CO2, Inslee gets it

In Mark Duclos’ letter (“Tax will hurt more than help,” Jan. 24), he stated that “there is absolutely no need for this stupid carbon tax” being proposed by Gov. Inslee. In the interest of removing stupidity from this issue I would like to help Mr. Duclos understand why a carbon tax is needed.

We can no longer afford to use our atmosphere as a free-of-charge dumping ground for the fossil fuel waste product, CO2. Once added, that extra carbon will remain in the biosphere for many centuries, continuously heating the Earth and causing changes that are incompatible with existing forms of civilization. Perhaps the only way we can prevent this is to make fossil fuels more expensive – by charging the full cost of their use. Just as nuclear power plants are required to bear the disposal costs of their waste products, the fossil fuel industries should also.

Gov. Inslee is one of our few high-level politicians that “gets it.” After spending most of my professional career in fossil-fuel-rich Montana, I am proud to now be living in a state that is trying to do what needs to be done. We should be doing all we can to help our governor pass this price-on-carbon legislation. The other “Washington” also needs the example he is trying to provide.

Eric Grimsrud

Liberty Lake