Letters to the Editor: Greening your home is great, but nothing beats climate legislation
To the editor: The struggle to account for and reduce one’s personal carbon footprint, as scientist Evan Mills did for his own home, is real and ultimately informative. Reducing our collective carbon footprint, however, requires passing legislation. (“Greening our Northern California home and cars cut our energy bills by $11,000 a year. But it wasn’t easy,” Opinion, Jan. 6)
The Inflation Reduction Act may be the biggest piece of climate legislation ever, but it has to start with us because the U.S. is the biggest carbon emitter in history. In future, we will be forced to pay to remove our carbon emissions just so we don’t cook.
A company called Climeworks will directly capture your personal carbon footprint today for about $1,300 per ton, but it can only remove 4,000 metric tons per year. The average American is responsible for about 15 tons each year.
Wouldn’t it be more efficient to price carbon at the source of production with a carbon fee instead of subsidizing fossil fuels? Let market forces do the work.
We consumers will pay one way or the other.
Pam Brennan, Newport Beach
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To the editor: Great article by Evan Mills, but where’s the guide on how to do what he did?
He’s the expert who did all the work. He showed us that you need years of experience to understand how to navigate and reap the benefits of greening. So, he can help those of us yearning to be free.
I run Counterpoint Records and Books in Hollywood. Mills can write up his guide, and we’ll sell it in our store.
I’ve tried to convert where I can, but as Mills said, it isn’t easy being green. You mostly get discouragement when you enthusiastically ask for help.
Susan Polifronio, Los Angeles
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To the editor: This is the kind of article I will read over and over, with its depth of helpful information and insight.
It’s motivating how much energy I might be able to save — and disheartening at the ways contractors and sales reps don’t always have the expertise or commitment to cost savings or emissions reductions.
I plan to “commando crawl” and otherwise delve into the specifics of my house and work on all possible efficiencies in addition to adding new systems.
Thanks for the article. More of the same, please.
Elizabeth Fenner, Los Angeles
