Reigning in Runaway Exploitation
I recently received a reply to a question I answered and want you to help me fully understand it and the many things it refers to. Here is the original question: “How will humanity make amends for the centuries of abuse of the ecosystems upon which we depend?” Here is my answer: By using a cap and trade mechanism to make our stake in it more tangible. Suppose we created a currency to represent our shared ownership of our environment. Let’s call it a collar because it rhymes with dollar and hints at its utility in helping us control our ecological footprint. Everything we consume would subsequently have two prices; the normal one reflecting the cost, and a secondary one reflecting the impact that product or service has on the environment. Everyone is given an equal number of collars every month reflecting our equal right to use our shared environment. A commodities market would exist to trade collars. Those people wishing to have a greater than a...