Climate Change

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By JOSEPH B. WHITE

The argument over whether climate change is a real problem is largely settled in Washington.

What to do about climate change? That debate is at a boil.

Under a bill being considered in the House of Representatives, companies that generate greenhouse gases -- and their customers -- could face steadily escalating costs for using fossil fuels. But businesses could keep those costs in check by investing in technology to change their carbon-dioxide-spewing ways. The legislation would require companies to obtain permits to emit polluting greenhouse gases, and the total number of permits available in the U.S. would be capped. If new technology or efficiencies lower their emissions, businesses could sell excess permits to other companies.

Europe has been using this approach, dubbed "cap and trade," for several years. But it is far from clear whether the system will win over U.S. lawmakers. One reason is that some political leaders are listening to the kind of doubts about the effectiveness of a cap-and-trade system put forward by a number of prominent thinkers on environmental issues.

Some of them assert that Europe's experience with cap and trade shows that the system on its own has a negligible impact on pollution. It would make more sense, they say, to spend money on developing clean-energy technology. Others say the focus on cap and trade has diverted attention from the need for better strategies to reduce energy use.

All I know is the simple truths I live with day to day. (It is freezing here in the North East, Martha's Vineyard was the coldest spot in the country this morning with the temperature of 35 degrees). Are their any factories in our country? Are their any factories in our country in production? I know I repeat myself when I say: We have no factories left in this town. I know the leather factories were smelly and offensive to some, but to others they were pride and a fine pay check and taxes going to the government. China and Mexico have these factories and industries now. Are we all the better for it?