Landfill Tax
A suggestion for if there is a tax on companies for how much of the mass of their product and packaging and its varying toxicity is destined for landfill. This could be good for the government(s) in that they would be raising revenue to cover the costs of the removal and containment of waste and potentially other projects, environmental or otherwise. The government(s) could also benefit from the appreciation and respect of the electroate.
It would be a great incentive also to the companies to produce a better quality product, spend less on obtaining resourses for parts of the product (eg packaging) where the product is useless or obsolete. They could also benefit in the increased reputation for a more efficient cleaner "greener" quality product. It would be an incentive also to maintain and even upgrade existing products which would lead to subsidary industries they might wish to invest in.
It would also benefit the consumer in that the product could be of a higher quality, a longer lifespan, and potentially maintainable. Also the guilt factor being removed or reduced may increase consumer confidence and general morale. And it could benefit the environment that we all - companies, governments, electorates, and ecosystems - live in and have a responsibilty to maintain for survival reasons if not the higher purposes.
It may also be beneficial to consider a GST or luxury style tax on consumers of highly disposable or toxic products so as to increase the price of the said products as a revenue raising exersise as well as an incentive to both the consumer and the companies to purchase or produce something less toxic or disposable for the future. All our shared futures!
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At one point in America's history, a Supreme Coutr decision ruled that corporations are "people" as fa r as the law is concernes, and people were corporate entities (hence if you look carefully at all correspondence in regards to your liabilities, your name is in Capital letters, even your pets names are written conventionally yet their surnme in CAPITALS). Why? It is a long story, but it has to do with the 14th amendment, and some good will towards the black slaves of US dark past.
ReplyDeleteThus, any tax you propose, will certainly burden the average working person/taxpayter, whilst corporations will face minimal financial burden. Just look at the Carbon trading scheme. A great idea on the surface... look deeper, and the bigger the company, the more the taxpayer will subsidise its tax! Crazy!?
Careful waht you wish for.