I read a lot of editorials from around the nation each week. One of my favorite places to find them is at www.realclearpolitics.com. It provides headlines from across the nation to which you can link. This morning, one caught my attention from the Los Angeles Times.
Headline: Climate Bill is Flawed but Senate Should Approve it. Huh?
According to the editorial, we are destined for “mass migration, warfare, famine, disease, infrastructure loss and economic catastrophe” However, “unmitigated climate change can still be avoided if the U.S. and other industrialized nations act now by putting a price on carbon.” So that’s all it takes? Put a price on carbon. And, here I thought it had to do with all this other stuff like science and conservation and developing and utilizing our energy resources in new ways. Nope. Just takes a tax.
Here’s another part I really like. After describing how the carbon trading market would be “Carefully Regulated.” It goes on to say, “ in order to drum up support in the Senate, it has been loaded up with counterproductive handouts to utilities, polluting industries and individual senators that would limit its effectiveness and probably lead to a host of unforeseen negative consequences.”
Really? I have a proposal for the L.A. Times. Let’s forget the playtime conservation effort recently to “Turn the lights off for an hour.” If we are going to do it, let’s get after it. Let’s have a Carbon Free Day. I propose July 4 to celebrate our independece from carbon. On that day, we will shut down all the powerplants. No driving as that burns carbon. No cooking or grilling unless it’s over a campfire. You can’t eat anything you haven’t killed and skinned yourself because we all know that livestock leads to GHG’s (Green House Gasses). No Air Conditioning. No computers. No mowing the lawn. The phones are out; lights are off. No big screen or radio. No boating…unless it is oar powered and park the carbon-producing R.V. Let’s see what it’s really like to reduce those pesky emissions.
There is more to say but length dictates I quit with two points. First, putting a tax on it does not solve the problem. Especially when that tax hits every state but yours. To be fair, California should then accept a milegage tax for their residents. Last time I checked, car emissions were a major contributor to GHG. Second, while no legislation will ever be perfect, we must get past this idea that ”Something” is better than “Nothing.” Sometimes, nothing is better.
If you want to read the entire editorial, here is the link: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-climate-20100517,0,4087442.story
