By Tribune-Review

Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 8:51 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

If not carbon tax, what?

The editorial “Carbon caper: Bogus policy” (Nov. 18 and TribLIVE.com) erred by not offering an alternative method to reduce emissions, ignoring the fact that climate change must be slowed.

The editorial claimed a carbon tax will increase prices without reducing fuel usage. Actually, if fossil-fuel prices increase, everyone will cut consumption except the “1 percent” who are so wealthy they will continue to heat their jumbo homes, fly their jets and fuel their gas guzzlers.

Perhaps the Trib prefers a fairer alternative? Rationing would be fairer to the “99 percent” because everyone would get rationing coupons for a normal, nonwasteful lifestyle. Prices wouldn't increase because demand for fossil fuel would drop as the “1 percent” start to live a nonwasteful life. Does the Trib support rationing?

Nationalizing American coal fields could also reduce emissions, as the government would end coal excavation and terminate coal exports. Does the Trib support nationalization?

Taking no serious action to stop climate change, of course, is not an option. I prefer a carbon tax that is remitted to the public in dividends because it gives everyone the freedom to decide individually how to reduce emissions and stops the current system by which thoughtless, wasteful greenhouse-gas polluters pollute our environment for free.

Judy Weiss

Brookline, Mass.

The writer is a member of Citizens Climate Lobby (citizensclimatelobby.org).

There are currently no comments for this story.

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