Comment 47515

By jasonaallen (registered) - website | Posted September 10, 2010 at 15:21:27

I think what Undustrial may be getting at is the absence of "sunk costs" on most corporate balance sheets. If a litre of gasoline had the costs rolled in of things like the environmental destruction caused by the CO2 that would be released by burning that fuel, the health care costs of Asthma attacks on smog days, and many of the other 'off balance sheet' costs that are borne by society at large, and not the consumer/corporation as individuals, gas would cost a whole lot more. This is to say nothing of how much more it would cost if the oil industries handed back even a portion of their multi $billion subsidies.

Unfortunately, the Earth is a closed system, and sooner or later, those 'sunk costs' are going to have to be paid. In that light, smaller, more localized production using people/renewable power would be one answer to the overall problem of how little we really pay for what we use.

Imagine if in the cost of every cell phone, you had to chip in $100 to help fund the peacekeeping effort in the Congo where rebel soldiers carry out gang rapes and mass executions for control of the mines where most of the Coltran your phone can't function without come from.

If we learn to live simpler lives, and rely more on the strength of our community, and the power of sun and wind, and less on the almightly power of technology, our quality of life actually improves, as our standard of living goes 'down'. To say nothing of the quality of life of women who live near Congolese mining towns.

All that being said, in a few years, that choice is probably going to be made for us.

Whatever you do, don't mention the Red Hill Valley Parkway!

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