New Urbanist Blacksburg 

About the Green New Deal

The Green New Deal is an ambitious plan introduced by Senator Ed Markey and Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez to the House of Representatives in 2019 meant to address the growing threat of climate change. Trillions of dollars would be allocated through several pieces of legislation to transition the country to renewable power on a newly augmented ‘smart grid’. Every building in the United States would be renovated to be energy efficient. Billions would be invested into removing carbon from the transportation sector with investments in high-speed rail and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure. Ecosystems and environmental systems that have been damaged would be restored as the country began a replanting effort. Industrial meat production would be reduced and altered to decrease its carbon footprint. Also packaged into the Green New Deal are indigenous rights, universal healthcare, and a federal jobs guarantee (Wolf, 2020). 

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It is no overstatement to say that the Green New Deal would impact almost every facet of our lives in a meaningful way. However, it is likely that such a herculean effort will be required to address climate change, which is already damaging the planet and is expected to wreak havoc across the world if significant changes are not made to the global economy by 2030, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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The Green New Deal, however, is not just an opportunity to take on climate change with the intensity of the growing danger it represents. It also provides a chance to remake our towns and cities in a better, greener image. With the federal government pumping trillions of dollars into these projects, a significant amount of money is expected to fall into the hands of local governments like the Town of Blacksburg. This funding will be meant for the town to cut its carbon emissions to the extent that it can under its purview. But in the process, these projects can also make Blacksburg a healthier, more vibrant place to live.

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What follows is a sample of a dozen such projects that, while using Green New Deal funding to wipe away our poisoning carbon emissions, would also substantially improve the quality of life for local residents. 
 

You can read HR 109, which introduced the Green New Deal, by clicking here