Asking a Favor for a Special Someone

The Blue Marble: our spaceship needs repairs. Now! 

I'm asking for a friend. Actually, our mother. Mother Earth. She's in very bad health now and in need of help. Pronto! We, her children, need to act on her behalf. Oh, she'll survive even if we continue to sit on our hands. But we won't.

So here's my ask: please write your Senator along the lines of the following. This is not the answer to climate change. It's an answer, but it could get the ball rolling in the right direction.

And thanks, on behalf of "Mom."

Dear Senator X:

I understand that the Senate is now in a position to decide whether to adopt a carbon fee and dividend program. I urge you to enthusiastically support this legislation.

We all expect to pay for the costs of sewers, garbage collection, and dump fees as a part of running our household while trying to maintain a safe and livable environment. We now know that we can’t afford (to put it mildly) to continue dumping excess carbon into our atmosphere. That’s why we need to put a price on carbon. A price will allow consumers to know the cost of carbon in the products and services they buy. They can then compare and purchase more carbon efficient (and thus cheaper) alternatives. Businesses that are more carbon-efficient (including American businesses selling abroad) will rightfully gain an advantage as a reward for their ingenuity and investment.

But the important corollary to a price on carbon is that the funds collected will be regularly paid to the American people as a dividend. (The funds will not go to fund the government, and thus the price isn’t a “tax.”) These regularly payable dividends would be divided equally among the American people. This scheme would favor low and moderate income individuals and families. The wealthiest among us, who also are by far the largest consumers of carbon (and therefore dump much more carbon into the atmosphere) would suffer a net deficit. But they’ll adjust.

A carbon border adjustment—to make sure that imports have a carbon price upon them—is another key component of this plan.

This program would be a major step forward in the transition to a low-carbon future. We need to do this now, because, as you no doubt know, the clock is running out on us. Also, you should note that this scheme has a broad range of support, from the Citizens Climate Lobby (where I heard first about this proposal) to the Climate Leadership Council, which includes a number of business organizations, corporations, non-profits, and prominent Republicans (James Baker III is currently at the forefront). And, best of all, there’s significant popular support for such a plan.

Thank you for your consideration. I will look forward to writing you to thank you for your active support and vote of this measure.