The planet’s living systems have been damaged to the extent that a new geologic epoch has arrived — the Anthropocene. Ian Angus, author of “Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System,” said this has been done in about 60 years.
To dismiss Initiative 732 because the writing didn’t include women and minorities is ludicrous. Given the crisis at hand, it doesn’t matter if it was written by Dick Cheney. It’s disappointing to see conservation organizations object to it because the tax goes to general revenue rather than renewable energy. Putting carbon tax in general revenue and lowering the high sales tax chips a bit from our regressive tax structure and benefits those of modest income. The stand by conservation organizations is shallow thinking given the gravity of the situation. Continued life on this planet isn’t a given. I-732 is a step to a different economic system.
