Lawmakers should put price on carbon

"Arctic sea ice reaches record winter low mark," March 29, 2016

I wish I could ignore stories like this. The relentless flood of data about our warming world is often overwhelming. When we read these stories, we feel as if we are trapped in hopelessness.

Scientists agree that we must stop pouring carbon into the atmosphere. Economists agree that the best way to do this is to create an economic incentive to do so.

Your readers should know that a proposal to do just that already exists. A revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend plan would place a steadily increasing price on carbon at the point of extraction or import, and all the funds collected would be distributed to American households in the form of a monthly dividend. Reclaim democracy and protect your children's future - tell your representative to put a price on carbon now.

Terry Quain

Citizens' Climate Lobby

Naperville