05/05/2008 10:55 AM

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A Great Idea: Carbon Trading for the People Page 2

Ireland's Idea

Ireland is seriously considering a similar plan, which could be enacted as soon as December. Under the "cap and share" proposal, an independent trust would set a cap for gasoline and diesel consumption. The total allowable tons of CO2 would be divided equally among the adult population, giving each person one share. Companies that want to import fuel into Ireland would need shares to sell it there. 

Many people would end up selling shares to companies, and brokers would spring up to help them. The ability to sell shares would compensate for the inevitable increase in gas prices. 

Skeptics criticize the concept of personal carbon trading as "big brother" and an administrative nightmare, and would surely be difficult to get implemented in the U.S. But if the UK implements it and the perceived threat of global warming intensifies, it will have a better chance. The public has actually supported the idea in surveys conducted in the UK, where people know "something has to happen."

We pay to have our garbarge dumped in landfills, why not pay to have it dumped into the atmosphere?

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Rona Fried, Ph.D. is President of SustainableBusiness.com

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