Summit provided partial view of clean energy use

Last week's National Clean Energy Summit provided a partial snapshot of the status of our nation's shift toward clean energy. It featured a wide range of presentations representing green building, military, commerce, transportation, utilities, manufacturing and labor interests.

The message was strong and clear: Renewable energy along with a vast array of innovative technologies are here and vital to our future. On the other hand, we're in a race against ourselves, pitting the benefits of national, energy and climate security against powerful vested interests fighting to maintain the status quo.

The rest of the picture was provided on the other side of the country by another event promoting a clean energy future. In the largest environmental demonstration in a generation, more than 1,250 people were arrested during two weeks of peaceful acts of civil disobedience at the White House. They also delivered petitions and letters of support signed by more than 600,000 additional Americans.

Their message was equally strong and clear: We must avoid tapping into the largest pool of dirty carbon on the planet, stop the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline and take the clean energy path. You can visit www.tarsandsaction.org to learn more about this vital issue.

So the complete picture seems to be that on one hand, government, military and industry say they are deeply supporting the development of clean energy. On the other hand American citizens are demonstrating and demanding clean energy. What's wrong with this picture?

We are deceiving ourselves. We do not "pay the truth" when it comes to fossil fuels. The truth is that fossil fuels exact a high price on our health, the environment and our national security (not to mention they are nonrenewable and irreplaceable) but these costs are not reflected in the price of the product. We then use this artificially low price to measure the relative cost of clean energy. No wonder we're in a quandary.

The dishonesty ingrained in our economic system must be addressed. It is what spawns ecocidal projects like the tar sands and mountaintop destruction in the first place. It does not allow economic decisions that favor our best interests, overall lowest real costs and the greatest benefit for all. In a truly free market, why would it be anything else?

The best solution I've seen to bring honesty to the energy economy has been offered by Dr. James Hansen, one of our nation's top climate scientists. It is called Fee and Dividend.

We begin paying a more truthful price for carbon, implementing an across-the-board flat fee on all fossil fuels at the point of entry in the market (domestic mine or port of entry). A rising rate of $10 per ton of carbon dioxide per year will yield a 30 percent reduction in U.S. emissions (the equivalent of 13 Keystone XL pipelines). That's the fee part.

In 10 years, this would be the equivalent of $1 per gallon of gasoline. Now for the dividend: 100 percent of the collected carbon fees are distributed to the public electronically to bank accounts or debit cards. By year 10, the fees collected from fossil fuel companies would exceed $500 billion per year, providing $2,000 to $3,000 per legal adult resident in the country, offsetting the higher costs of goods and services resulting from the fee.

There are no strings attached, so people are free to decide how to spend it. For those driving large SUVs the dividend would offset the rising cost of their carbon consumption. However, many others will choose to invest that dividend in energy efficiency for homes, appliances or vehicles. Those with the most efficient carbon budget reap the greatest rewards.

This simple approach does not grow government, is revenue-neutral and makes use of market principles. There are no new taxes and the government does not attempt to pick winners via tax breaks. It is transparent and leaves energy decisions in the hands of the people. Businesses (including energy companies) who choose to innovate by reducing their carbon footprint will gain a competitive advantage.

We are all responsible for the results we create. I echo the words of an eloquent Native American who spoke recently at the White House demonstrations: "We can set a standard for everybody else to follow. Today we act. We are taking back our future."

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, a company committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. For more information and links to additional resources relating to this column, or to reach Steve, please visit www.greendream.biz.