3 ms·

Can we price in the carbon cost of raising a child to the age of 18? If we’re going after all the fun stuff I don’t want the parents to get away scott free.

greenonions 5y ago
Future people will likely be carbon negative. Shall I give you my Venmo?
- newt_slowly 5y ago
  Since you didn't go into detail, I'm going to guess that you are referring to atmospheric CCS being widely deployed in the future. Unfortunately CCS is not and will not be practical. [1] [2] I can explain my critiques in more detail if you clarify exactly what your argument is. [1] https://manuelgarciajr.com/2020/08/09/the-improbability-of-co2-removal-from-the-atmosphere/ https://manuelgarciajr.com/2020/08/09/the-improbability-of-c... [2] Comical, but fact-based take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSZgoFyuHC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSZgoFyuHC8
lostlogin 5y ago
If items had the externalities priced in, the cost of having a child would go up, but only in that outgoings would increase. I suppose you could bill them based on their CO2 and methane output.
tjader 5y ago
We should price in the externality where it is caused. I don't think raising a child emits any CO2 by itself. If we price in the emissions where they happen it will be priced in for all consumers of the products that cause them.
- phdelightful 5y ago
  I want a small discount for sequestering carbon in my child's body mass for several decades!
  - tshaddox 5y ago
    The average adult human contains what, like 30 pounds of carbon? That's very little money according to the carbon offset prices I have seen.
  - pzo 5y ago
    You have to account for: - all the meat and diary your child is going to consume in those 18 years - all diapers that are going to be produced and disposed. - all methane and CO2 you child produced on an a daily basis for those 18 years (exhaling, digesting/pooping/farting) - concrete used for building this extra room for your child ... just to name a few.
    - tjader 5y ago
      Not if the externality is priced in for each of those products.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
imtringued 5y ago
You can do that but it's not the parents that emit the CO2.

greenonions 5y ago

Future people will likely be carbon negative. Shall I give you my Venmo?

newt_slowly 5y ago
Since you didn't go into detail, I'm going to guess that you are referring to atmospheric CCS being widely deployed in the future. Unfortunately CCS is not and will not be practical. [1] [2] I can explain my critiques in more detail if you clarify exactly what your argument is. [1] https://manuelgarciajr.com/2020/08/09/the-improbability-of-co2-removal-from-the-atmosphere/ https://manuelgarciajr.com/2020/08/09/the-improbability-of-c... [2] Comical, but fact-based take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSZgoFyuHC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSZgoFyuHC8

lostlogin 5y ago

If items had the externalities priced in, the cost of having a child would go up, but only in that outgoings would increase. I suppose you could bill them based on their CO2 and methane output.

tjader 5y ago

We should price in the externality where it is caused. I don't think raising a child emits any CO2 by itself. If we price in the emissions where they happen it will be priced in for all consumers of the products that cause them.

phdelightful 5y ago
I want a small discount for sequestering carbon in my child's body mass for several decades!
- tshaddox 5y ago
  The average adult human contains what, like 30 pounds of carbon? That's very little money according to the carbon offset prices I have seen.
- pzo 5y ago
  You have to account for: - all the meat and diary your child is going to consume in those 18 years - all diapers that are going to be produced and disposed. - all methane and CO2 you child produced on an a daily basis for those 18 years (exhaling, digesting/pooping/farting) - concrete used for building this extra room for your child ... just to name a few.
  - tjader 5y ago
    Not if the externality is priced in for each of those products.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

imtringued 5y ago

You can do that but it's not the parents that emit the CO2.