It was close to 100 degrees in Bedford on Sunday. Last week London reported a temperature of over 104 degrees, shattering the previous record high. The nightly news is filled with raging fires in the west with pictures of Lake Mead shrinking to alarming levels.
Most everyone agrees that the effects of climate change are here and will only get worse. Whether we can reverse the path that we’re on is an ongoing debate but in general, the majority of people think we should do something.
Doing something often comes down to someone else doing something. When you are asked what people are willing to do on a very personal level, support dramatically drops off. A poll asked people if they were willing to pay $100/year more in taxes to help curb climate change; only 33% agreed they would.
The collective outrage over the recent high gas prices doesn’t bode well for our society to accept some kind of carbon tax. Also, indications are that the higher gas prices have not really affected people’s driving habits.
In Bedford, I do see many more electric cars, Black Earth Compost bins, and solar panels. Those are good steps, all voluntary.
Politicians always get into trouble when they ask for sacrifice, which is a main reason nothing gets done. To have any meaningful effect on the climate, we all must change how we live.
What is Bedford thinking? Are you willing to make a real sacrifice for the sake of the environment? Not just voluntary steps, but real mandated changes, changes that affect everyone. The policies are nuanced and complicated, and undoubtedly flawed. For the sake of this poll, let’s just ask how much more money per year you would find acceptable in order to combat climate change. For the sake of this poll, let’s just call it a climate tax.
Would you support a “Climate tax” to help curb global warming?
Ready to be counted? Vote in the poll until noon next Saturday, You’ll find the poll on The Citizen’s main page, or by scrolling on your phone or tablet.
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Good piece, Gene! I wanted to share a couple of modest ideas for solutions close to home. Here at The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord, we are currently partnering with Zeke Magazine to present the gallery exhibition, ‘Sustainable Solutions: Documentary Photographers Explore the Climate Crisis”. In this, several global journalists and photographers report on best practices from communities around the globe to confront climate change, from indigenous controlled fire practices for forest management in the southwest US to ocean bed greenhouse “permagardens” in Italy. The exhibition is free and open to the public through August 12!