| There is much back and forth bickering about the | | | | equalizer and anti-science, anti-progress concept? |
| idea of shifting "carbon credits" from countries that | | | | When you penalize progress and innovation by taking |
| produce too much carbon (dioxide) to countries that | | | | away the incentive for individuals to advance |
| do not produce as much carbon. Radical | | | | themselves, you slow or stop that very progress and |
| environmentalists propose that countries producing | | | | innovation. Furthermore, shifting wealth to countries |
| large amounts of carbon be penalized for their | | | | that currently squander and misuse resources from |
| excessive carbon production by making payments to | | | | countries that have actually earned that wealth |
| countries that do not emit much carbon. In addition | | | | through outstanding productivity would simply be a |
| to punishing the carbon over-producers, this would | | | | practice in stupidity and waste. Those countries have |
| serve to boost the economies of countries that | | | | not figured out how to be prosperous or industrious |
| produce little or no carbon. | | | | yet, and have long histories of elitist leadership that |
| Proponents of the carbon credit plan are forgetting | | | | keep the country's wealth for itself and promote |
| some important historical, as well as present-day, | | | | poverty in its own people. Artificially shifting wealth, |
| lessons. The noble guise under which this scheme is | | | | as will happen with carbon credit sales, will curtail the |
| being hatched is the intent to reduce carbon | | | | progress of the entire planet and line the pockets of |
| emissions globally. Of course, this is all based on the | | | | third world leaders. It will NOT help the third world |
| notion that carbon production is bad for the planet. | | | | nations become the industrial giants, as you would |
| Important note: I did not say pollution; I said carbon, | | | | expect. Redirecting political energy to encourage |
| as in carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon reduction | | | | individuals, and allowing their freedom to succeed or |
| enthusiasts all cite Global Warming, now referred to | | | | fail, must be a priority. Those countries that have |
| as Climate Change, as the reason we need to curb | | | | historically done this are currently the scientific and |
| carbon, not to curb or correct pollution alone. You will | | | | production giants. Those that have not are not. They |
| find very few who disagree we must clean up the | | | | easily could be if they allowed freedom of the |
| planet. However, you will find scores - if not hoards - | | | | individual to profit and progress; they cannot achieve |
| of people who sincerely doubt the CO2-Climate | | | | that success by taking the hard-earned gains of |
| Change Relationship hypothesis. | | | | others. |
| I recently responded to a series of replies on a blog, | | | | Next, and of the utmost importance, one must ask |
| most of which were entitled "Forgetting the Past." | | | | the very pertinent question of whether or not our |
| This title referred to a response to an online | | | | planet's climate systems are so delicate and fragile as |
| magazine article concerning the whole prospect of | | | | to be totally altered and destroyed by the naturally |
| carbon credit shifting, and the possible foreseeable | | | | occurring and life sustaining molecule, CO2. Through |
| problems. The respondent wanted to remind us that | | | | the eons, volcanic eruptions and other carbon |
| countries such as the United States and the United | | | | saturation events have occurred, yet the planet |
| Kingdom are already so far behind in owing carbon | | | | thrives. When studying global warming graphs, I |
| credits to the rest of the world that we would go | | | | cannot help but note that through the past 400,000 |
| bankrupt within months of program start-up. Others | | | | plus years, temperature change has always preceded |
| argued for a saner and more rational approach based | | | | CO2 change ...NOT the other way around. |
| on credit for human and planet-enhancing | | | | If we feel the egotistic need to believe that humans |
| technologies. | | | | are important and influential enough to alter the entire |
| In this toe-to-toe dispute, we are all forgetting an | | | | planet permanently through man induced-climate |
| important aspect of human behavior and existence. | | | | change, if we truly believe global warming is |
| Please ponder why some countries are prosperous | | | | something other than a cyclical and natural event |
| and progressive and on the cutting edge of science | | | | primarily driven by solar activity, we would be smart |
| and development while other countries are just now | | | | to look for a culprit other than CO2. Carbon |
| coming of industrial age, and still others haven't made | | | | comprises a minute fraction of a percent of our |
| it even that far. Is it because the developed | | | | atmosphere, and therefore of the green house |
| countries are unfair? Are they simply evil? No. The | | | | gasses, which historically react to global temperature |
| answer is in the ability of the political system of each | | | | change, but do not cause it. |
| country to allow freedom of the individual to pursue | | | | Admit it, Folks; you just cannot control water vapor. |
| profit and individual improvement without oppressive | | | | More importantly, you cannot control PEOPLE by |
| regulation and taxation. Over-regulation and taxation | | | | controlling water vapor, yet water vapor remains the |
| suppress progress and creativity. Governments on | | | | biggest and most important green house gas |
| the take and tainted with corruption further inhibit | | | | surrounding the planet. This begs the most important |
| progress. | | | | question yet: What is the real agenda behind carbon |
| Where would we be, scientifically speaking, if | | | | control? |
| progress and profit had been totally suppressed by | | | | Could it be any more obvious? There are no politics, |
| something like carbon equity, or any other issue, in | | | | power, or economics in water vapor. If there were, I |
| the past? | | | | would be reading about water vapor credits being |
| The next question: Is carbon equity a legitimate | | | | sold by Al Gore. |
| environmental philosophy at all, or just an economic | | | | |