Carbon Taxing Food

New EPA rules could conceivably be interpreted to mean that livestock producers will be required to pay a carbon tax based on the number of animals on their premises. This is absolutely crazy. It will drive enough producers out of business that the cost of food in the form of animal proteins will go sky high. The last time that I looked, food was somewhat important to life on this planet. Below is just one of numerous related articles.

Livestock industry raises stink over EPA report on air pollution

If you think about it, livestock are converting unusable carbon into edible carbon. A cow converts grass into beef. Would you rather be eating grass or beef?

Most of the beef in our grocery stores comes from corn-fed cattle. That corn is raised by farmers who use diesel to fuel their tractors. That diesel will also be taxed. So, that means livestock producers in this instance will be subject to double taxation if a "cow" tax is implemented. Our country -- the world -- has lost its ever-loving mind over "climate change" when in fact, 2008 will be the coolest year of the decade. What is the world coming to????!

What Is A Carbon Offset?

This is a question that I believe many people are asking --

Probing Question: What are carbon offsets?

Thursday, December 13, 2007

By Lisa Duchene
Research Penn State

While most Americans are aware that they increase carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel to drive their cars and heat their homes, they tend to think less about the greenhouse impacts of other daily activities.

According to Tim Considine, professor of natural resources at Penn State, people shouldn't forget that half of the electricity they use for everything from toasting their morning bagels to running their computers is generated by coal-fired power plants.

Carbon emissions are considered to be...(complete article here).

I wonder if I could get someone to pay me to plant tree rows around my pasture?

Trees for Uganda

Let's hope the tree planting will also provide a few jobs...

Uganda plans to boost forest cover

By Tim Cocks
KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda will plant millions of trees in the next four years at a cost of $253 million, as it tries to restore dwindling forest cover to 30 percent of its area from 22 percent, the government said on Wednesday.

Like many African countries, Uganda suffers from rampant deforestation that dries up rivers, triggers soil erosion and threatens wildlife, especially birds and primates.

But officials in the east African country also want the massive tree planting exercise to...(complete article here).

I hope they plant a diverse mix of trees rather than selecting one or two species and only planting them. An approach that approximates the normal species mix of the surrounding wild forest would be best for wildlife.

I also am not a big fan of "carbon offset credits." Plant the trees because of the benefits to your country, not as an international bargaining chip -- although you can't blame them for trying to get all they can out of the initiative.