GREEN BUSINESS VIEWS

Posts Tagged ‘co2’

The Iceland volcano has created an interesting turn of events for climate change experts.  Have we just run into one of those non-anthropogenic issues that throws the global warming guys into a tailspin?  This whole event has brought fresh vision to the role of man in the larger issue of climate change.  While it is often inferred that man is the big CO2 source in the world, the facts do not support this.  Man is minor player in the CO2 overview.  Did you know that the largest by volume Green House Gas is water vapor (H2O)?  However,  it is only fair to say that CO2 and methane are more virulent gases.  Biomass (all the vegetation that grows and dies each year) releases a huge volume of CO2.  Planned burn of wooded areas and fields contribute millions of tons of CO2 to the air.  Portland cement making is on of the biggest CO2 emission source, but that one is probably too well guarded a secret for anyone to really speak about.

Perhaps mankind is not in control of the climate or global warming.  It seems obvious that we are contributors, but not wholly liable for what is going on in the earth.   The Eyjafjallajökull eruption is a remarkable, though catastrophic event.  The impact of a remote volcano in a remote part of the world is something that we cannot ignore while we are preoccupied with self-flagellation.   It seems mankind has been upstaged by nature, and we cannot take this lying down.  Mankind must be the culprit so that we can press the political agenda forward.  There is simple no allowance for stealing our guilt.

We are all cautious of these ready-made arguments that prod the public into panic mode.  Climate-Gate in the post Copenhagen era has spawn more critics about global warming claims, but just so you know, here is a graph from InformationIsBeautiful comparing the CO2 output of the volcanoes to the carbon output of the airlines that haven’t been able to fly.  So, without confirmation of facts or extended comment, the media is anxious to mitigate the role of the volcanoes and bring the problem back upon man, who must be held accountable for climate change.  So this chart is likely to get more than its fair amount of attention until someone counters it as misleading.

But, CO2 is not the only issue of a volcanic eruption.  Millions of tons of other green house cases are released as well as CO2, so the chart is skewed in that failure to track all the output of the volcanoes.  Then, there is the particulates that formed those immense, continent-covering clouds that stopped airplanes from flying throughout Europe.  Don’t they count too?

In fact, every climate expert and volcanic historian knows that large volcanic eruptions can cause a solar winter because the sun’s rays cannot get through the volcanic ash clouds.  Global cooling is a certainty when volcanoes spew their particulate-laden clouds 50,000 feet into the sky.  That is why I feel once again mislead by those who rush to spin every contrary piece of evidence into another climate change argument.  I begin to wonder if these people have no shame after the Climate-Gate of Copenhagen.  Are we so driven to convince the world that it must be done at all costs?

I believe in the Green House Effect.  We need this to keep our planet from being a nighttime freezer and daytime oven.  I also believe the CO2 is part of the balancing act that influences our world.  I further believe that we must decrease our dependency on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general.  So, I am not a naysayer on this subject.  I am just very tired of being treated as though I believe everything that is tossed at me by those wanted to shift my reality to their fiction.

As earthquake rumble in many parts of the earth, volcanoes erupt, and icecaps either recede or advance; I believe that we need to stop playing games with the facts and politics.  I think the public is getting weary with environmental lies promoted in the belief that we must be spurred to greater social guilt, environmental shame, and political zealotry for climate change policies.   I advocate social responsibility that comes from the truth of what we see in this world.

Those who are afraid of the plain truth are alarmist, manipulators, and modern-day prophets of doom.   This is an hour that requires intelligent and pragmatic solutions to a growing environmental problem.  It is also time for all of us to step up to the duties that we should readily assume before the mindless political types pass onerous regulations without practical solutions.

The planning is already underway to impose a sweeping “Green Tax” for any business putting out more than its fair share of carbon dioxide (CO2), and this is going to drive up the cost of everything. Of course, there are those who feel that higher prices will force greater conservation of our resources. Unfortunately, this proposed legislation refuses to recognize free-market ability to address and resolve nearly any commercial issue. By the way, I favor reduced Co2 emission as well, but not with this program.

This Green Tax and Cap-and-Trade program is the big secret debate where “Super Environmentalist Only” get to attend and input. The results will be new country wide tax will be imposed for the emission of carbon dioxide:

“Under a tax, policymakers would levy a fee for each ton of Co2 emitted or for each ton of carbon contained in fossil fuels. The tax would motivate entities to cut back on their emissions if the cost of doping so was less than the cost of paying the tax.” Policy Options for Reducing Co2 Emissions by the Congress of the United States – Congressional Budget Office

The CBO report considers only two options. One is the Green Tax mentioned above, and the second is a cap-and-trade program. You undoubtedly have heard Obama, Palozzi (Senate), and Smith (House) mentioning these ideas with great anticipation. You may also remember that the presidential candidate Obama used the phrase “Cap and Trade” in several of his speeches. President Obama still want a “Cap and Trade” bill out of congress, but he has met some stiff resistance to the concpet. The CBO report, dated February 2008 made this statement.

“In contrast, under a cap-and-trade program, policy-makers would set a limit on total emissions during some period and would require regulated entities to hold rights, or allowances, to the emissions permitted under that cap.” Ibid

The CBO proposal is more than impressive. It is a powerful tool to collect fees, fines, and penalties much like the power of the EPA over pollution violators. This would apply to all types of businesses in a kind of rationing like those seen during war times. The goal is ostensibly to reduce the use of fossil fuels by making the price of energy from these source too painful to endure. Everyone should know that energy is the life’s blood of business, and this will ripple through to every consumer as well.

We now have a voluntary system of carbon credit trading going on where businesses calculate their carbon output and then buy carbon offsets. The challenge of setting caps for all the types of businesses across America would be as confusing as the present tax code. It would also create another exchange of trading Co2 credits to those who use more than their share with those who use less.

“Cap and Trade” is certainly a regressive tax forcing American businesses to shackle themselves with more regulations, more intrusion, and more costs of operation. Why not incentivize this issue? Tax credits for Co2 reduction would be a far more enlightened position on the subject. There must be a free-market solution that creates a business coalition to answer this need. Of course, this is all being presented as an emergency and crises, which moves things through Congress with lightning speed and minimizes the opportunity for public notice and discussion.

Global warming is the battle cry. Carbon dioxide has been declared the public enemy causing global warming although there is dissent on this subject as well. Onerous taxes and intrusive regulation should not be the only answer to the challenges we face. Open the doors wide to innovation, incentivize with tax credits, and kill the poisonous snake called Cap and Trade before it sinks its teeth into the ailing taxpayer. We need encouragement, not punishment.