Republicans have begun cutting Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s "Green the Capitol" program and they’re starting with the garbage.
House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) is moving to suspend the House composting program after a review showed the program was actually increasing the House’s overall energy consumption, the House Administration Committee announced Monday.
The House composting plan was part of Pelosi’s initiative to make the Capitol more environmentally friendly, and that included installing low-flow toilets in House office buildings, bringing organic foods into the House cafeterias and incorporating recyclable utensils and composting programs throughout the Capitol complex.
But the estimated $475,000 program has only produced nominal reductions in carbon emissions – a reduction equivalent to removing one car from the road each year, according to a congressional inspector general report.Additional energy was being used for the pulping process that breaks down the biodegradable materials, and that required additional electricity.
Hey, it may have been a complete failure on its own terms, but at least Pelosi's program made Democrats feel like they were making a difference. And that's what matters most. Outcomes are secondary to intentions.