Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Energy demand is the problem

[Karen Carlson (kcarlson2]

Super huge profits and super huge subsidies obviously haven't motivated 
Big Oil to invest in new technologies --unless it's still another 
carbon-based form (e.g. fracking).  If non-carbon based, sustainable 
technologies were on the same playing field as Big Oil, they could 
jointly produce far more energy then we've been lead to believe.  How is 
it that some cities and countries of Europe are already well down the 
path of becoming independent of carbon-based fuels?

Given the unending handouts to Big Oil, how can other forms of energy 
compete? To level the playing field, we should consider taxing 
carbon-based fuel as it comes out of the ground or crosses the boarder 
and return all the tax money to citizens.  This plan (carbon fee & 
dividend) would off set the additional cost of fuels to poorer citizens 
and it would build political will to develop new technologies.  It would 
also satisfy the politicians who have signed a "no new taxes" pledge.

Karen Carlson
Arboretum Cohousing Community
Madison WI

On 7/15/11 12:02 PM, Norman Gauss wrote:
> Has it ever occurred to the critics of Big Oil that the profits made by Big
> Oil may benefit you and me because they can be used for exploration and
> development of new technologies so that we can have more cheap gasoline?
> With lower profits, energy companies are less able to invest in new
> technologies and to explore for new fossil fuel deposits.
>
>
>
> Norm Gauss
>
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