Daily Kos: Lester Brown

Green Returns: Taxing Carbon - Not Your Income

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Thursday April 13, 2006 · 12:52 PM PDT

2006/04/13 · 12:52

This week, as Americans are rushing to file their income taxes, many of their counterparts in several European countries are benefiting from a steady decline in income taxes, as governments lower taxes on income and raise taxes on environmentally destructive activities -- like burning gasoline or coal. The purpose of this tax shifting is to incorporate the "real environmental costs" of products and services - an important theme in my book, Plan B 2.0- into market prices. Read More

Wind Energy Demand Blowing Past Supply

Lester Brown

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Wednesday March 22, 2006 · 11:41 AM PST

2006/03/22 · 11:41

Tomorrow, Austin Energy, a publicly owned utility in Austin, Texas will hold our nation's first green energy raffle. The raffle is a seminal moment in the transition to the 21st century or Plan B energy economy, highlighting the economic feasibility - and long term dominance - of renewable energy sources, most notably wind energy.

In 2000, when Austin Energy unveiled their GreenChoice program, customers paid a premium for the renewable energy based program. Over the last 5 years however, climbing prices for natural gas coupled with the dropping prices of wind, pulled conventional electricity costs above those of wind-generated electricity. This reality had an immediate impact in markets across the country. In Austin this meant a dramatic increase in demand for their GreenChoice program, actually growing beyond their current wind supply and ultimately forcing the company to hold tomorrow's raffle. Read More

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