Going Green Can be a Tough Public Policy

Summary

The undefined website discusses the controversial public policy suggestions for combating climate change, including urban density, nuclear energy, and challenging traditional environmentalist views.

Abstract

The article on the undefined website delves into the contentious debate surrounding environmental policy, particularly the strategies for mitigating climate change. It references an article in Wired Magazine that advocates for nuclear energy and urban density to reduce greenhouse gases, which sparked significant backlash from readers for its sensationalist tone and perceived lack of data. Paul Krugman's piece, "Stranded in Suburbia," further explores the issue, comparing American suburban lifestyles with European approaches to urban density and resource consumption. The article suggests that while individuals are willing to make small changes, larger sacrifices and policy shifts are necessary to address environmental challenges effectively. It proposes unconventional environmental strategies, such as consuming genetically-engineered food, avoiding carbon credits, and investing in nuclear power, challenging long-held green principles. The piece also raises questions about public policy changes, including tax incentives for resource-sharing communities, taxes on suburban sprawl, limitations on car ownership, increased driving age, and tax breaks for sustainable home improvements. Despite the progress in renewable energy, the article highlights the ongoing resistance from policymakers to fully embrace Going Green initiatives.

Opinions

Environmentalists are critical of the Wired Magazine article for its suggestions that conflict with traditional green principles.
Readers of the Wired Magazine article criticized its approach for being sensationalist and lacking in supporting data.
Paul Krugman's analysis suggests that Americans' preference for suburban living is unsustainable and contrasts with European efficiency in urban density.
The article implies that individual actions, while important, are insufficient without significant policy changes to combat climate change effectively.
The "new environmental apostasy" proposed by Wired Magazine includes counterintuitive measures such as eating genetically-engineered food and investing in nuclear power.
There is a call for innovative public policy measures, such as tax incentives for communes, a "sprawl tax" for suburbanites, and luxury taxes on multiple-car ownership.
The author acknowledges the difficulty in changing public policy but emphasizes the dire consequences of inaction on climate change.

Going Green Can be a Tough Public Policy

Pic by Deborah Levine on NightCafe

Environmentalists may not be happy with some of the solutions to climate change suggested in an article in Wired Magazine, “Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green”. Calling for Greens to unite around the issue of greenhouse gasses, the article makes the case for public policies that favor nuclear energy and urban density. The outcry from readers was memorable as they criticized the single mindedness of the article, its lack of supporting data, its in-your-face sensationalism, and overall creepiness. Yet, the discussion of climate change and public policy does and should raise these most difficult issues as new reports show irreversible damage.

This article was joined by a piece by Paul Krugman, “Stranded in Suburbia”, offering a similar analysis of Going Green. Krugman is a well-known economist and columnist for The New York Times, but not widely know for this kind of article. Krugman talks about the Europe when gasoline could cost $8.00 per gallon and how Europeans are dealing with the challenge. Urban density is one answer, housing people where economies of scale can be applied and services can be centrally located.

Americans, Krugman argues, are fixated on the joys of suburban sprawl, with large houses, large lawns, large cars and large bills. Density for Americans is apt to evoke images of poverty and crime, decaying neighborhoods and lack of privacy and independence. When we are told that saving our environment and perhaps the planet could be expensive, there is a both a removal of personal responsibility and a willingness to do small things to help. We assume that there will be a tax burden, but it should be borne by faceless corporations and governments, not our own individual families.

That is not to say that we are unconcerned. Many of us are willing to buy the required light bulbs, take public transportation if available, buy a smaller car or a hybrid next time, buy organic produce and plant a tree on our property. Small acts will no doubt make a difference, but what about the bigger questions that the Wired Magazine article poses as it states, “Winning the war on global warming requires slaughtering some of environmentalism’s sacred cows.”

Here are some of the “tenets of the new environmental apostasy” that the magazine proposes: 1.) Move to the City: Urban density is better for the environment than suburban sprawl. 2.) Eat genetically-engineered Food: Super efficient engineered crops use fewer resources and produce more food than organic farming. 3). Ditch Carbon Credits: There is little evidence that the benefits of trading carbon credits are worth the effort. 4.) Buy a Used Car: It’s easier on the planet to recycle cars than to create new ones. 5.) Invest in Nuclear Power: Nuclear power is more planet-friendly than other fuel sources. 6.) Plan for Global Warming: It cannot be avoided. There are other comments that will no doubt infuriate readers, for example: use your air conditioning, it emits less carbon dioxide than heating.

These provocative ideas provide food for thought. In the interest of stirring up more debate, here are a few ideas related to public policy to consider: a.) Should we give tax incentives to communes that shares resources and grows food? b.) Should we tax suburbanites with a “sprawl tax” in order to encourage urban density? c.) Should we discourage cars of more than one or two per family with a luxury tax? d.) Should we raise the minimum driving age? e.) What kind of tax breaks should we give to individuals with solar panels, windmills, vegetable gardens?

Few of these issues were on my list of how to Go Green. Yes, I appreciated even more that the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) is phasing out its coal production. But is their alternative of nuclear energy going to save the planet?

This article was written several years ago and there have been efforts at wind and solar power since its publication. But elected officials continue to stall on the topic of Going Green. Planning for Global Warming continues to be super controversial. Yes, maybe it’s a case of ‘be careful of what you ask for’, but the alternative is disastrous.