tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889026769761133073.post8193692791474960690..comments2023-12-22T08:42:36.132+00:00Comments on Gaian Economics: Budget Day: Time for Some Radical ProposalsMollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12845612174674783187noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889026769761133073.post-91335013280869459002013-03-25T00:10:00.753+00:002013-03-25T00:10:00.753+00:00Hey... revisiting Henry George - Progress and Pove...Hey... revisiting Henry George - Progress and Poverty? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889026769761133073.post-47490061774885176622013-03-21T18:14:23.722+00:002013-03-21T18:14:23.722+00:00A land tax would be a refreshing boot up the backs...A land tax would be a refreshing boot up the backside of an agricultural economy that is addicted to grant fuelled toxic agriculture ... and might thus be encouraged to start doing something useful ... rather than exporting its unaccounted costs to the rest of us ... erm, which of course includes paying the taxes for the all the daft grants too. (And they claim food is 'cheap').<br /><br />Some of the unaccounted externalised costs of agriculture :<br /><br />• Increased flood & drought cost largely results from aridification of topsoil, compromised aquifer recharge, increased run-off & evaporation (intensified rainfall). (Plus severe thermal effects)<br /><br />• Flood damage & shrinkage of house foundations are the biggest UK insurance cost. (UK home insurance premiums may be surcharged 10% for raised flood risk).<br /><br />• Agricultural chemical contamination of aquifers (nitrate & pesticide) is a major limitation on the UK's public water supply (increased water treatment costs and leads to greater costs for water storage and transfer).<br /><br />• Huge siltation effects of watercourses, loss of nutrient, eco-toxicological effects and contamination of coastal waters.<br /><br />• Even livestock farming implicated. eg over-the-counter anthelmintics - increased mobilisation of manure into watercourses – compromised nutrient cycling.<br /><br />• Nutrition & public health standards.<br /><br /> … plus many other social costs arising from ‘modern’ agriculture. <br /><br />But clearly all well beyond the understanding of HM Treasury.<br />julian @http://www.water21.org.uknoreply@blogger.com