In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Assembly Bill 32, which is legislation that aims to bring down California’s greenhouse gas emissions to the 1990’s levels by year 2020.

But due to a comprehensive campaign, largely funded by – lo and behold – two Texas oil companies, Valero and Tesoro, Californians will have to yea or nay Proposition 23 which would suspend the bill until the state’s unemployment rate stays under 5.5 percent for four consecutive quarters, something that has only occurred three times in the last 35 years.

With four out of their total of 18 refineries in the U.S. located in California, the bill has a direct impact on both companies. The prop would take their emissions cap off. Presented as a promise of the wellbeing of all Californians, Proposition 23 is good for only one thing: to keep the black gold flowing through California’s veins.

In order to fight the bill, a website devoted to displaying the downsides of the current legislation was created with support from several oil refineries and transport associations.

For example, if Prop 23 is not instated, it will “cost California up to 1.1 million jobs.” That’s a horrifying number, but what’s it based on? Their website doesn’t say.

On the other hand, California is known for being a frontier in the fight against global warming. According to an article in The Los Angeles Times on Oct. 4, California collected $3.3 billion in “venture capital” for clean technology in 2008 alone. The state’s clean energy sector is one of the few industries that have prospered through the bleeding economy, and studies have shown that it’s growing more than four times faster than the state average.

“Other states and countries are postponing costly global warming regulations. Suspending AB 32 is common sense…,” the opposing website claims in a way middle school teachers would weep over. No arguments, no factual evidence, no nothing!

They state that California is only responsible for 1.4 percent of the world’s green house gas emissions, “so our efforts to address climate change cannot be successful alone”. Two things are lacking. For one, there will soon be 6.8 billion people in the world. Only 37 million of them live in California, which makes it out to be 0.0053 percent of the world’s population. In other words, that 1.4 percent suddenly seems slightly less innocent.

Secondly, California should continue to take pride in being a pioneer in largely indifferent surroundings, to maintain the comprehensive and important work towards a greener planet, instead of pointing fingers at those who aren’t.

This state has taken imperative measures towards a sustainable future. The foundation is built, and the green industry is the only one that has a real future. So even if the Texas giants temporarily could generate jobs, how long would it be until we run out of demand? Or oil? Or fresh air?

But I feel confident California won’t buy into their greedy propaganda. We won’t stick another black needle in our arm.