Given the Republicans pretty much control the show, and don’t care a hoot or believe in the concept of Climate Change, how does one work towards greener goals? Use their philosophy.
Houses should not be built in flood areas, but are, and are constantly being rebuilt. The fastest way to change that is to phase out the Federal Flood Insurance policy for all new construction. So you challenge the Republicans to privatize it. It’s the flood insurance rich people use for their beach houses and condos along the beaches, places that shouldn’t have buildings to begin with. So challenge the Republicans to “ privatize it” like the want to do to everything from the VA to IRAS’. Make them defend protecting a Federal give away to rich people.
The Interstates. I am sorry, but free highways in an area where we have surpased 400 ppm now, are not logical, or moral, if we are to survive. Besides, its a big socialist give away.. a free highway. Republicans should allow the States to take over those Federal free highways in their states, ( or sell or lease to them) and allow them to toll them to fund all their road, bridge, and mass transit needs, keeping Federal standards so it is a uniform system still. A perpetual revenue source for every state to use as they wish without begging a dysfunctional Federal government for money to repair bridges and build rail lines. States with large populations like NY, California or Illinois can toll them to fund high speedrail, metro lines, electric conversion, etc, and states like Montana or Texas can do what they want.. keep them “free” to burn their fossil fuels, or toll them to use for education, or whatever. Free highways as whole swaths of America become unihabitable as we nudge the point of no return CO2 wise are not logical, and a huge revenue opportunity for States to have at their disposal to go full speed to green conversions. Think of the free highways as a 50 unit apartment bulding that has repairs needed but the building is sitting empty with no income from rentals. When the building is full and generating revenue regularly, lots of improvements can be done to the building, with upgrades.It’s the same for the Interstates. A major cash machine for years. Tolls can start very modestly and increase so people can transition with transit choices as the tolls go up to electric or rail. States get money for green transit, ( States rights cry) the Feds get out of the free highway business with costs buy selling off the Interstates ( Small government cry) . How can they say no? The results would be a permanently funded transportation system without begging Congress for the entire country that uses tolls on fossil fuel vehicles ( the roads can be toll free for electric or hybrid.. that would be a State incentive to convert) .
Those 2 alone could have huge impacts on the US’ transition to a green society, using Republican philosophy to achieve Green goals. Worst case scenario is it would be fun to challenge Republicans to get rid of a “give away” insurance program for people with lots of money. Imagine how much Trump’s premium for his Mar a Lago property would go up with a private insurer:) Just to hear him squeal is worth it. Average homeowners don’t carry flood insurance because it is not in their budget. Challenge them to sell off “ free, government funded highways” Governors would like a permanent revenue stream for their projects and control over the Interstates. Here is the viscious cycle we must break. One’s home and possessions get trashed from a flood, hurricane, tornado, whatever. They rebuild, and go buy all the same stuff with all the nasty packaging to fill up the new house as all the old stuff is now in a landfill as trash.. from the house itself to the stuff inside.. So we have replicated the exact same situation that has created the CO2 mess we are in now.. massive consumerism of trinkets and transportation and packaging of said trinkets, AND having much more than most people really need. That is the problem. Will we change in time? Just doing the same things we are now we won’t. New paradigms that were sacrilege before have to become reality.