Two storms hit our seacoast in January, flooding Hampton and the surrounding areas. Additional storms in February and March have shown us how woefully unprepared we are to deal with the climate crisis. Seawalls will be rebuilt, basements will be pumped, floors and walls replaced. But at what cost? And who should be responsible for constant cleanups and rebuilding? The taxpayers? The developers who built on wetlands? The state or federal government? Or the oil and gas polluters who knew for 30 plus years that burning fossil fuels was causing environmental damage, raising global temperatures, and melting ice sheets.
The price tag to adapt to rising temperatures and sea levels is prohibitive. A more cost-effective approach is a carbon cash back program. This is an ever-increasing price on pollution at its source while giving the money back to every person as a dividend. They can retrofit their homes, buy a more efficient vehicle, or pay for the slightly higher cost of fuel. Polluting industries would have to adapt to cleaner technology to stay lucrative. We need to fight the climate crisis with every tool we have: reforestation, new technologies, clean energy, but carbon fee and dividend is the most productive tool. The fossil fuel companies have made a fortune while the rest of us pay to clean up the damage. Call your representatives and demand a price on pollution, it’s fast, its fair, and it works everywhere it’s been implemented
Danielle Molleur
Alton Bay