First blog...lets get this moving

Global warming is on the tip of everyones tounges these days, and with so much attention in the media, political officals, and the changes we're seeing in our local weather, Its becoming impossible to ignore.I myself have felt strongly about reducing my own emmisions, and have been encouraging dialog and idea trading with friends and family for many years now.

Reccently I've been hearing the idea of a Carbon Tax being thrown around, as well, its is expected that Stephan Dion will be releasing a carbon tax proposal for canada in the coming weeks, so I decided to do a little reasearch and find out what this whole carbon tax thing is about.

I tried to read several different overviews to avoid getting heavily biased information, so here is a general run down, as I understand...

Okay so as most of us know (hopefully) greenhouse gas pollution is the main cause of global warming and consists mainly of carbon dioxide, most of which comes from burning carbon-containing fossil fuels (including caol, natural gas, burning oil, gasoline and diesel fuel)
So, simply put, Carbon tax is a tax applied to the sale of carbon-containing fossil fuels.

This means the more you pollute, the more you pay.
How will this effectively change anything?
Putting a price on pollution gives a direct incentive for everyone to reduce emissions. From individuals to big business, this will result with everyone seeking out more eco friendly options which come with a smaller price tag.As well as directing people in the direction of conserving energy, and using more eco-friendly alternatives, the money collected from the carbon tax could go towards reductions in other taxes, such as income tax.

Emissions will be reduced as a result of the tax itself, but could be reduced even more if the money collected from the tax was spent on effective enviromental programs and "green solutions", and hopefully this will be the case in the canadian carbon tax proposal.

Its hard to know at this point what will be outlined in the propsal, and how it will effect individuals...especially those in a lower tax bracet, but lets wait till its released rather than assuming the worst
A lot of people think its a bad idea for Dion to put forward a strong position about a carbon tax before election time and other political parties are automatically looking down on him as a candidate because of it, like the conservatives have so boldly done in their at the pump ads, and surprisingly. Even Jack Layton with the NDP seems to be attacking Dion and making claims or a carbon tax alienating lower income families and individuals for a proposal he hasn't even released yet.

I think its certainly a bold move on his part, but you have to respect him for that kind of a risk.
I'd much rather a candidate be up front about their plans regarding a carbon tax, as well as any other major issue, rather than waiting out the election on the fence, and springing it on unsuspecting voters swayed by deception.
And further more, I think a carbon tax, or a cap and trade system should be implemented. Why shouldn't their be a harder push on people to conserve energy, burn less fossil fuels, and investment in green solutions!?!
I for one have no quams with paying a tax on the carbon emmisions I generate, and I am a single mother on a very tight budget.

I think it is everyones responsability to take action against what is happening, and make the nessissary changes.

Its also up to us to demand those changes of big business by boycoting companies that don't offer eco-friendly options, and make smarter lifestyle choises like buying lower energy appliences; occupying smaller residences; consuming less on a general level; buying, working, and living locally.


Money Talks, so it seems like the only realistic solution.