How Much Would the American Power Act Cost You?
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency released its financial analysis of the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act, the Senate bill that would put a cap on carbon emissions and introduce a market for pollution credits. 
According to the EPA, the bill would cost the average American household between $79 and $146 per year over the next 40 years.
That may seem like a lot, and the opposing pundits will no doubt have a field day with it, but it’s really not that much when put into perspective, which Grist did a fine job of:
For perspective, $146 a year is:
- about $0.40/day, $3/week, or $12/month;
- two text messages a day at $.20 each;
- about one Starbucks coffee a week ($4.05);
- a 24 pack of Coca-Cola Classic a month ($11.04);
- $63 less a month or $756 less a year than the average cost of cable;
- about the average cost of toilet paper ($140) for a family per year;
- less than the savings a day ($.91 – $1.62) from substituting Evian ($1.58/bottle) or Fiji ($2.29/bottle) bottled water for Poland Springs ($.67/bottle) when buying a 24 pack;
- a monthly subscription to Netflix ($8.99) plus a weekly supply of buttered microwave popcorn ($.75/pack); or
- about a monthly trip to the box office ($7.50) and a small popcorn ($4.75).
Americans notoriously don’t like to pay for things, but when the fate of the planet is on the line — not to mention the fate of our friends, family and the human race — it’s time to sacrifice the price of a movie ticket and a popcorn.
I just wish the American Power Act was even more aggressive in addressing climate change.
Posted on June 21st in Solar News by Dan.
June 22nd, 2010 at 8:39 am
How is taxing people going to change the use of power? Where do the extra funds go? If we are taxed more, won’t more jobs go to China and India who have no caps on carbon.How is decreasing our carbon and increasing their carbon helping the planet? Are the polar bears going to get the funds and have polar banks? Take a real hard look at the people getting taxed and people who will get rich. I hope you can answer my questions, cause it just doesn’t add up. Unless you are attempting to destroy any middle class in America, then it makes perfect sense.
Jason
June 22nd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Yes, they are attempting to destroy the middle class. See the book Tragedy and Hope. In their desire to equalize the cultures around the world, useful jobs were sent overseas, leaving the US with service jobs which also left. What’s left? Where are businessmen to chase their money making dreams? With useless utopian schemes which lead only to control of the masses, chaining them down financially? Anyone who believe the numbers in this article are foolish utopians. So much money has been invested in global warming nonsense that has been discredited, yet they feel they must charge ahead to make profits on their invested money. It reminds me of how money was poured into Nazi Germany because businesses thought they could make a profit no matter what would be destroyed in the process.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:35 pm
I don’t have a problem with paying more for energy when its cost to our environment is so much higher than the sticker price we have been paying. Essentially, it’s about taking more responsibility for the pollutant energy we use — and using less of it.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
If anyone believes these cost will remain at these levels they need to look at the rising costs of everything else. This is just a snowjob by progressive power grabbers trying to engineer your life and mine.
September 29th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Well Jim, sorry you feel that way. What about the huge oil and coal barons getting a free ride/making record profits year after year off poisoning, killing, and destroying the American workers/working family? Think beyond just the here and now and think about the health costs of asthma, black lung, drinking water with natural gas in it, chemicals in the air and food, plus countless more. And as far as costs, this Act is nothing compared to the subsidies that have been provided to these companies for years and years and years. That is what’s costing Americans. Think of the mountains being destroyed in West Virginia. Think of the polluted streams. Think of the forests being harvested. Think of the Gulf of Mexico. Those are the REAL costs. You have to be able to look to the future, not just the immediate, to see the real costs of NOT having these progressive ideas…only then can you see the mistakes of continuing down the same path.