So, someone's had the idea of taxing the externality of carbon emissions. I think it's a great idea, particularly because it fits with the rest of our federal environmental laws, which are all based on the "polluter pays" principle. After all, if you, urban SUV driver, are sucking down gasoline like a frat boy sucks down booze, why shouldn't you pay for amounts to the privilege of pollution? And I think that's a good phrase to use: the privilege of pollution. There are a lot of folks out there who don't give much thought about what impact their actions have on the environment, nor do they give much thought that they are driving the price of energy up for the rest of us with their over-consumption. Make 'em pay I say.
With that said, can we finally bury the idea of ethanol? It's too energy intensive, and it's just a bad idea.
And if this stuff is right up your alley, I recommend you get in touch with these folks.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
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4 comments:
I only wonder whether we have the muscle or even "Will" to enforce something like this should we go this direction.
I'd like to think we do, but seeing how well we police the safety of incoming products from overseas (and the heads of said institutions are wined and dined by the worst offenders), and how corruptable anyone in Washington seems to be, I worry about the effectiveness.
That being said, its a great idea, just wonder how to make it work (Kinda like socialized medicine!).
Ethanol solves perhaps the whole fossil fuel's running out issue, but I think people really ignore the fact that it is not really all that much cleaner burning then the fuels we use currently... Thus no discernible improvement in carbon emissions...
It's an interesting idea, but what about the family that has four kids and needs the SUV for the size alone? Not too many car companies make Vans anymore, at least not with the features that come in the new SUVs.
Now a big tax when you purchase a vehicle that gets lower then say 24 miles a gallon, I could support that.
The congress just has to keep leaning on Auto manufacturers in the states to increase efficiency ratings for their cars.
The proposals to fix the emissions as well as mileage keep getting defeated before they come to a vote mostly because of strong lobbying efforts (doesn't help that Michigan is an important swing-state I might add).
Fix that, and thats a huge step in the right direction...
Thats one way to bankrupt New Jersey, but hey, at least it wont smell like burning tires.
Its hard to gauge how much polution a family with an SUV emmits. This cannot work, its to subjective.
I agree with Dews, you need to tax the source. The Car company offers the options that consume the gas, force them to either not sell them or produce cars that are enviornmentaly friendly.
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