General Discussion

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)

33. Transportation / gasoline is huge

Sun Sep 24, 2017, 11:09 PM

Sep 2017

27% of US emissions in 2015: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

If there is only one thing you could do to influence climate change caused by the US, it should be lobbying for a gas tax.

In the 70s, Europe chose to reduce oil consumption with a robust tax on gas. The US chose to do it with fuel economy standards. The standards were worked around by auto companies selling SUVs.

If we had today a $4/gallon tax on gas, we'd have fewer roads, denser development, and much lower carbon emissions.

The gas tax is a political lightning rod, but increasing it would help our planet. It's hard for me to say which of many effects would be biggest, but if you and your kids could help get a gas tax put in place, you'd be doing the world a great service.

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Considered Bumper Sticker - "Save The Planet - Get Fixed". But Realized --------- [View all] TheMastersNemesis Sep 2017 OP

Right on. Kath2 Sep 2017 #1

Never had kids. Comatose Sphagetti Sep 2017 #2

Neither Did I. My Motto - "No Kids, No Debt, No Regret". Feel Tbe Sme Way. TheMastersNemesis Sep 2017 #10

Yep localroger Sep 2017 #11

I like the acronym THINKER Best_man23 Sep 2017 #17

Never wanted kids here csziggy Sep 2017 #19

Overpopulation IS the cause of climate change. roamer65 Sep 2017 #3

Please don't let them come up here. raven mad Sep 2017 #7

A pandemic of some kind might make a dent TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #30

The good news is that the total number of births per year GeoWilliam750 Sep 2017 #4

Last week had someone tell me... Duppers Sep 2017 #5

Well................. raven mad Sep 2017 #6

Dang!! Duppers Sep 2017 #14

No, no. No no no. Have kids. sharedvalues Sep 2017 #8

There are plenty of refugees in the world. There's no need to make more people here in the U.S.A.. hunter Sep 2017 #21

You're making my case sharedvalues Sep 2017 #23

Japan would be fine if they weren't so damned xenophobic. hunter Sep 2017 #26

Paul Krugman: the US needs more kids sharedvalues Sep 2017 #9

Sure Krugman understands climate science Duppers Sep 2017 #18

I am a climate scientist. sharedvalues Sep 2017 #20

Good point about the GOP's growth. Duppers Sep 2017 #29

Transportation / gasoline is huge sharedvalues Sep 2017 #33

Do we really need more kids if there will be fewer jobs? TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #31

Yes. Talent economy. Someone will need to program the tech. sharedvalues Sep 2017 #32

Nope, we don't need them. roamer65 Sep 2017 #35

The Church for you! HAB911 Sep 2017 #12

Ah, see the reception here. Duppers Sep 2017 #13

I Do Not Believe We Are Necessarily Dead Yet. TheMastersNemesis Sep 2017 #15

Lots of other dangers, like nukes sharedvalues Sep 2017 #24

We're getting better, although this example is simply anecdotal. Aristus Sep 2017 #16

That's the reason we face economic hardship sharedvalues Sep 2017 #22

As Japan's population shrinks, bears and boars roam where schools and shrines once thrived (LAT) dalton99a Sep 2017 #25

Bears and boars buy beers at bars and board barges bound for Borneo Orrex Sep 2017 #27

When and if we get old we then hope we will all be able to care for ourselves nolabels Sep 2017 #28

Here's the biggest reason why the US birth rate is declining. roamer65 Sep 2017 #34