Climate Change: How, when, and why!
Climate change is a hotly debated issue with some individuals proclaiming it is absolute and undeniable and others refusing to believe in its existence. Whether or not you believe in climate change is a personal decision but pollution such as carbon dioxide affects our environment in more ways than one.Pollution from both point sources such as power plants and industrial facilities as well as from mobile sources such as cars, planes, and boats undeniably changes our natural environment for the worst. The pollutants released by these sources include Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Ozone, and Particulate Matter which as well as numerous other chemicals. The EPA under the Clean Air Act was required to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the six criteria air pollutants. The recent climate change legislation proposes to add Carbon Dioxide to those substances regulated by the EPA.
How:
There are a variety of means to regulate pollution however the two most popular methods are effluent taxes (taxing each ton of discharge) and cap and trade (capping total pollution and allowing individuals to trade or purchase credits). I would love to hear your feed back as to which you believe is more effective.
When:
Right Now! Personally I am not convinced the scientific data on climate change is accurate but at the same time I am not willing to gamble and play the "wait and see" game.
Why:
Civic responsibility. Each and everyone of us is a guardian and trustee for the health of our planet for future generations. Whether you believe in global warming or not we have a responsibility to leave the planet in the same if not better condition as we inherited it so future generations may continue to enjoy the many wonderful sights, sounds, and experiences it offers.
