Opinion: Want to save California agriculture from climate change? It’s time for a carbon tax

To the editor: Your Business section reports that an important California business, avocados, is being damaged not only by our years-long drought but most recently by the record-breaking triple-digit heat wave that arrived historically early this year. (Re “Record heat shrivels Southland avocado crop,” Business, June 30)

This damage, which may extend to next year’s crop, leaves growers and workers vulnerable to competition from Mexico.

It’s one example of the problems other California businesses will experience as the effects of climate change accelerate. We need a solution that individuals and businesses can understand and plan around, and one that will cut the production of greenhouse gases quickly and sustainably.

Happily, business-minded economists have suggested that a carbon fee and dividend would do that by placing a predictable fee on fossil fuels, returning generated revenue to the American people, and allowing market forces to encourage increased use of alternative fuels.

Peggy Painton, Los Angeles

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