“Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals – they are both essential ingredients for long-term success.”
Bill Ford, Executive Chair of Ford Motor Company
Does hearing the “t” word make you want to close this blog and run? Relatable. It’s a tough sell to get people excited about a tax. But please read on…a carbon tax is considered one of the fastest ways to achieve net zero emissions. Additionally, this proposal has a surprising amount of bipartisan support, even from the fossil fuel industry.
The problem
Currently, companies that emit fossil fuels are able to pump unlimited amounts heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere without penalty. These emissions are warming the Earth at an accelerated pace. As things stand, there is not much incentive for companies to find cleaner solutions and/or take care of their mess.
And the burden for this has been passed on to all of us. For example, wildfires, floods, droughts, etc. are exacerbated by the warming Earth. Indeed, this increase in extreme weather is already costing Americans billions every year. We are also paying with our health. In fact, an estimated 10 million people globally die each year due to pollution from fossil fuels.
Ultimately, it will be our children and grandchildren who are left with the bill, and the worst consequences, if we don’t get moving on solutions. What kind of world to we want to leave for them?
The solution
A carbon tax is a form of carbon pricing that would place a fee on the release of heat-trapping gases. Companies would pay for each ton of greenhouse gas they emit, thereby providing an incentive to reduce emissions and find renewable solutions.
In short, this is a pragmatic, market-based solution that would make a swift and meaningful impact on climate change.
What can you do?
If you want to be part of the solution, learn more about carbon pricing. Then consider contacting your elected officials to let them know your thoughts.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.