Chapter 9. Conserving Non-Renewable Resources.

[Ted]

Discussion of "Conserving Nonrenewable Resources"

[Ted]

I thought this chapter's discussion of non renewable resources was very well done. In particular the way in which "scarcity" is defined as "market scarcity" really brings out what the 21st century is likely to see regarding non renewables.

It isn't simply that some of these resources are in danger of completely running out (although I think that is a concern for some) but the fact that, for the reasons discussed on pages 101-106, many of the foundation materials upon which our society is based are in significant danger of this "market scarcity" pricing them right out of availability.

The final section, "Creating a Circular Economy", is both informative and fairly optimistic, pointing out some of the initiatives now being pushed in this area.

[Erica]

I thought the idea of switching from an income tax to a consumption tax as a way of discouraging resource use was interesting (p. 108). It seems like a pretty good argument for a consumption tax, but I can't recall every hearing this rationale for it. I imagine that is because I learned about various taxes from economics classes - and economists tend to emphasize the importance of growth (see the argument in Chapter 3!).

[Ted]

The consumption tax mentioned would be on very specific types of goods I suppose. I think (from looking at the Wiki article on "consumption tax") that's it's a bit of a vague concept, applied to taxes from Value Added Taxes to sales taxes and everywhere in between.

What it definitely isn't is an income tax. Anyway you're right, it is interesting.

Speaking of taxes, I believe some European countries, maybe Germany (?) have levied taxes on carbon emissions of certain types, and used the proceeds to lower income taxes for less affluent citizens so it's only more affluent people who actually get nailed for higher net taxes from the carbon tax.