Why a Carbon Pollution Fee and Dividend?

Teri and I just returned from our third trip to Washington DC to lobby our representatives with members from 487 chapters, is called Citizens Climate Lobby, or CCL.

Why? It may not seem like it at this minute, but if we average out all the high and low temperature readings around the globe, we are warming faster than any other time scientists can identify in the history of the earth.  With rapid temperature change comes immense challenges to our plants and animals’ ability to survive. Although homo sapiens are believed to be the most adaptable species, we are challenging our survivability.  Thus, our motto at CCL is, “A Climate for a Livable World”.

We do not have a solution, per se. We have a catalyst, an accelerant, or motivator. It is called a Carbon Pollution Fee and Citizen Dividend, CF&D. It is an elegant proposal in its simplicity.  It is well researched and supported by nearly all scientists, all economists*, and now many politicians*. This is how simple it is; first, we put a fee on the carbon pollution of coal, oil and gas as we take it out of the ground. Second, we take the money collected and quickly redistribute it to the American Citizen as a dividend.

Foreign Protection note: Foreign competitive entities outside our border who attempt to sell their goods in the USA will have to pay a border adjustment fee if their countries do not have CF&D. This fee will level the business playing field. Also, the moneys collected at the border, can be used to make our US businesses more competitive. As an additional note, our largest trading partner is Canada. They just instituted a CF&D and other nations have or will be doing the same.

Understanding the pollution fee is easy. If dirty energy costs more, we will use less. Clean energies will then move in quickly to replace old dirty energies.  

The dividend equally distributed to the American Citizen is a little trickier to understand. The justification, though, is economically and morally sound. First, in the transition to clean energy there will be a period when gas and electricity prices rise before they fall. We protect our most vulnerable citizens with the dividend. In fact, our research shows that the higher cost of dirty energy to the average American will normally be offset entirely by the dividend. If you are a low energy user, you will end up with more money in your pocket.

Another benefit to us is that lower income people with kids will often use the additional money to buy health care for their kids. Health care is usually provided locally so the money stays in our community. Even if they do not spend the money on essential health care, when we less affluent citizens have a little more money in our pocket, we usually spend it locally. We economically build our local communities with CF&D.

Pain vs gain? After reading this are you feeling the incentive to be a clean energy citizen? If you are, you understand our proposal. There is the pain of change. But, the gain is immense. As we move away from coal, oil, and gas our health immediately gets better. This may be the best and least appreciated early benefit of CF&D. We win now by being farsighted in our efforts to protect our kid’s future climate.

·       The force of scientists, economists, responsible politicians and concerned citizens is gathering momentum. Visit our web-site at citizensclimatelobby.org to learn more. Or, call me at 906-285-3702. I give presentations to citizens courageous enough to be curious. CCL is citizens for a livable world.