WhatFinger


A baby levy, polluters pay

Carbon Tax on Babies Next?



Some of them do not intend to stop at taxing cows and sheep. If you think that's just my wild imagination, see this from the Medical Journal of Australia Web site

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"Every new-born baby in Australia represents a potent source of greenhouse gas emissions for an average of 80 years, not simply by breathing, but by the profligate consumption of resources typical of our society." "Far from showering financial booty on new mothers and thereby rewarding greenhouse-unfriendly behaviour, a "Baby Levy" in the form of a carbon tax should apply, in line with the "polluter pays" principle. Every family choosing to have more than a defined number of children (Sustainable Population Australia suggests a maximum of two) should be charged a carbon tax that would fund the planting of enough trees to offset the carbon cost generated by a new human being." "This infers a levy per child of at least $5000 at birth (to purchase the land needed and plant trees) and an annual tax of $400-$800 thereafter for the life of the child (for maintenance of the afforestation project) (based on 1990 figures, and probably much more now). [2007]" - Barry N J Walters, Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetric Medicine, Department of Women's and Infants' Health, University of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, WA.


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