Letters to the Editor
human power
Published Letters: 91 Editor's Choice: 26
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Time for a car-free diet
[Read the article: Turn down that thermostat, permanently]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I suspect the current price of oil prompted this article. Bear in mind that only the U.S. is experiencing $118/barrel oil; this is because the dollar has been in free-fall for most of the usurper's time in the White House. Europe is paying the equivalent of $70/barrel. Nothing like tax breaks for the wealthy, corporate welfare and a senseless expenditure of trillions of dollars to ruin an economy and obliterate the middle class.
That said, the author is essentially correct about what we will face. "If these figures hold, there is no hope of averting the worst effects of climate change." In fact, these "worst effects" include our extinction. It's high time we started using the hundred million barrels of oil on our fat American bellies and bums instead of continuing our DRIVE to the end of history.
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Maybe a return to Republican roots
[Read the article: Are congressional Republicans doomed?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The Republicans should consider returning to the party of Lincoln and TR. Remember Lincoln disparaging capital relative to labor? Or his biblical opposition to racism? How about some trust-busting a la Teddy Roosevelt? Or maybe a little conservation and National Park/wilderness creation? Hell, even Goldwater opposed reckless deficit spending.
Of course, if they did all that, how would we be able to tell them apart from S.F.-value Democrats?
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What high priced gasoline?
[Read the article: Why gas is so expensive]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Yes, Americans are driving billions of miles less per month (11 billion fewer in March 08 relative to March 07), but that is still a negligible change considering the trillions of miles driven per year here. If you were one of the brave souls who was doing the right thing by riding a bike, and you had 24 fossil-fool powered wheelchairs graze your shoulder per block instead of the usual 25, would you even notice the difference?
Considering the impact of relatively small changes in gasoline demand on the price of gasoline, what would the price of gasoline be now if we had increased the federal gas tax by $.10 per gallon each year for the last fifteen years and dedicated the funds to putting our trolleys back in as well as building some safe bike/ped infrastructure? We can still do it if we can overcome our fear of moving about without our two-ton wheelchairs. Of course, it is so much more American to prefer diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity and, very likely, climate-change induced extinction rather than impose a real gas tax.
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What about socialized impacts?
[Read the article: India: Cheap gas is too expensive]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Since the burning of oil-derived products such as gasoline has large impacts on public health and the environment that are not paid for by either the oil industry or the end-users, I would argue that we are heavily subsidizing fossil-fools in America. Unfortunately, since a major pollutant from the oxidation of fossil-fool is particulates that have been shown to lower I.Q. scores, I guess we are doomed to a population that is too stupid to make this industry pay its full costs.
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Cap and trade = extinction
[Read the article: Global warming versus a bad economy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It is becoming painfully obvious from the latest climate data that America must reduce its emissions by 80-90% over the next 15 years in order to avoid the worst "tipping points" of climate change. Since the top 15% of wealth holders are virtually immune to price changes and also use disproportionate amounts of energy, cap and trade or, indeed, any other market-concept route to emission reduction can not prevent catastrophic climate change.
So, what can we do? I think it is time to take a lesson from our past, specifically from the last time America thought its existence was threatened. During WWII we put quotas on many goods in order to use our resources for the war effort. It is time to put household quotas on liquid fuels and grid power. These quotas should be nontradable and could be implemented immediately.
Sadly, it looks like given the choice between driving our way to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and extinction or walking/busing/training/cycling our way to sustainability, most Americans are choosing the former.
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@ ironocrat
[Read the article: Global warming versus a bad economy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Actually, my line of reasoning is that there is no way to control the largest users of energy through price signals. When one’s fuel and power bills are negligible compared to one’s income, a doubling (or more) of fuel or energy prices just won’t have any effect on consumption. If we raise the price through cap-and-trade or carbon taxes, only the least wealthy will feel it. Therefore, under market-based reduction programs, the poor will be disproportionately burdened, which is a typical post-Reagan American attitude. Climate change is something we are all causing and we are unlikely to deal effectively with it unless we all bear the burdens somewhat equally.
As to how it will be done, grid power is metered. Meters are rather easy to modify to shut down after delivering a fixed amount of power (per day, week, month, quarter, whatever time-frame), and restart at the appropriate time. AS the grid becomes greener, we could raise the quotas. Liquid fuels were rationed with simple ration coupons in WWII. We could simply have dedicated fuel ration cards, which could be incorporated into drivers’ licenses. Of course, accommodations for disabilities could be built in.
Please don’t fear a future without cars and extensive interior climate controls. As people get fitter they usually find that they develop the ability to walk/cycle rather long distances without discomfort. In fact, they develop a physiological dependence on exercise. You might also be amazed at the range of temperatures that can be comfortable once you acclimate. Also, considering the fact that particulate air pollution from cars and coal-powered industry causes a lowering of people’s I.Q. at about the same level as lead exposure, we will also end up with a smarter population.