Tax carbon

In the Jan. 14 editorial “The hot zone,” the author bemoans the fact that the earth is getting hotter. Last year was the hottest year on record, and it’s going to continue to get more uncomfortable as things heat up and more Superstorm Sandys strike.

But we can still make a difference. Instead of dirtying our air with carbon pollution, we can start cleaning up our act. As Americans, we know how to innovate, and we respond to market cues. So let’s put a tax on carbon and a tariff on carbon reaching our borders. This tax will make the old, polluting technology pay for the harm it is doing, while encouraging clean technological innovations. This money can then be distributed to Americans as a tax break or used to pay down national debt.

It is easy to feel overwhelmed, but we have the power to make a change for the better, whether it’s supporting the many solar farms going up in North Carolina or calling our representatives to tell them we support climate legislation. A tax on carbon will keep America’s climate pure and help us become the world’s clean energy leader.

Katie Rose Levin, Durham