Letter for Action

If you agree with the following requests, please feel free to copy and paste into an email to send to the government. I am currently trying to post this as a petition, but need to fiqure out how first. I will soon post some email addresses for officials you may want to send this and any other info to.
P.S. you can skip to the summary at the end to get the gist.

Letter for Action


While it is wonderful to see our government finally taking an interest in our environment, and we fully support any and all efforts, we decided to offer some suggestions for real concrete actions we would like to see take place.

1.) First, the worst - vehicles. We all know vehicle pollute and emit greenhouse gases. Yet car manufactures are still pumping out bigger and thirstier and they are allowed. We would like to see car manufacturers take responsibility for the future – theirs and ours. While some have made small attempts, it is not enough. We would like to see the production of gasoline run vehicles terminated within five to ten years. All new vehicles produced from then on should be electric, hydrogen fuel cell or bio diesel and range within the same prices as vehicles do today so they may still be affordable. Current gas stations should be converted to renewable energy stations.
In the meantime a “No Idle Zone” should be implemented in every school while parents gather their children.
To compliment this, gas prices should be higher for older gas cars still on the road and parking downtown should be raised as well to encourage more transit travel. The extra money can be put into programs such renewable fuel stations, better transit systems, and/or monthly transit passes (zone dependant on their place of work, school, and home) issued to low income individuals, and the government tax reimbursement for those who buy their own monthly transit passes which is currently in place should continue.
As far as air travel is concerned, it should be required that a carbon neutral tax be added to each flight ticket.

2.) Another major polluter is the energy used and wasted in our homes and businesses. To tackle this all new homes and buildings should be built using renewable materials and fitted either with ground source / geo thermal energy or solar energy. The energy that is stored and saved from these new buildings can be sold for a small (regulated) price to older homes and buildings wishing to satisfy their conscience and public responsibility. Private energy companies wanting to cash in can help fund older buildings to be fitted with solar panels (or chosen renewable energy source) with the agreement that the energy company receives the extra energy to sell for a small (again regulated) price. Again the government program to reimburse homeowners to refit their homes with energy saving devices should remain. Renters could also be involved if home or building owners add utilities in the rent for the same price as the renter pays on their own so that the home or building may be fitted with solar panels or the choice of renewable energy from the owner.

3.) Also relating to homes and businesses is the sticky subject of recycling and waste management. While we should not have to be babysat, but given the option, many individuals and even more businesses do not recycle. We would like to see our big babysitter government make mandatory that every home and building must recycle.
Should it be discovered that certain individuals or businesses are not complying there should be very heavy fines. Recycling receptacles should be required in every home, office and building with no fees or deposits. However, there should be fees and deposits on many more things than just bottles. For example, plastic bags, electronics, furniture, disposable coffee cups, pretty much anything that can be recycled. Think – more jobs! Also, we would like to see a big push for biodegradable plastics and containers with perhaps a polluter’s fee on such products as Styrofoam and non-biodegradable or recyclable products.
Moving on to the waste management at our dumps. Although some sites do collect the methane emitted from the decomposing rot, we would again like to see this captured energy mandatory.

4.) Speaking of methane, factory farmed meat should not come cheap. The animals pay a high price for their meat in pain and humans pay a high price for their meat in pollution, water consumption, medical costs and disease control costs. There is no need for meat to be obtained this way. It is healthier and should be cheaper to farm the animals humanely.
Higher taxes should be billed to factory farms with funds going to help sustainable and humane farms create healthier living facilities for the animals.
The same should also apply to pesticide using produce farms. Organic produce is more expensive due to the high costs of licenses, which we all need in order to regulate. However, these farms are not only doing the earth but also society as well. Therefore, we propose higher polluter’s tax on chemical using farms, which will go to fund the licenses for organic farms, bringing the price down.

5.) Lastly, for any product or company who still insists on polluting (incandescent lights and non-low flow toilets, etc.), we expect higher taxes, with more government funding for sustainable programs and green energy.

We, The People and all the inhabitants of Earth, thank you for taking the time to consider our requests. Your children and theirs will also thank-you for doing what is right.

Sincerely,

Nicole




Summary:


1.) Vehicles:

Discontinue production of gasoline internal combustion engines within 5-10 years. Any new car after must be either, electric, hydro fuel, biodiesel, or solar.

“No Idle Zone”at all schools

Higher parking meter and gas prices. Funds go into renewable refilling stations, improved transit systems, monthly bus passes for low income individuals, and continued tax reimbursements of monthly passes.

All flights should have “Carbon Neutral” tax attached to price.

2.) Homes and Buildings:

All new homes and buildings built with renewable materials and fitted with either ground source, geo thermal, or solar energy.

The energy saved can be sold at a regulated price to older homes and buildings.

Private companies can help fund older places to be fitted with renewable energy sources with agreement that they keep and sell stored energy.

Government funding programs to assist home and building owners to fit homes with energy saving products.

3.) Recycling and Waste:

Recycling must be mandatory for all homes and businesses.

Those who do not must pay heavy fines.

Fees and Deposits on reusable disposable items such as plastic bags, beverage cups, furniture, electronics, etc.

Push for more use of biodegradable products and higher taxes on ones that are not such as Styrofoam and many plastics.

Dump sites should be required to capture methane energy.
4.) Meat and Produce Farming:

Higher taxes for factory farmed meat and chemical using produce farms with funds going to help organic and free range farms pay for their licenses to bring the cost of sustainable, humane, healthy food down to an affordable rate.

5.) Polluter Tax:

Companies and products creating wasteful products or services should pay a polluter’s tax based on the amount they waste.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/globalwarmingactions