Go Green, for a Sane Society

Chapters Preamble (A), Alternative Power(B), What can be DONE by International Organizations (C), State Governments(D), Local Governments(E),  

Preamble THE situation is at crisis point.

Global Warming/Climate Change/Bio diversity

Climate change made simple
Energy is being trapped on the planet, thereby raising its temperature. Greenhouse gases restrict that energy escaping back into space. If we don’t want climate change we need to cut down on energy use and take the greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.
The need to reduce the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is generally accepted.

The emphasis seems to be on creating the same if not more energy without producing greenhouse gases, but also it is important to use less, until the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere return to the preindustrial levels.

For economic reasons people are encouraged to spend excessively, thereby increasing GDP, (to provide income for governments) and most spending needs energy to create the product or the experience. If the emphasis moved from transactional tax to Wealth Tax link and Green Tax link

Economic growth relies on ever more purchases and is dependent on energy to create those products hence making net zero less likely, if not impossible.

See https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/18/22539924/earth-trapping-heat-climate-change-nasa

The problem:- the world temperature is rising, causing more erratic changes in the climate, floods and droughts being the most obvious.

Some facts:- The sun produces more than enough energy to satisfy all the energy wants of the people on the planet.
We have the technology to gather this energy, transport it and to deliver it to where it is needed.

We know what is needed, all we need is the will to do it!  Many people are trying to fit schemes around the current economic system, using private companies and incentives to produce the action required.  This may work but I think it will take too long and many will suffer and die if action is not taken more urgently.

We have the money to set up a world-wide grid so why not do it? Longer term this would allow energy to be used as far as possible when it is being generated cutting down on the need to store it.

Short term, all products given a carbon footprint and taxed accordingly. Split the electricity market into two 1. Expense fossil fuels and Nuclear, 2 renewables much cheaper.

Through technology (Smart Metres) allow electricity to be used at the renewable cheaper rate and if the supplier changes to the expensive rate the system will inform the user and allow them to turn off appliances and visa-versa. Later to allow the system to automatically turn off/on appliances/circuits on the change of supply. Both saving the user money and the planet.

People do not know how much carbon is used in the creation of products. If tax was based the carbon footprint of all items much energy would be saved.

It WILL save the planet if we stopped using energy. Do you have enough stuff? Governments need to concentrate on and re/distribution of food and shelter. Governments need to tax wealth more against transactions so their income is not based on GDP.

The cause the light/heat from the sun is not escaping back into space at a sufficient rate to keep the earth at a steady range of temperatures.

Light from the sun interacts with the atoms/molecules it comes into contact with and warms them up.

If all the sun’s light was reflected the earth would temperature would drop to absolute zero, if none was reflected the temperature rise to unbearable levels and no life would be possible. To keep the temperature within an acceptable range is the challenge!

All animals contribute to global warming, all life contributes to biodiversity. Both global warming and biodiversity threaten the continuing existence of all kind.

The more greenhouse gases there are in the atmosphere the more heat/light is reflected back to the earth thereby increasing the chance of more dramatic climate change. Hence level zero is not good enough as the present droughts and floods around the world proves. We need to go negative.

The powerful, the superrich and politicians, should take control of the situation. All energy used contributes to global warming regardless of source while as long as fossil fuels are being consumed.

All actions undertaken should not be at the cost of biodiversity, which is as great a threat to human survival as global warming due to the law of unintended consequences. (i.e. we wipe out all the wasps, then we could get an influx of aphids.)

The poorest can do very little and they are the ones who will suffer most. Ironically the poor give the smallest contribution to global warming, while are most likely to suffer the most from the effects of climate change. (Many do not use electricity or energy of any sort except fire)

Many disasters can be argued are due to lack of biodiversity, like recent pandemics.

Order the book "Ecology of a Changed World" here

see resource comments "Ecology of a Changed World" here

B Alternative Power

Nuclear Power, this is an arguably a medium term solution, but I would not a long term one
The argument against nuclear power is
1. It creates energy like fossil fuels, without greenhouse gases.
2. The money could be better spent on creating small scale generation systems, wind, solar and water where transportation of power is kept to a minimum as well as building carbon zero homes.
3. Decommissioning creates contaminated waste for many years.
4. The lead in time is measured in years, action required now!

Solar,

Wind,

Hydro,

C What intergovernmental organisations/UN can do?

1.      Arrange a Climate Change Group of countries, to in effect Tax the export/import of fossil fuels. The monies collected would go towards renewable energy projects in the poorer/more at risk countries of the world under ownership/control of the Climate Change Group. All Nation States should be invited to join the new International Organization.

The CLIMATE CHANGE GROUP should

a.       Set up an international electricity grid of all member states

b.      Set up renewable energy schemes in the poorer countries in the world, who will receive 50% of the energy produced and 50% added to the electricity grid.

c.       Set up international installation of large reflectors to reflect the sun’s rays back into space so they don’t increase the heat on the planet. (eg on barren land, high flying sheets)

d.      All member states to receive a quantity of electricity free on a per capita basis. This could help raise the poor out of poverty.

e.       Tax and collect fossil fuels at point of extraction.

D What state governments can do?

1.      Split the energy market into two products,  1 for fossil fuels (highly taxed)  2 for green fuels (zero taxed)

2.      Increase tax on fossil fuels while giving grants to renewable sources.

3.      Tax all products on their “Carbon Content” each product would be placed in a band and taxed accordingly..

4.      Label all processed items with carbon cost in manufacture and transport.

5.      Encourage potential parents to keep their family size to a minimum, every human being contributes to global warming.

