Editor,

If you wonder what you personnaly can do about climate change, click on to Citizensclimatelobby.org.

I joined and attended meetings at the Kennebunk chapter. We are a small group but the national membership has grown to over 80,000. We support sensible legislation whereby fossil fuel producers would pay a fee based on their resulting carbon dioxide emissions. 100 percent of that fee would be returned directly to all American households in the form of a monthly check.

It is called a Carbon Fee and Dividend program. It is endorsed by leading economists, climate scientists and, surprisingly, many in Congress of both parties.

Estimates vary, but each household could expect a monthly check of about $280. You get the check whether you believe climate change is influenced by human activity or not. This check is to offset the likely rise in fuel costs.

Those who have been and continue to be conscious of their fuel consumption should be net beneficiaries.

It is simple. It costs individual citizens no taxes. It has the support of many bipartisan groups. Prominent Republicans such as James Baker, George Schultz and Henry Paulsen have proposed similar legislation.

It would clearly over time reduce carbon dioxide emissions and stem the effect of greenhouse gases.

And the worst that can happen is success —negligible carbon dioxide emissions: in which case you won’t be getting a check each month.

But you will enjoy a better future.

Bob Lown

Kennebunk

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