Carbon-Free For Thee, But Not For Me

[BPSCG]

The U.S. House of Representatives has abandoned a plan to make its offices "carbon neutral," a sign that Congress is wrestling with a pledge to become more green even as it crafts sweeping legislation on climate change.

The promise that the House would effectively reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero was a centerpiece of the Green the Capitol program in which the new Democratic leadership sought to use Capitol Hill as a kind of a national demonstration project.

But last week, a spokesman for the House's chief administrative officer said the chamber's leadership had dropped an essential part of the plan, the purchase of "carbon offsets" to cancel out emissions from its buildings. Offsets are a controversial commodity that promises that a certain amount of pollution was captured or avoided elsewhere.

"Right now, there is no plan to purchase more offsets," spokesman Jeff Ventura said. The House paid $89,000 for offsets to cover the last session, in 2007 and 2008.

The decision comes as legislators also struggle with the future of the Capitol Power Plant: Hundreds of demonstrators with Greenpeace, the Rainforest Action Network and other groups will protest tomorrow against the plant's continued use of coal.

Both issues, the proper use of offsets and the right way to clean up old smokestacks, will probably come up in the national debate over climate change measures expected this year.

Congress is learning that even in its back yard, the weeds get pretty deep.

"It's very easy to make glib promises and a heck of a lot harder to follow through with real action" on climate change, said Frank O'Donnell of the nonprofit group Clean Air Watch. "In the cold light of reality, I guess, they're saying, 'Gee, it's not going to happen very easily.' "

Link

In other news:

The cost of energy for consumers would be driven higher in President Barack Obama's proposed budget by a carbon cap-and-trade system that is projected to raise about $80 billion a year starting in 2012.

The budget assumes the U.S. adopts the cap-and-trade system that would set limits on the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that industries can emit, and allow companies to buy and sell rights to emit those gases. The budget assumes a starting price of $20 per ton for carbon emissions, an amount that Mr. Obama's aides says is conservative and would likely rise.

Buying carbon offsets is too expensive for Congress. But it won't be too expensive for your local power plant. That's because your local power plant will just pass the cost on to you. You don't mind, do you?

 

[Darat]

The article you quote does not say that they are not paying for carbon offsets because of their costs. Did you mean to quote a different article?

 

[Just thinking]

What would this do to those of us with fireplaces? --- the real ones that get used.

 

[Puppycow]

I'm dubious that carbon offsets are a good use of money considering that every time you spend money there is an opportunity cost. So, I'm glad that they aren't spending money on that.

Cap & Trade is another matter. A straight carbon tax actually makes more sense, but it contains the 'T' word so it's not politically viable. But assuming that there are offsetting tax cuts so that it's revenue neutral, Cap & Trade could actually save you money if you adopt an energy-efficient lifestyle. Conceivably, there could come a point where if there's enough clean energy produced, we would have to go back to the old tax policies because either a carbon tax or Cap & Trade would not generate enough revenue.

 

[Puppycow]

What would this do to those of us with fireplaces? --- the real ones that get used.

That's 'biomass' fuel. Considered clean IIRC.

 

[Beerina]

What would this do to those of us with fireplaces? --- the real ones that get used.

They should give us awards since we probably use them a hell of a lot less than those fraudulent fireplaces that run on gas with a flip of the switch.

Oooooh! Cement logs painted to look like burned wood!

 

[WildCat]

That's 'biomass' fuel. Considered clean IIRC.

"Considered", there's a loophole you could drive a locomotive through.

Sideways.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Link

In other news:
Buying carbon offsets is too expensive for Congress. But it won't be too expensive for your local power plant. That's because your local power plant will just pass the cost on to you. You don't mind, do you?

I guess Congress is realizing that it's a lot easier to impose unworkable rules on others, and to try to force them to obey, than it is to obey such unworkable rules themselves.

 

[Roadtoad]

And people bitched because Newt Gingrich insisted that Congress ought to be subject to the same laws they insist we obey.

If you vote for an incumbent in the next Congressional election, you're an idiot. Especially if you live in Sacramento County.

 

[Seanette]

And people bitched because Newt Gingrich insisted that Congress ought to be subject to the same laws they insist we obey.

If you vote for an incumbent in the next Congressional election, you're an idiot. Especially if you live in Sacramento County.

Or California in general, considering the legislooter ineptitude. I just love how Octomom gets her state money (for that oh-so-important shopping, getting nails done, plastic surgery, further IVF, etc.) before Bob and I get back the excess money Little Brother grabbed from the paychecks we WORKED for.

 

[Roadtoad]

Or California in general, considering the legislooter ineptitude. I just love how Octomom gets her state money (for that oh-so-important shopping, getting nails done, plastic surgery, further IVF, etc.) before Bob and I get back the excess money Little Brother grabbed from the paychecks we WORKED for.

Touche, Madame! Would someone PLEASE explain to me why any of that should have been been paid for out of state funds when we have people who actually WORK for a living getting screwed out of their hard earned money?

(Heh. Liked that reworked name: "Legislooter." You're too kind, kiddo.)

I'd rather see the thugs downtown doing without their state-funded private cars, and the money put into the CSU and UC systems. Or maybe they could do something unique, like fix that disaster called I-680, particularly as you get closer to San Jose. Or, hell, maybe they could actually keep violent offenders in prison.

Just a thought.

 

[Earthborn]

Buying carbon offsets is too expensive for Congress. But it won't be too expensive for your local power plant.

Is this another confusion of carbon credits with carbon offsets? 'Cause they are not the same thing, you know.

That's because your local power plant will just pass the cost on to you. You don't mind, do you?

Not really, no.

 

[Seanette]

I'd rather see the thugs downtown doing without their state-funded private cars, and the money put into the CSU and UC systems. Or maybe they could do something unique, like fix that disaster called I-680, particularly as you get closer to San Jose. Or, hell, maybe they could actually keep violent offenders in prison.

Just a thought.

You make sense to me. Planning to run for office?

Yeah, I know, here in CA, someone who actually THINKS, rather than playing the "feel good" game, has less than zero chance of being elected.