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Bottom Line Connecticut generally is advancing toward its goals of healthful air, sewage-free rivers, a bountiful Long Island Sound and a protected green landscape. Some of the goal lines, however, are receding into a distant future and will never be reached without substantially greater capital investment and operational support of the DEP.
A Note on Environmental Consequences of a Warming Connecticut Temperatures Rise, Air Conditioners Hum, Connecticut Gasps The average temperature in Connecticut during 2007 was cooler than 2006 but was above average and extended a long-term warming trend. The warming climate makes Connecticut’s task considerably more difficult: summer air, oxygen in the Sound, and lobster populations are all worse when the temperature rises. Again the Council notes the effect of inefficient air conditioners on Connecticut’s environment. According to the Connecticut Siting Council, residents appear to be conserving electricity throughout most of the year as its price continues to rise. On hot summer days, however, conservation seems to go out the window (literally, with millions of leaky windows in the state). To meet the demand for electricity for air conditioning, some of the state’s most polluting power plants start up, worsening the air when it is already violating standards that were set to protect residents’ health. According to the most recent data available (from 2006), nearly half of the air conditioners being sold in Connecticut are not ENERGY STAR labeled, which means they needlessly consume extra electricity and cause added air pollution. ______________ |
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