The High Price of Lowering Emissions

Let's pause to consider Hummer's eminent demise. How did we succeed, when only a few years ago Hummer was riding high? Two words: gas prices. Not moralizing. No clever slogan on my cardboard sign. No sudden ethical epiphany. The nice thing about the price signal is I don't have to stand outside the Hummer dealership with a bunch of small dogs and a megaphone anymore. I can just sit back and blog, and each day millions of people make decisions based on economic pain. Hmm.

Wouldn't it be better to have the economic system set up so that it causes less pain, but people know in advance what to expect, and that sustainable decisions will be automatically rewarded? This is the idea behind "Capitalism 3.0," a book that I highly recommend. Also Carbon Share, and Cap and Share show ways that we can take the initiative, rather than get beaten up by the system.

I'll be adding more on this topic soon. I've been in discussions with green people about how to spend GHG emission auction permit revenue. I think it should go toward making the system fair, so that the system will last, and we'll get more reductions in the long run. Also, because it's the fair and ethical thing to do. Poverty reduction and solving climate change are ONE! But the green people say no. They want all funds to go towards subsidies for solar, and public transit etc. There are several implications to this. It's a techno-solution orientation rather than an economic justice focus. I think I need to reach out to a different constituency. The green people have been beaten down for so long, they are so thirsty, they'll drink their whole water supply ignoring that they still have 40 years in the desert.