My Debt Blog

I had some sort of government consumer group agent come to my door this weekend wanting to see my gas bill. According to my gas bill I qualified for a rate lock on the amount I pay for each them of natural gas I use. So I won’t pay more than that if the price ever goes up. It got interesting when he got to the point of what he was really after. They also have this optional program where I could pay $4 a month to buy carbon credits to offset my carbon emissions. To me it does not make sense to pay more money to continue living the way I am and claiming the green title. I said “no” but it made me think about the other stuff.

Look at organic groceries in the stores. Why is it that the organic stuff always seems to cost more and is sold under a claim that it is better for you? If it is organic then it costs less to grow cheaper produce, why isn’t the savings passed along to the consumer? I think it is pretty bold to claim the green title by buying all organic food, you’re paying more of your resources and they make a greater profit in the end using the organic buzzword.

Along side the organic food, I see more and more ads for E-85 gas because it contains more ethanol. Ethanol comes from corn and can produce higher octane gas for most cars. The problem with this is it costs more to produce ethanol than regular unleaded gas refined from oil. Granted the price of oil is getting very high right now, and it cost more to drive anywhere period.

Global warming is not our fault or due to our carbon output. Carbon is a necessary element to life, and the greatest source of carbon emission comes from nature itself and it also creates more life. Climate change is cyclical and we have warming and cooling periods every 1,500 years. With that said this does not give someone the right to pollute the air or water just because they can.

So what am I doing by not buying into this scam? I recycle paper, metal, and plastic and don’t feel the slightest need to be paid for my efforts. I have found CFL light bulbs make a big difference in my electric bill, not because I’m doing anything for the planet. Grow your own produce in a garden if you’re able to. A company throwing the green theme and carbon buzzwords around is a pure marketing gimmick. Turn lights off in rooms you’re not in, don’t let the water run, and know that you are considering the planet and your wallet at the same time. Paying for carbon credits to offset your lifestyle is a total Ponzi scheme. Change your lifestyle and don’t expect your credit to be worth anything more than your big ego.

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