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In case you haven't noticed, I highly disagree with the alarmism associated with the idea that global warming is caused by man made CO2 emmissions. That doesn't mean I don't care about our environment or getting off our energy consumptive ways. I have put together a few ideas that I think would be more effective than carbon offsets/taxes and other such government scandals that look to filter money through government, slowing down all the processes.
1. Gas guzzling tax/gas sipping credits:
For someone buying a car, we could reward them for making a good choice in efficiency. I have broken it down as follows, however it could easily be modified different ways. But just for thought, as purchased the following would apply:
Car gets 45+ mpg average=$2500 tax deduction for the year.
Car gets 35-44mpg average=$2000 tax deduction for the year.
Car gets 30-34mpg average=$1500 tax deduction
Car gets 25-29mpg average=no tax deduction
car gets 20-24mpg average=$1000 gas guzzler tax
car gets 15-19mpg average=$2500 gas guzzler tax
car gets less than 15mpg average=$3500 gas guzzler tax
Of course, specific exclusions could be provided when there is a specific purpose that a gas guzzler is needed, such as heavy duty trucks for construction. Not a perfect idea, but a thought. Also, ability to burn ethanol would not allow exemption. Ethanol has MANY flaws right now.
Another thought would be to give tax deductions for specific projects at people's homes that are done to reduce energy consumption, such as the following:
Installing a tankless water heater
Installing solar panels
Installing Solatubes or other forms of skylight type devices
Installing air circulation devices
Installing rain water capture and filtration systems
Okay, these are just a few things me and my wife are planning to do around our house when we purchase it. The tax deduction on a car purchase would be cool too.
Also, for businesses, tax exemptions and credits could be created for projects that will reduce or eliminate pollution, enough to help offset the cost of the projects enough to be viable for a company. Then those who refuse to follow suit could be FINED, not taxed. The fines could go directly to a cleanup agency for the guilty business's area without having to filter through Washington and the IRS, as long as there were guidelines as to what cleanup would entail.
So instead of taxing and penalizing people, why doesn't the government motivate with tax incentives that are big enough to be worthwhile? I already know the answer, but this just shows to me that they aren't too serious about saving our environment.
I like your thinking although of course the exact dollar amounts may need to be shifted. I will say that, per a recent thread about "gas guzzlers", some exceptions or exemptions might need to be made in those areas where SUVs and trucks are used to deal with regularly challenging road and weather conditions. Even then, figuring out those parameters may be somewhat subjective and will likely cause a lot of haggling. But again, I can appreciate your creative solutions. I certainly can't think of any at the moment.
Yeah, certainly the way I have it laid out is not perfect. But it shows a structure that is FAR less dependent on taxes and penalties, and far mor focused on INCENTIVES. I think a lot of people would like to do things that are better for the environment. They just need motivation in the form of reward rather than threat of punishment.
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I think we need some kind of program to inspire development of public transportation systems, many areas of the country are sorely lacking in this area.
I am adamently opposed to the government taxing the hell out of us and then allowing us to keep some of it if we spend our money the way uncle sam sees fit. I can make my own decisions. I don't need big brother telling me what is best.
Our tax system has been used far too long to manipulate and control things otherwise outside of the Federal Governement's Constitutional power.
I think we need some kind of program to inspire development of public transportation systems, many areas of the country are sorely lacking in this area.
This is definitely a major need in some areas. Dallas has a horrible public transit system.
One thing about smaller areas, like where I live in TN now, public transit outside of buses doesn't seem to easy due to the smaller population and the road systems. Future road projects need to include consideration for mass transit, but for smaller towns I like the idea of a protected lane for small vehicles that are very efficient, such as mo-peds and motorcycles, or very small 2 seater cars that can get 75+ mpg. I wouldn't mind using such for going back and forth to work, but I'm afraid I'll get run over by all the large vehicles.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnbound2day
This is definitely a major need in some areas. Dallas has a horrible public transit system.
One thing about smaller areas, like where I live in TN now, public transit outside of buses doesn't seem to easy due to the smaller population and the road systems. Future road projects need to include consideration for mass transit, but for smaller towns I like the idea of a protected lane for small vehicles that are very efficient, such as mo-peds and motorcycles, or very small 2 seater cars that can get 75+ mpg. I wouldn't mind using such for going back and forth to work, but I'm afraid I'll get run over by all the large vehicles.
They recently demonstrated a 2 seat electric city-car in NJ. The claim was 40 miles on a charge and if you drove 40 mils every day the electric cost for a year would be $110.00, sounded pretty reasonable for some large urban areas, it should be relatively easy to even develop charge while you park areas.
They recently demonstrated a 2 seat electric city-car in NJ. The claim was 40 miles on a charge and if you drove 40 mils every day the electric cost for a year would be $110.00, sounded pretty reasonable for some large urban areas, it should be relatively easy to even develop charge while you park areas.
I currently live only 4 miles from work. I've been eyeing a scooter that will go roughly 40mph or so, and gets 120mpg. 1 gallon of gas would get me to work and home 15 days. Right now a gallon only gets me to work and home 2 days, and the car I'm looking to buy would stretch that to almost 4.
The biggest mistake that America made was ripping up our urban trolley systems in the 1950's. There are only a few left now (San Francisco, Philly, a couple of random ones targeted to tourists). Up to that point we had a public transportation system relatively on par with Europe. Even "new" cities like Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta had a great system (which debunks the oft cited argument that public transit "won't work" in those cites). Unfortunately the auto industry pushed to get those systems destroyed and covert everything over to buses, made by, dah-dah...the auto industry! The more things change...
Anyway, I think one thing that needs to happen is improved city planning and urban design to encourage pedestrians and alternate forms of transportation. Even something as simple as reducing the size of streets and placing planters in streets along with speed bumps to force people to slow down and drive smaller cars.
Another option for the US is to create more car-free zones within cities. This can be done even in smaller to moderate size cities to encourage walking and as a form of urban renewal. We have FAR to few pedestrian areas within the US, with our addiction to SUV and ugly strip malls.
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