Remember $2 billion when talk turns to cost in reducing greenhouse gases in California.

That's how much we reportedly will save in health costs by the year 2020.

Saving the planet is one thing, but we're talking about saving more than 300 people statewide from premature death. We're talking about avoiding more than 9,000 asthma attacks and other lung problems.

The news media aren't reporting much about the health improvements in the plan to reduce greenhouse gases by 30%. It is the proposed blueprint for enforcing Assembly Bill 32 in the next few years.

It will likely cost industry, government and the regular taxpaying folks considerably more than $2 billion. That part of the equation gets a lot of attention in public workshops, like one that was held Monday in Fresno.

But you should know that the plan would take 10 tons per day of soot from the air and 50 tons of nitrogen oxides, or NOx. Those reductions are quite small -- the state daily puts out 3,500 tons of NOx and 680 tons of fine particulates.

Still, it could save hundreds of lives and help thousands of people breathe easier.