Alex, thanks for your concise overview on cap-&-trade, for the first time I have a clear fundamental understanding of this issue.

Even more fundamental though, carbon taxes and cap-&-trade don’t impress me when it comes to really DOING something about changing our worldwide growth & consumption.  One is just a...tax, while the other seems like just another way of making money.  It’s sad that the underlying purpose for either system is to “encourage” change but not guarantee or implement direct change.

Do we really truly have the capacity to change?… Furthermore, does not a (now) globalized internationally-dependent economy make it virtually impossible to invest in technology that is better for us and the environment when others (around the world) aren’t willing to change or sacrifice in the exact same way...or can’t afford to?

I think carbon taxes, cap-&-trade, and whatever similar band-aid issue they’ll think of next is just to please politicians and big business.  Until someone steps up to dictate (more appropriate word?) that our way of life--infrastructure, technology, growth, consumption, economic foundation, etc.--will change, I believe we’re all spinning our wheels in mid-air.  My 2 cents...and I’m not going to tax you on that.

Forgive me if my comment may not seem appropriate in this forum but some things gotta’ be said.  I look forward to your continued article.

Marcus, thanks for your comments. There’s more coming tomorrow on the subject of international offsets. This is going to add to the problems of making investment decisions.

Alex