Inflation Reduction Act

With the recent Washburn fire in Yosemite and extreme flooding in Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, and Death Valley, park lovers are truly in need of some good climate news. Luckily for us, we recently received some great news for planet Earth: the House of Representatives just passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which is the largest investment the U.S has made in combating climate change. 

What is the Inflation Reduction Act? 

Among its many other goals, the Inflation Reduction Act aims for a 40% reduction of greenhouse gasses by 2030. 

How does it plan to reduce greenhouse gasses?

The Inflation Reduction Act will incentivize consumers to invest in greener alternatives (such as home appliances, electric vehicles, and renewable energy) via rebate programs and tax credits. It also allocates funding to cleaner energy production such as wind turbines and solar panels. 

On top of its goal to reduce greenhouse gasses, the Inflation Reduction Act will also allocate $500 million to the National Park Service over the next 10 years, allowing them to hire more staff, as well as $200 million to adapt the parks’ resources to the changing climate.

More ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

Although the Inflation Reduction Act won’t single-handedly solve climate change, it’s a huge victory and a step in the right direction. 

We all play a role in reducing carbon emissions, but reducing our carbon footprint doesn’t need to be a huge investment; it can be as simple as composting, washing laundry by hand, or opting for reusable shopping bags. For more ways to help reduce greenhouse gasses and your carbon footprint, check out this blog post.