Green Update: Minnesota Taxes Carbon Emissions…from North Dakota

It can cost more to be an environmentally-responsible manufacturer (at least initially), so how does government level the economic playing field for a manufacturer who uses renewable energy? By levying carbon tariffs against a competitor who pollutes, reports Boing Boing.

Minnesota recently passed a measure to stop CO2 at its border with North Dakota. To encourage the switch to clean, renewable energy, Minnesota plans to add a fee (ranging from $4 to $34 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions) to the cost of coal-fired electricity produced in North Dakota, beginning in 2012. Besides being the greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions, coal has been implicated in asthma, diabetes, heart disease and neurological damage.

State officials in North Dakota—who are arguing that the carbon tariff would unfairly discourage coal-powered electricity sales in favor of renewable energy—are suing the state of Minnesota, the Bismarck Tribune reports. Anticipating this, Minnesota has set aside a half million dollars to fund its fight.

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A Green Lining in a Big Grey Cloud?

I just read a story designed to gladden the hearts of everyone with an interest in environmentalism, sustainability or living green. In 2008 — at least in part as a result of the economic meltdown and volatile fuel prices — U.S. public transit ridership reached its highest levels ever in 52 years: nearly 11 billion trips. What’s more, for 2008 as a whole, the total number of miles driven dropped nearly 4% — almost 108 billion fewer miles than in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Despite falling gas prices, many people are sticking with public transportation to save money, according to Rosemary Sheridan, vice president at the American Public Transportation Association. However, the "doomsday budget” recently passed by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) probably didn’t figure in Ms. Sheridan’s prediction. MTA will be raising fares significantly, while scaling way back on services … a move that’s making millions of New York commuters unhappy and threatening our dainty carbon footprint.

Bummer! To paraphrase the lyrics of one of the greatest songs by one of the greatest rock bands ever: It looks like “every silver lining’s got a touch of grey.” We’ve got to get ourselves back to the green.

Fie on Your Green Buzzwords

Last month, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) published its 34th annual list of “Words to Be Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness”. At the top of the list for 2009 was “green” and all of its variations (e.g., “going green,” “green technology” and “green solutions”).

Other words condemned by the word mavens at LSSU include two more environmental terms — “carbon footprint” and “carbon offsetting” — plus “maverick,” “first dude,” “bailout” and “Wall Street/Main Street,” among others.

The List of “Words to Be Banished” was originally conceived in 1975 by former LSSU public relations director Bill Rabe and his colleagues. The LSSU PR office receives thousands of nominations every year from people targeting pet peeves from common parlance, current events, politics, technology, advertising, sports and entertainment. A committee makes the final selection of “Words to Be Banished” in late December.


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