To the Editor,
A recent letter regarding the carbon tax repeated several misleading claims along with surprisingly good information. It reminded me of a presentation by a member of Adult Children of Alcoholics to a class at seminary. Alcoholics Anonymous at that time refused to have anything to do with ACA. Their members resisted acknowledging they had caused enduring harm to their children. Today millions of people refuse to acknowledge their actions are causing harm through contributing to factors accelerating climate change. Climate scientists integrated the three natural astronomical cycles that affect climate on earth with knowledge and data (actual measured information) to identify several factors impacting the current changing climate. Only one of those factors can be influenced by changes in human behaviour: the production of greenhouse gases. Please note that I wrote “influenced” and “accelerating”. We do not control any of the factors.
In addition to helping accelerate the warming of the planet, the burning of fossil fuels increases air pollution where they are burned, including methane and gasoline, and contributes to soil, water, and air pollution where they are extracted, processed, and refined. The carbon tax, while promoted by the Liberal government as for the good of the climate, can also be considered a tax protecting our health. It can encourage people to reduce their use of fossil fuels. Our choices include driving less, such as by using public transit if available; driving more responsibly, such as by idling less or driving conservatively; using more fuel-efficient vehicles; and switching to electric vehicles. We can improve the insulation in our homes, turn down the heat, and choose to purchase smaller homes.
Wealthier people pay considerably more carbon tax than the rest of us and do not get the Climate Action rebates that many or most people receive in their bank accounts ($200 last month). The wealthy are among the resisters to the tax and fund some of the misinformation along with oil companies who also oppose the tax.
Many supporters of the tax are unrealistic in what can result from the use of the tax. I support slowing down the acceleration of climate change so we can have more time to adapt. I want my children and grandchildren to have the best situation possible to live their lives and that requires reducing burning fossil fuels. I also want people most vulnerable to our changing climate to have as much time as possible to mitigate and adapt. I believe we, as users of fossil fuels, have a moral duty to help pay for the adaptations and mitigations needed. We burn more fossil fuels per person than almost any other nation on the earth and are among the wealthiest.
Sincerely,
Jim Kenney
East Hawkesbury
