What are we going to do about these findings, that "The Washington area is in the middle of a carbon dioxide binge," with "[emissions having] jumped the most in suburban Virginia, where the estimate shows an increase of more than 18 percent?" What's going on here? It's very simple, and we've all known this for years (or should have):*Suburban/Exurban Sprawl: "People have moved farther and farther out and drive more and more miles."
*A fossil-fuel-heavy, carbon-intensive energy mix (translation - coal): "In Virginia, the Dominion power company has proposed a new plant to keep up with growing demand for electricity. The facility, planned in Wise County in the southwestern part of the state, would have pollution-reducing features...But it would still burn mainly coal."
*Lack of rapid movement on the "green building" front, such as we see at Sidwell Friends where their new school building receives a "green star" for using "93 percent less water" and 60 percent less energy than a typical building. Oh, by the way, estimates are that "the initial costs of green building [are] about 2 percent higher than ordinary construction, long-term benefits were '20 times as large' as the extra cost of going green."
*Gross energy ineffiency in our transportation sector. On top of a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies, it's high time for a "gas guzzler" tax on giant, fuel-sucking monstrosities at at time of war. It's time for steep subsidies to encourage everyone to purchase the most fuel efficient vehicle available. And it's time to build high-speed rail and other state-of-the-art mass transit, and to stop wasting our money on new highwasy to sprawlsville.
Unfortunately, here in Virginia, we continue the 20th-century model which assumed that energy costs were inconsequential, and that the environmental impacts of our housing and transportation decisions were not even to be factored into the equatlon. That's changing now, but not fast enough to save the planet from catastrophe. For that, we need drmaatic action. And for that, we need new leaders in Richmond...and in the White House. Our first shot is this November, and we had better not miss it.
Second, why not return to the Clinton Administration's idea of a BTU tax? Supply is not so much the issue as demand is.
Oh I see some peoples thinking is that if there is not so much a demand then supply is not a problem.
Duh. Every year the population on earth grows and barring some enormous catastrophy it will continue to grow. Demand is here to stay and will be around much longer then supply unless we find some other way to move our bodies from one place to another other then oil based products.
There is only one hope and that is a Democratic President, with a Senate and House controled by Democrats. Especially those not owning to Corporate interests. Yes they are hard to find, but the list is getting longer.
Democrats controlling every branch of government is not going to increase the supply of oil. If anything, they will constrain supply by preventing drilling in certain areas. Equally, neither Democrats nor Republicans have any authority over OPEC, who has the greatest ability to affect supply.
Meanwhile, Fairfax, Alexandria, all the other counties and state government remain FAR behind. If we don't reverse course immediately, we might have to change Virginia's motto to "State of Denial"!
The average home uses 10K/Kwh / year. I propose a tax for every KwH over that amount. The car tax should be eliminated and replaced with a mileage tax. We read your odometer at the annual safety inspection and charge you for every mile you drove last year. You might say that the mpg, should factor in, but keep in mind that a lot of the carbon your car generates came during its manufacture. The more you drive the faster it wears out; say its $0.20 per mile over 10k/miles per year. A typical 12K/year driver would pay $400. An extreme commuter with a 100 mile per day commute would pay enough that they'd move closer. Also keep in mind that driving less, is the fastest way to reduce fuel consumption. Next tax coal plants for each ton of coal they consume. Then tax natural gas by the BTU. Use the revenues to adjust the AMT up, and cut some taxes elsewhere.
The mile tax would also help solve the maintanence portion of the transportation crisis
Where some of us disagree is the choice factor. However, I don't see a problem with charging people more for being wasteful. Just like I don't see a problem with people being charged diferent rates for health insturance based on choices they make to live a healthy lifestyle or not. Also give people more choice with their retirement.
Choice Choice Choice
Libertarian Libertarain Libertarian
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