Search Results for 'carbon tax'

Arup, a professional services firm providing engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment, and Shanghai Industrial Investment Corporate, as a client, have planned the world’s first purpose-built eco-city. Dongtan, located on the island of Chongming, near Shanghai, China, is designed not only to be environmentally sustainable, but also socially, economically and culturally sustainable.

Its goal is to be as close to carbon neutral as possible, with city vehicles that produce no carbon or particulate emissions and highly efficient water and energy systems. Dongtan will generate all of its energy needs from renewable sources including bio-fuels, wind farms and photovoltaic panels. A majority of Dongtan’s waste will be reused as biofuel for additional energy production and organic waste will be composted. Even human sewage will be composted and processed for energy and composting, greatly reducing or entirely eliminating landfill waste sites. (more…)

Recently our provincial government (British Columbia) proposed a budget that introduced a carbon tax. This was described by our finance minister, Carol Taylor, as a "small first step" to discourage the consumption of fossil fuels and support emerging sustainable technologies. Ours is the first large jurisdiction in North America to introduce a carbon tax. 

Reaction has been moderately positive. Most of us in the environmental movement are giving it two thumbs up. I heard pundits on the radio talk about "tax restructuring". Instead of taxing positive things, such as productivity and the accumulation of wealth, we are taxing negative behavior; waste and unbridled consumption. I think our government deserves some kudos for this move, and I look forward to further ‘restructuring.’ (more…)