RE: Europe, the US, and Environmentalism

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

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: John D. Giorgis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Verzonden: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 3:33 AM
> Aan: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Onderwerp: RE: Europe, the US, and Environmentalism

> >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.
> 
> Which, I am guessing, is probably because you haven't seen *any*
> evidence, one way or the other, right?

Wrong. Dan has repeatedly quoted figures that show an *increase* in energy
consumption in The Netherlands. If the Eco-tax would have the effect you
claim it has, then why hasn't energy consumption gone down?


> >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.
> 
> That's silly.....   How did the government settle on the size of the
> tax?

Through negotiations between government, oil companies and consumer
organisations, I think...   :-)


> >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?
> 
> Well, if someone bumped my car and did $100 of damage, and I valued my
> time at $50 in lost time to repair it, and the guy who bumped my car
> was ordered to pay me $200, I wouldn't mind so much.

That was not what I asked. Re-read the question.

And what do you mean, "ordered to"? Do you Americans take *everything* to
court? Aren't you capable of settling things between yourselves without a
lawsuit? If I bump my car into an other car, it will most likely be settled
between me and the other person, or between my and the other person's car
insurance.


Jeroen

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