Call Me Uninformed

Now, Call Me “Ill”informed!

Last week I saw something completely new to me on National Public Television. That happens fairly frequently on NPT. Nevertheless, this segment floored me! I did not know that so-called “carbon credits” are actually being traded, you know, like bushels of corn. The financial show was interviewing the “Head Con Artist” of the “Chicago Climate Scheme”.(Actually, the Chairman of the Chicago Climate Exchange.)

Apparently, keep in mind that all this was established via political and arbitrary means, certain limits on CO2 gases emitted into the atmosphere have been established. Through this gobbledygook of some method such a percentage will be; you are allowed thus; trees absorb this amount; you plant so many; you buy this; you sell this; you are allowed so many credits; some participate, some don't; invest in sustainable; and finally it goes to the very socialist Millennium Development Goals. Wow! What a hoax!

To prove my point, emissions trading principles are based on proposals by the Technocracy movement of the 1930's. Technocracy proposed a system of Energy Accounting, or emissions trading, to promote “balanced and harmonious” development throughout the world. Doesn't that sound a lot like “can't we all just get along”. The thirties in the United States were a period when we came the closest to communism in our history. Nonetheless, we still ended up with many socialist programs as a trade off.

There are critics of the methods, mainly environmental justice NGOs and movements and anyone with common sense. They level accusations of failures in accounting, dubious science and the destructive impacts of projects upon local peoples and environments as reasons why trading pollution rights should e avoided.

But wait! If this hucksterism continues, we can make a fortune! Anyone living in serene surroundings like Montana or Colorado, etc. fax me all the clean air you can find. Don't worry, we can fake it just like the “greenies”. I'll then bag it, sell it for $10.00 each and split the proceeds with you and the Sun Gods of Outer Mongolia. Doesn't it make as much sense as trading so-called “carbon credits”?

Robert Wilson

Guest Commentator