Should the burden of changing to a greener lifestyle fall on corporations or the regular citizen?

Question

Should corporations be more responsible for changing to a greener lifestyle by creating less wasteful technology, making it in less polluting ways and buying carbon credits to offset their emissions?

Or should it fall on the regular citizen to offset all these costs individually out of his/her own pocket?

Answer 1

The question has to be answered in two parts. Actually, let's make it three.

(1) Corporations have the capacity to pollute on a large scale due to the size of their operations. By the same token, they also have the resources to develope and employ methods to reduce pollution. It is THEIR responsibility alone to conduct their operations so as not to pollute.

(2) Regular citizens(aka taxpayers ) should not be responsible for costs of preventing or abating pollution resulting from the operations of corporations. (Taxpayers are already having to shell out huge sums of money to clean up toxic waste created by corporate polluters).
On the other hand, it is the the responsibility of all citizens, as individuals, to avoid polluting and to be environmentally responsible.

(3) Governmental agencies should be responsible for developing guidlines aimed at protecting the environment, codify those guidlines inti law, and then enforce those laws.

But Gee, that's how it would be in a perfect world!!

Answer 2

The burden is on everyone in proportion to the amount of pollution and global warming the person is directly or indirectly responsible for. Everything that doesn't cost money or makes money should be done to make things as green as possible in all areas and government can pass good laws to make it happen as fast as possible.

Answer 3

Corporations answer to the demands of citizens. If citizens boycotted the companies that were wasteful they'd very quickly change their ways.

Whatever the circumstances any corporation is going to operate in the most profitable way possible and will effect change only when profits are threatened.

The only way to get corporations to change is to enforce change through legislation and this wouldn't be received well by the corporations of the wider public.

At the end of the day corporations exist to serve the consumer and provide services to fill demand, only by changing those demands will corporations chose to change their operating practices.

Answer 4

The final consumer always bears the total cost of any product. Any costs corporations incur will be added to the price of the product and passed on to the consumer.

Answer 5

Will u pay me I know how to give u all the carbon credits u need ,how much u pay me????

Answer 6

It can, should and will fall on everyone, individuals, corporations, governments, everyone.