To the Editor:
A letter in your April 29 edition titled, “What will our children say?” by Chuck Sher reflected on the increasing and unprecedented number of natural disasters being fostered by the hottest years on record caused by our changing climate. Scientists agree that the principle cause of this phenomenon is the cumulative effect of burning fossil fuels over the past 150 years, roughly the period of industrialization and dramatic population growth. We are now putting more than 7,000 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents into our atmosphere annually.
These emissions are trashing our atmosphere. There are laws on the books that have severely curtailed pollution caused by industrial waste disposal in our waterways and landfills. Why shouldn’t we raise the cost of polluting the atmosphere and thereby incentivize alternatives to fossil fuels? This would not only reduce carbon emissions but create millions of new jobs in solar, wind and energy storage.
The approach supported by scientists and economists is to apply a carbon tax to fossil fuels at their source. This fee would be uniformly raised every year until goals are met. All fees collected would be returned to households to offset their increased energy prices.
This policy and its mechanisms are described in a bipartisan bill now in Congress; the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 763. This has been described as the “best first step” towards mitigating climate change. Since January, the bill has gained 32 congressional co-sponsors from both parties.
Please write your member of Congress and ask him or her to support H.R. 763. As Chuck points out, we have about a decade to significantly decarbonize our economy. Half measures will not suffice.
Steven Hendrickson
Village of Mallory Square