6.      Giving grants to local councils to build energy neutral/positive houses for long term lets to people in need of homes at zero rent, these should be of a minimum size per occupant.

7.      All new builds must be carbon neutral and if feasible contribute to the energy requirements of the society

8.      All new cars/commercial vehicles to be electric and the batteries used as overnight electricity for the owners house.

9.      Public transport subsidies should be increased financed by costs on private transport, including private/company “personal transport” this would include a fee if a plane was assumed to have fuelled in a nonparticipating country of Climate Change Group see above.

10.  Tax residential property on its square footage, every empty space takes heating. Set on sliding scale i.e. 15 square foot per person over 3 free, then £1 a square foot up to 30 square foot per property, then a sliding scale upwards. With all monies collected going to local councils.

11.  Increase tax on imported energy into any commercial property and residential property built under 3 above. If they don’t produce enough energy for their own use over any 12 month period. They will have to pay a premium for any extra energy required. All previous excess generation can be set against any future losses.

12.  Provide a free “Energy Storage Facility” for both residential/commercial properties to facilitate above.

13.  Tax pets as they do not contribute to biodiversity, and contribute to global warming. Horses, Cats and Dogs will be charged an annual fee. (say Horses £50 a year, Dogs £20 a year and Cats, which have a detrimental effect on biodiversity, £30 a year. To “off set” their effects while recognising the emotional requirements they provide to their owners.

14.  Encourage/enforce the use of waste disposal units and legislate that all waste disposal companies should other than clean the rubbish out of the waste they should also produce fertiliser for the farming industry. Thereby there would be less need to recycle food waste etc., if any.

15.  Minimal tax on carbon miles on all products by weight at point of sale. (proposed 5 levels local (within 50 miles) 0%, Regional (i.e. County/250 miles) 1%), country 2%, Continent 4% anywhere else 5%)

16.  Subsidise food production if carbon capture is greater than zero, after crop removed.

17.  Set up National Parks for wildlife and wildlife corridors

18.  Create incentives for all businesses to create their own energy creation systems.

E What local governments can do?

1.      Stop refuse collections from door steps, instead create bottle banks, paper banks and rubbish collection points. All rubbish/recyclable goods where useful at one time so the collection points should be close to the points of origin as well as in strategic places as decided by the council. (Disabled people get their goods provided by someone, that someone should take the waste away)

2.      Set up village halls/hubs, in conjunction with local secondary schools etc. as learning hubs between 9am and 5pm, for up to 4 days a week, during term time for remote learning, with internet access with intranet facilities to local secondary schools and local workers, hence saving on transport costs etc. These spaces also to be made available to home workers. (So they can “Go to work”) these could be linked to “Clock in/out facility” if businesses require it.

3.      Make all public properties carbon positive wherever possible

4.      Set up carbon storage, i.e. Landfill for carbon waste, i.e. cardboard/plastics.

5.      Set local Gobal Gas units to produce energy for local use and fertiliser generation.

6.      Create as many allotments as people that want them, to cut down on food miles.

7.      Organise green spaces litter picks etc.

8.      Plant trees in appropriate places, i.e. on the edge of roads between the road and cycle lane/pavement

9.      Invest in “green” public transport.

10.  Replace council tax with an annual accommodation tax based on the square of the residential building where the first 300 square foot free per adult over 18, (100 square foot for children over 3) living in the property, then an upward sliding scale to a maximum of £2 a square foot per person. All residential property that has no permanent residents should be charged at the maximum.

11.  Councils build property, with grants from central government see above, of the minimum size as defined above for various family units. And rent them out for rent dependent on income of the residents. Each property given a minimum rent. The occupants/tax unit (see E of the Manifesto)  will be charged according to their income and the rent will be increased according to their income. (All rent collected above the minimum rent, will be earmarked for the occupants/tax units (see E of the Manifesto), for a deposit on a property on the open market). This needs to be organised at the highest level of government thereby allowing people to move around and carry their “Housing fund” with them.

12.  All new build planning permission granted should include a positive contribution.

13.   Build minimum size homes for long term let,

14.  Create local energy collection/storage and distribution

F What individuals can do?

1.      Every action should be questioned. Is the action required? Is there a way of doing it with less energy?

2.      Every item you purchase needs carbon for its production and its delivery. No alternative fact!

3.      Pets make contributions to climate change and do nothing to mitigate it and so please think carefully about having them, especially cats as they kill millions of birds so threatening the biodiversity of our planet. All pets are net contributors to global warming, as the food they devour needs holds carbon, which the pet expels the global warming gases are put into the atmosphere.

4.      Give up where you can/want.

5.      Turn vegetarian/vegan it is more carbon/methane neutral to have a plant based diet.

6.      Grow your own produce due to your means.

7.       pick up litter when you see it.

8.      Generate your own electricity if you can.

G What scientists/professionals can do?

1.      Identify species under threat and recommend actions to governments.

2.      Produce a comprehensive list of plants and their carbon absorption

3.      “Which is best option in specific locations” such as an acre of wheat or an acre of trees in a specific location is better as far carbon is concerned.

4.      Finding ever more efficient methods of energy use and creation.

5.      Look at ways of exporting

 

H What business can do?

1.      Use green power when it is available.

2.      All staff where practical should be encouraged to work from home “Village hubs” see above.

 

 

Conclusion

Every individual contributes to global warming, as a general rule the more you spend more you contribute.

Annex 1 Green Taxes

Principally a sales tax based on carbon foot print of all products, allocated products into bands by greenhouse emissions.

Annex 2 Wealth Taxes

1.      On worldwide assets over a certain amount.

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