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Timothy Colman

Excuse me for sounding like Martin Luther, but buying carbon offsets and planting trees is like paying the church Indulgences for forgiveness of sins.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions -- and this is one!

Everyone can feel all warm inside, but the radical nature of change we need in our energy system-- indeed in our whole economy -- just won't happen by planting trees and polluter payoffs.

We have to create a green economy that considers waste to be food.

Planting trees is great-- go for it-- but don't kid yourself about the offset in temperate climates.

Most research I've seen indicates that we're far better off paying to keep the forests in the Amazon from being cut down than tree planting here at home.

Tree planting needs to be done-- big timber has either left huge scars of clearcuts on the land for years without paying for replacement plantings -- or shuffled the expense off on taxpayers who fund it through the USDA FS.

Far better to tell Americans that we are going extinct unless we stop driving cars by ourselves, and then invest in Green Collar jobs-- to insulate homes, install solar panels, build wind turbines, and mass transit.

Plant trees-- especially in urban areas-- but do it to cool the planet, not penance.

Tax polluters, oil companies with a high carbon tax.

That will change behavior. Oil companies already know that American behavior will change significantly when oil hits $100 a barrel. That time is coming soon.

As a small green business here in Seattle-- I look forward to the change.

basta/

Timothy Colman
Good Nature Publishing Co.

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