|
|
|
- A horrifying story about U.S. immigration (52 comments)
- Security: A better, cheaper lock for your luggage (25 comments)
- When good deals disappear: The old bait and switch? (41 comments)
- Girlfriend Getaways: Where are you headed? (45 comments)
- Unfair treatment on cruises? (66 comments)
Comments (1)
Print
Save/ShareJudging by the impassioned responses we got to our recent post about sustainable travel, this is a hot topic no matter which side of the issue you're on. The questions we asked [about how much extra you'd pay for "green travel"] were hypothetical, but today we came across a real-life example:
How would you feel about a $5-per-head surcharge on all air travelers to the Caribbean region? The money—potentially more than $60 million a year—would go toward helping the region prepare for the inevitable results of climate change, such as coastal flooding, stronger hurricanes, and deterioration of coral reefs.
The proposal came from Ulric Trotz, science advisor to the Caricorn Climate Change Centre in Belize, and was pitched to delegates at the Caribbean Tourism Conference.
I'll kick off the debate by saying that I'd be happy to pay the surcharge. After all, by flying to the Caribbean, I am, like it or not, generating one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions by flying in a plane. The least I can do is offset that damage, even in a small way, by also funding efforts to counter the effects of those greenhouse gases. And compared to a plane ticket to the Caribbean, which would no doubt set me back a couple hundred dollars, $5 is nothing. I spent more than that on a coffee and muffin last time I was in an airport.
EARLIER: What "green travel" is worth to other blog readers.
POLL: Fees for trees? In an online survey last spring, our readers voted against a proposed "green tax" on flights.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
any surcharge to "offset" greenhouse gases is another bogus attempt to tax the citizen. we don't know how much of the $5 is actually going toward the planting of a tree - we don't know what or who is behind the management of the funds - and, we still do not know if this greenhouse effect should be stopped. maybe, we will actually see positive effects from the earth warming; more plant life, for example, which equals more food. The whole 'green' movement is behaving as irresponsibly as those who throw styrofoam out their windows. This airplane 'surcharge' is just another tax to pad the pockets of this new BIG BUSINESS; the environmental movement.
Posted By anthony on October 29, 2007, 2:30 PM