In his second Inaugural Address, President Obama said: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.”
One idea for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, now suggested by both liberals and conservatives, is to place a tax on carbon at its sources (mines and wells). A revenue-neutral program with all the funds collected returned to tax payers through the IRS would off-set the expected increase in the price of fuel and goods.
Businesses and responsible individuals pay for hauling away their trash and it is about time that the fossil fuel industry assumes the responsibility for its' climate-damaging emissions. That is the American way, and the sanctity of our climate depends on it.
A scheduled, gradual increase in a carbon tax would allow for orderly business planning and would provide a level playing field for the development of sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar. Subsidies to energy industries should be eliminated.
It is time to let both our federal and state representatives know that we care deeply about the future and that they should be enacting a simple carbon tax and rebate program.