Most folks want energy costs to go down, so it’s rare to find a group pushing for energy costs to increase.
But that’s the intention of a chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby forming in Lawrence. Their goal is to convince politicians to place a fee on carbon to help speed the transition to a clean energy economy.
The idea originated with James Hansen, head of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and author of the book “Storms of My Grandchildren.”
Any carbon that comes from the ground, such as coal, oil and natural gas, would be taxed. The revenue would be distributed evenly among households through a monthly dividend. The fees increase gradually over time.
The hope is for the carbon fee to produce more innovation and investment in clean energy and for the dividend to help ease consumers’ transition to a clean energy future.
“When people hear about this, they are really intrigued and feel very positive about the concept once they understand what it is,” said Lynate Pettengill, who is spearheading the formation of the Lawrence chapter.
The Lawrence chapter will have its first meeting on Nov. 16, during which Citizens Climate Lobby executive director Mark Reynolds will talk. The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Delaware Street Commons, 1222 Del.
For more information, contact Pettengill at 785-331-0625 or e-mail her at lynatepettengill@yahoo.com. More information about the organization is available at CitizensClimateLobby.org.
Tagged: carbon fee, Citzens Climate Lobby
Comments
consumer1 1 year, 7 months ago
Mark Reynolds Lynate Pettengill 785-331-0625
enemy of the working people.
iseedumbpeople 1 year, 7 months ago
horrible idea.
The taxes goto sponsor government programs. The programs will grow in size and need more funding and they will be based on a carbon tax system that if works according to plan will have a decreasing income. So the new programs will start taking money from existing programs.
If you want to decrease the carbon footprint then convince politicians to establish limits on the amount of carbon being used. Don't push it off on the average citizen.
Jayhawk1958 1 year, 7 months ago
Yes we need less regulation so people will get sick and die. That should be second-nature to trying to make a profit off of unsafe energy. Forget the environment and your health!
consumer1 1 year, 7 months ago
Worth repeating.
Mark Reynolds Lynate Pettengill 785-331-0625 enemy of the working people.
DougCounty 1 year, 7 months ago
consumer1, Don't know who is giving you your marching orders, but it doesn't really matter, I guess. Have you even checked out their website: http://www.citizensclimatelobby.org/ ?
They are promoting a much better alternative to the corrupt cap and trade policies that big business attempted to push through last year. The idea is called carbon fee and dividend, which puts the money right back in the hands of consumers, who can then decide to spend the money to finance changes in their carbon consumption habits or not.
Seems like a very viable way to protect the interests of working people, not the opposite, as you wrongly suggest.
kansanjayhawk 1 year, 7 months ago
wow--a lobby to advocate for increased taxes--bet you can hold the meetings in a very small room.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 7 months ago
Any taxes collected will rebated. All this really does is put other forms of energy on a level playing field with fossil fuels, which have received massive subsidies for many decades.
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