frandroid: A key enters the map of Palestine (Default)
frandroid ([personal profile] frandroid) wrote2008-11-19 12:20 am

Tweets for Today


  • 21:06 New idea: Earn carbon credits for turning veg*n! #

[identity profile] jkakar.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 07:52 am (UTC)(link)
It's an interesting idea, but maybe this is a better one:

Earn carbon credits for consuming local goods.

[identity profile] seaya.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 12:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Exactly, because a lot of vegan goods are also shipped from far away.

[identity profile] frandroid.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 11:53 pm (UTC)(link)
We clearly need carbon labelling on everything, just like we have nutritional labelling.

[identity profile] frandroid.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Indeed.
ext_65558: The one true path (Geeks Can Do!)

[identity profile] dubaiwalla.livejournal.com 2008-11-20 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
maybe this is a better one
No, no, no.

I don't think it would be practical to award points to people who come to the government and claim to have become vegan. But it might be possible to tax animal products instead. (Except that people dislike new taxes, so any practical implementation would likely be ass-backwards and involve a carbon surcharge on all foods, with discounts for fruits and vegetables.)

[identity profile] jkakar.livejournal.com 2008-11-20 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
I was wondering about points similar to those mentioned when I
posted my initial comment. Thanks for the links. I really wonder
about the utility of carbon-footprint taxation. I guess there's at
least two parts to the question: (1) will increasing the cost of
goods actually cause the majority of people to change their
behaviour, or will it just make things more expensive for poor
people and (2) what will happen to money collected in the name of
offsetting carbon emissions?
ext_65558: The one true path (Capitol Building)

[identity profile] dubaiwalla.livejournal.com 2008-11-20 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
I imagine the amount of change we see in consumption patterns would see would depend, at least in large part, on taxation levels. And I would guess a lot of the money collected from taxes would be used to purchase carbon offsets and/or fund environmental programs that accomplish something similar. But I am not an economist, and do not have a clear picture of the details.

[identity profile] frandroid.livejournal.com 2008-11-25 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
After the 1973 oil crisis, European countries have progressively increased taxes on gasoline as prices were coming down, in order to keep prices up. It's quite clear today that Europeans generally drive a loss less and buy a lot more efficient cars than Americans. Also, the cost of energy in general is quite higher in Europe and Europeans consequently adjust their energy usage. Putting a timer on the hot water tank (so that the water is only hot during the part of the day when you need hot water, e.g. morning shower) is something I had never seen before going to Paris.

So we know that taxation can impact consumption levels and create new habits.

[identity profile] frandroid.livejournal.com 2008-11-25 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think it would be practical to award points to people who come to the government and claim to have become vegan.

I wasn't really that serious... :P

Interesting stuff regarding eating local, though.

[identity profile] mrputter.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 10:41 am (UTC)(link)
Well, Alberta just announced a tax rebate for anyone involved in fitness activities, so hey; you never know...!

[identity profile] frandroid.livejournal.com 2008-11-19 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
When you don't know what to do with your money...