On Solutions, Bikes, and Tax Rebates

Carrying my bike up the stairs to my apartment I ran into a neighrbour on his way down, also carrying a bike. I backed off, letting him through, and he said, “What are the chances!?”, “Pretty slim”, I said, adding “…but getting better with gas prices and all”… It’s the modern pill – take to the solution when the problem has finally come far enough.

So while some move to bikes, in suburban America houses are losing value as gas prices go up. What used to be a good trade off and selling point – cheaper house for added commute – is no longer adding up.

Rack up a new inverse correlation: gas prices to real estate value…what exciting times we live in!

————————————————————————————–

In other news, I got my $100 Climate Action Dividend rebate from my friendly Provincial government last week. It is supposed to be an incentive to “help British Columbians live a lower carbon lifestyle”. That said, they’d like us to spend it on something to help us become (or continue to be) environmentally friendly. I like the idea, and I may spend it either on bike parts which I needed anyway, or one of those apartment (balcony) worm farm composting trays…yet to be decided.

Some potential problems with the friendly rebate:

• People will spend it on gas, directly or indirectly
• It will get lost in their chequing account, and spent on food. Or on gas getting to food.
• They were all sent out on paper cheques, in envelopes. Accompanying those cheques was a pamphlet with ideas on how to spend your carbon friendly rebate.
• Free-ish money sends mixed messages.

The population of British Colombia is approx 4.3 million, that’s:

• 4.3 million pamphlets wasted (or hopefully recycled)
• $430 million back to taxpayers, at least $200 million back to oil companies (sigh)

Positives:

• Conscious people will spend it on the right things, i.e. change light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs, water saving technology, etc. – and I like to think British Columbia is packed with conscious people.
• $430 million injection into the local economy, layered throughout the summer.
• We can look forward to more rebates/savings, this time available through the actual gas/carbon tax now (as of July 1st, Canada Day) officially implemented in British Columbia.

So, will we start to see more personal and government action? Will it be, again “the more things change, the more they stay the same…” ? From what I’ve seen and heard, Canadians are ahead of their government when it comes to environmental consciousness. That’s normal, as bureaucracy takes time, especially implemented through dinosaurs.

But here we have the chance, with ‘free’ money, to make a personal change thanks to the government.

If you’re in BC, what will you spend it on? If not, what would you spend it on? Do express.