carbon footprints

I see a lot of posts expressing views similar to mine.

Can anyone still be in any doubt about what “carbon trading” is all about. It is about money, carbon credits purchased to offset carbon emissions. The question is who pays for those carbon credits?

Well the consumer does, Industry will transfer the expense through increased prices facing some reduction in market demand for their products and services. However, that will not be enough to achieve the reductions possibly being signed up to by our fearless Prime Minister, Krudd.

So that leaves the taxpayer to fill the deficit.

Most taxes are based on “user pays”, particularly things like GST.

It is reasonable that those who choose to procreate should experience a similar “user pays” principle.

RE “What Walters and Egger fail to take into account is that children create hope, not problems.”

Tell that to all the bums and stiffs who neglect contraception and their kids and expect society to pick up the tab for their irresponsible coupling.

We have to do something about population growth. Whilst many would suggest the Chinese “model” is draconian and I might agree, it would also be true to say, the Chinese are actually “doing something” and the outcome is.. birth rates of around 1.9 per family, instead of 5 a few decades ago.

For myself, I had 2 children followed by a vasectomy, easy and responsible.

(I received no federal funding, tax relief or acknowledgement from government for being so responsible)

I see no merit in family payments being used to encourage couples to sire more children than they can afford. Better the benefit of lower taxes be left in the pockets of the responsible members of the community, instead of being diverted to subsidise the profligate breeders.

"There's no need to means-test this. A frugal family with a high income can leave a lower ecological footprint than a low income family who's into disposable plastics." Lev, you are correct in theory, however its pretty safe to assume at least for 95% of the population that the higher the income, the higher the consumption. And our society works off the basis that consumption needs to grow.

Zahira, your link ignores the impact of additional water to wash cloth nappies (up to 12 a day), plus the cost of the detergent and its impact on the environment in terms of waste water and in its packaging and manufacture. Also, cloth nappies are generally cotton, and according to some, that's a crop that has a terrible impact on the environment. As to disposables, the impact is heavily related to the brand. A baby may go through 6 or more of the cheaper low-absorbency nappies a day, whereas the more expensive brands will generally only require 3-4 changes per day. The impact of this on landfill is significant. The more expensive ones may have more impact in their manufacturing process though - this I dont know enough about to comment on, so I just raise it as a point.

There are 100% biodegradable disposal nappies, though I admit I haven't tried them yet.

Ultimately, once all manufactured consumerables are made from largely from recycled, non-toxic materials, and fully biodegradable, and once all our energy sources have minimal negative ecologicaly impact, the average ecological footprint of even the wealthiest of us should be quite manageable. The question is how quickly can we get there, and to what extent can we rely on the consumer demand to push it there, as opposed to requiring government intervention.

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It would seem that the educated people birth control themselves out of existence while the not so educated continue to reproduce. Myself, I will procreate in the knowledge that this country has a declining birth rate, and will not really impact on the environment. Overpopulation is a problem caused by a few countries in Asia and Africa.

"Myself, I will procreate in the knowledge that this country has a declining birth rate, and will not really impact on the environment."

Don't kid yourself Davo. Already human faeces' plumes are contaminating our oceans and waterways affecting humans and marine life including our oysters where consumers have contracted hepatitis.

Australia's live animal exports see thousands of dead and diseased animals dumped overboard annually, along with tonnes of animal faeces and urine waste which I understand is also dumped into the oceans, contaminating marine life, depriving them of oxygen and creating algae blooms which are desecrating the eco systems.

Oceans now have 200 "dead zones." This number has doubled since the '90s. This "civilised" nation must take some responsibility.

Residents in the south-west of Western Australia have one of the largest ecological footprints in the world. WA alone has 362 threatened plants, 199 threatened animals and 69 threatened ecological communities.

And whilst we, the consumers, endeavour to find solutions to reduce our carbon footprint, the uncontrolled, third world regulatory standards permitted for pollutant industries allows this industry to maintain the status quo and increase carbon emissions each year where whole towns are encroached upon, are contaminated or bought out to satisfy this nations zest for economic "progress."

Those who believe we live in a "clean and green" environment and believe we can sustain an increase in population in this arid and parched country remain in La La Land.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VH3-4MH8BRR-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=39ea67875b18b3e4a9c48b69bcb20d86

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:JtZ1m6c77m8J:www.savingiceland.org/node/928+yarloop+contamination&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=au&lr=lang_en

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:VnnHil1dx6IJ:www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story/1/56510/Esperance-Port-apologises-for-lead-pollution+esperance+lead+final+report+criminal+negligence&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au&lr=lang_en

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:RRe9rnNjuYcJ:www.sprol.com/%3Fp%3D323+kwinana+pollution&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au&lr=lang_en

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:BTx7EF9lcoQJ:home.att.net/~thehessians/birds.html+dead+birds+western+australian+coastline+discovered+2007&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=au&lr=lang_en

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:8iO1qL6E11gJ:www.abc.net.au/stateline/wa/content/2006/s1671815.htm+underground+toxic+plume+bellevue&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au&lr=lang_en