Proponents of a new bill is asking if saving our environment is worth spending $175 anually now, for a cleaner environment later. Well of course the answer is yes when you look at the long term damage that will occur if we do nothing to prevent further damage to our climate. The poorest households actually would save $40 a year while those in the highest income tax bracket categories would face a net increase of $245 a year, the report estimates. Some have projected slightly different figures however,as Rep Dave Camp of Michigan projects "This analysis shows average American household would pay $770 more per year with costs reaching as high as $1,380 per year," said Rep. Dave Camp. Some have even projected figures as high as an addititional $3,100 dollars per year. The average projection though is an approx increase of a mere $175.00 annually per family.
Now lets look at global warming as a great example think back 10,15 or even 20 years ago to how our seasons was the length of them. Think back to how storms was in severity now compare that to today and you'll relize that our climate has been shifting more and more with every passing year and storms getting worse with every passing year. Indicating a huge problem if we do nothing about this, yes it will lighten our wallets abit but better that than that alternative.
The bill, which is over a 1,000 pages long, details a need for a reduction in carbon dioxide of 17 percent along with reducing other greenhouse gases by the year 2020 from the levels that we present in 2005. The long term goal is for an 83 percent reduction by 2050. Carbon dioxide, produced from burning fossil fuels, especially coal, is the leading man made greenhouse gas linked to global warming. Eventually the goal is to totally eliminate the dependency and be a much more self substainable economy without the need for things such as fosil fuels by using more and more renewable resources.
The reductions would be made by capping emissions on key polluting sources for examples coal burning power plants, refineries, factories and from motor vehicles, forcing a shift to cleaner energy and more conservation. The polluters would be given emission permits with the cap declining each year. Approx 85 percent of the permits would simply be given away, especially to energy intensive sectors of the economy. The reaminder; however, would be sold off so that and the government could use the proceeds to help reduce growing energy costs.
Ultimatly this will be changed many times over before finalized however you can count on some form of this passing thru all the channels of congress before long which will impact every family in America, but at least our government is taking one of the many much needed steps to cleaning up and reducing the shear polution that our country produces.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/22/politics/main5104484.shtml