I’m glad that the scientific evidence of global warming is finally gaining general acceptance and that there is increasing public interest in developing a response to the problem. What I don’t get is the current fad that my liberal friends are so fond of promoting these days. Several times, friends involved in environmental groups have asked me to sign up for a “clean energy” plan for our home.

I’m all for clean energy development, but I don’t understand why I should subsidize a for-profit utility company in developing its production capacity. If this is an essential requirement for long term energy security and environmental sustainability, I don’t consider it fair that only the small percentage of do-gooders should bear the costs while everybody else continues to burn fossil fuels at a discount. The incentives are entirely skewed in the wrong direction. Polluters (including me) should bear the true costs of their consumption, while virtue is rewarded.

As far as I can tell, these voluntary subsidy schemes don’t actually take existing power plants off-line. The power companies will have more capacity in the end, which they can continue to supply to their unconcerned customers at unnaturally low prices. At best, it controls a future increase in greenhouse gases, but it doesn’t actually reduce existing pollution.

The cost of sustainable energy should be underwritten by everybody on the grid. The path to a lower energy bill should be through conservation.

Ok, my progressive friends; rip me to shreds.