Schwarzenegger reaches landmark deal on greenhouse gas emissions [San Francisco Chronicle]