Time for that Low Carbon Diet

On June 10, the SFT board voted to endorse the national efforts of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, an organization of over 7,000 volunteers coast to coast who perpetually lobby Congress on behalf of a revenue-neutral carbon tax (“carbon fee and dividend”). This approach to reducing fossil CO2 has the advantage of allowing for large scale reductions in a short time, without placing an undue burden on the poor or dragging down the economy – indeed, a 2014 REMI study found that it would actually improve GDP by up to $85 billion per year. Coupled with a border tax on carbon-using products, CF&D would also have the effect of persuading other countries to adopt a similar carbon fee of their own.

Coincidentally, June is the month of CCL’s International Conference in DC. Several members of the San Francisco chapter, including SFT member Joni Eisen, spent June 20-23 lobbying our Congressional delegation and learning how to increase the effectiveness of their efforts.

While CCL is not a local organization, the issue it deals with is crucial to San Francisco, as climate change will have major impacts throughout the Bay Area, and mitigation is absolutely essential. The SF Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed fee and dividend in September of 2014.

For more information go to citizensclimatelobby.org.

—  Jeff Whittington