Cashing In On The Environment

The other night I watched an interview on Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman interviewing Stephen Timms regarding Gordon Browns green tax. Paxman was arguing about the real costs of the tax, and how some complain it doesn't go far enough. It was discussed that the new 1.5p tax hike will make drivers drive 1 less mile per week. Is there anyone else who finds this assumption a bit off the mark? How are car drivers going to drive 1 less mile per week? How is this going to save the environment? Wait... do you hear that crunching cement sound? It's my flat uprooting and moving a quarter of a mile closer to work! He then went on to talk more officiospeak about how the tax reflects the cost to the environment when people use gas. I'm sorry but I don't get the connection between trees dying and the government getting extra tax? What are they going to do- give money to the trees? "Sorry trees, here's some cash compensation, by the way, we're going to keep flying and driving cars." Tax doesn't solve environmental issues- cheaper alternatives do! Gordon Browns new plan takes more money from the taxpayer, doesn't stop carbon emissions, but it does make him a little richer, and able to keep going on spending sprees. I have no fear in saying that I'm a car driver, an unrepentant car driver at that. As car-owners know, being a car owner makes you an enemy of the government and more recently an enemy of the environment. I have something to say to all those environMENTALISTS who are screaming for environMENTAL taxes. Gordon Brown has raised petrol by 1.5 p a litre. So what? I'll just recoup that by buying non-energy saving light bulbs. No amount of tax will make me stop using my car- the only difference is I would be forced to cut out other things, find a better paying job and so on- everyone else would be in the same situation, the economy would change on a massive scale. I have another secret to share with you. I hate driving, I especially hate driving in London. But its better than taking the tube: I am 6 miles from work, but to get there I would have to switch tubes 3 times. To take the tube daily, for which I would have to purchase 2 zones even though my home and work is in 1, it would cost me more than driving. Delays and repairs. London tube already struggles with its public transport as it is. What do you think would happen if every car driver in London decided to use public transport one day? Have you thought about that? Chaos- pure chaos. Do you really think that it's feasible? The country would grind to a stop. It's not that I don't want to be more friendlier to the environment. I would take public transport if it was feasible, but the government we have does not want to help the environment, it only wants to find lucrative schemes to cover its wasteful spending. I'm being honest with you. I lived in Switzerland, I didn't need a car there, in this country, I need a car. The government is just not prepared to invest in alternatives. Their only answer to any problem is to tax it. The bottom line is making me pay more tax takes away my ability to afford the environmental alternatives.