Megerian, C. (n.d.). Sides square off over climate change proposals by California Democrats. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pol-legislature-climate-change-20150211-story.html

Economic vs. environmental interests have long been a hot button issue in the political mind of California. Recently, the debate has come to a head when California senate democrats proposed a new bill raising strict climate change and greenhouse gas emission regulations. Business owners, especially in industrial and energy areas, spoke out against the bill saying that it would kill economic growth in their areas of business and be a terrible result for the California economy. On the other side, proponents of the bill say that this time the economic concerns are not actually concerns. Some unions and tech companies say that the regulation will catalyze the growth of new green industry and create new jobs.

I think that environmental and economic interests as traditionally defined contradict each other in the setting of state legislation. Anything legislators do to regulate emissions and cut back on fossil fuel use will be detrimental to the growth of businesses that rely on such resources. However, I do believe that a healthy balance can be struck in which we make progress on our environmental concerns while at the same time maintaining economic strength.