RE: Europe, the US, and Environmentalism

[Baardwijk, J. van DTO/SLBD/BGM/SVM/SGM]

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: John D. Giorgis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Verzonden: Tuesday, July 17, 2001 5:50 AM
> Aan: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Onderwerp: Re: Europe, the US, and Environmentalism

> >These are all quite simple measures, but it definitely helps. And
> >because we have had this drilled into our heads for decades, for many
> >people those measures have become a normal part of their lives.
> >
> >How much of such campaigns have there been in the US? Not all that
> >many, I'm afraid.
> 
> Actually, there is a much better answer that a public-relations
> campaign. Simply tax energy for the relative cost it imposes on the 
> environment.   Do that, and the market will take care of itself.

A wonderful case of real life not conforming to theory. In addition to
public-awareness campaigns, the Dutch government did put an Eco-tax on
energy. However, I have not yet seen any evidence that Dutch households use
less energy because of it.


> If people want to leave the lights on, let them, just make sure they
> compensate the rest of us for the damage that they are doing.

That's not the aim of the campaigns and the Eco-tax. The purpose of the
entire exercise is not to tell people they must compensate for the damage
they do, the purpose is to get people to use less energy because it's better
for the environment.

The whole idea is that it's better to prevent damage, than to do damage
first and repair it later.

When you park your car, do you try not to bump into an other car, or do you
bump it into that other car and have the damage repaired later?


Jeroen

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