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Paying for green investment
2 June, 2009 - 23:01
Some proposals for cutting carbon emissions are free or make a saving (let's stop widening motorways please). But others, such as investing in public transport infrastructure and renewable energy come at a cost. So I was reminded of this article which suggested what the Government could save money on - Trident (£20bn+), identity cards (£15-19bn), the Olympic village (eventual £ who knows?), the NHS IT system... http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/23/tax-olympic-games
Any other ideas?
14 June, 2009 - 22:30
#2
Well MPs' expenses, obviously, but there's lots more. Military trade shows and bullying - Iraq, Afghanistan etc. Centralisation and big new you-have-to-travel-to-them centres be they schools, hospitals, shopping centres or whatever. As has been said before "Small is beautiful" and we should rekindle that understanding. And then there is the expressed desire to stoke up the "Global economy" once more. Please, will they ever learn?
23 June, 2009 - 14:10
#3
Monbiot's answer in the Guardian: cut the £38 billion defence spending by 90%
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/22/debt-crisis-environment-defence-spending
25 June, 2009 - 11:53
#4
Yes cut out unnecessary expenditure but:-
We need to face the reality that Taxes should rise to pay for green investment. This is no bad thing since we want to get away from the consumer society and stop spending money on junk products.
I believe we should be taxed at a rate which enables all public transport to be "free", ie paid by taxation. This does not, of course include air travel which should be much more heavily taxed. It should also cover the improvement in the insulation of all the existing housing stock.
25 June, 2009 - 23:34
#5
About insulation.
Here I reckon we have a strange dynamic. Energy companies say they need to build new power stations to supply increased demand and to replace older power stations. If, however, they spend the money on insulating homes, and I mean really insulating, then they don't need the new power stations. Yes, we are talking billions of pounds here, tens of billions, but this saves everyone money, generators and consumers. And it cuts carbon release. A win win win situation and it needs no government taxes at all. Clever, eh?
A tax on meat and dairy would be good, and put the profits into subsidising organic vegetable matter (fruit, vegetables, bread etc.) so that everyone can afford organic produce.