I recently attended an all candidates forum supported by SENS in the Schubert Centre. In the question period I quoted from the Vernon OCP where in the section 10.0 Energy is this not a small commitment: “Achieve carbon neutrality in City facilities and operations by 2012”.
Since we are now only a month from 2012, I asked the then mayor Lippert what was accomplished in this field, and if he can give us some quantitative estimate where we are now in achieving that goal?
He could not answer the percentage question, but he was pointing to improvements being made – light bulbs changed, light switches replaced with motion sensor activated, and other similar enhancements. All small potatoes in my opinion.
Discussion then turned to the so called Cap and Trade system. It seems to me, that city officials are already massaging us for the likelihood that starting in 2013 the City of Vernon must buy the so-called carbon credits, because it could not fulfill the commitment of carbon neutrality. So, Vernon taxpayers, be prepared to open your wallets wider.
However, this letter is about something else. It is about fact that the Cap and Trade system is a scam. Ideally it should work like this: somewhere in Amazon forest or in the jungle of Borneo there will be a tree (trees) with a sign on it – This tree was paid for by the citizens of Vernon, BC, Canada. Therefore, it is forbidden to cut this tree down! Imaginary, this tree is supposed to sink carbon dioxide from Vernon City facilities.
Now, imagine this poor Indonesian farmer who wants to add another small piece of land to his little field. Who is going to stop him from cutting this tree down? Certainly not the sign, he is illiterate. Needless to say that there are more hungry eyes eying this tree, some belonging to big corporations. Would there be a police officer assigned to guard each such tree?
As Tom Blees in his book Prescription for the planet writes: “Carbon trading is little more than an unconscionable scam to further fossil fuel business as usual, and should not be considered to be any sort of real solution to the environmental problems we face”.
And I can add only this – anyone who believes in the Cap-and-Trade can as well go and buy indulgencies for his sins, so he can sin more. It is the same concept. And money goes down the drain.
Nathaniel Royko, Vernon
