Yesterday, California announced the blueprint it will use to roll back greenhouse gas emission levels to 1990 levels by 2020.  Remember, in 1990, MC Hammer released “U Can’t Touch This,” Home Alone was the top-grossing film of the year, and there was still a USSR.   So, yeah.   Kind of a while ago.

Anyhow, the state had announced this goal two years ago in a piece of climate change legislation, and now we’re starting to see how this all might happen.    From the story on Marketplace, the business show on NPR,

A cap-and-trade system with other Western states would let businesses buy and sell the right to pollute. The plan would also create tougher efficiency standards for cars, fuels, appliances and buildings. High speed rail would provide an alternative to flying and utilities would have to generate a third of their electricity from renewable sources.

The hope, says the story, is that as emission standards are raised, the required innovation will be funded through venture capital, and thus new technology can be created to meet the emerging standards.   Seems pretty simple, no?

Of course, it’s not guaranteed to be a cakewalk to turn the world’s tenth largest economy into one of the most environmentally friendly areas on the planet.   But California certainly has set an admirable goal, and if allowed to set better car emissions standards, may have a good shot at reaching said goal.

takepart and learn about a few of the other ways California is trying to cut down on emissions levels at a personal level.