Incentivizing People to Use

Alternative Energy Methods

Date: April 6, 2022
From: Marcus X
To: Kathy Castor
Subject: Reducing Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere
Action Required: Incentivize People To Use Alternative Energy Methods
Distribution List: House of Representative Members

Earlier this week, I sent an email to the head of our committee requesting that we as a
committee sit down and discuss how we can incentivize people to begin using cleaner energy
methods because greenhouse gases are causing damage to our planet. In this report, you will
find more information on what a greenhouse gas is, how they are affecting our environment,
and ways we as a committee can combat them. The effects of greenhouse gases not only affect
the present, but they also will affect the future as well. The effects of these gases are
irreversible, and if we keep relying on these same energy methods, then we will permanently
damage our planet past the points of repair. Though the effects of these gasses cannot be
reversed, if we begin to find ways to release less of these gases, we will benefit not just us, but
future generations and our environment. After reading this memo, I hope you will see how
urgent it is that we begin to utilize different energy methods. I also hope after reading this we
can meet as a committee to discuss the next steps.

Summary
A greenhouse gas is any gas that once it is released into the atmosphere it traps heat inside of
it. Once these gases trap heat inside of them, they produce many harmful effects to the
environment. If these gases continue to be released at the rate that they currently are, we will
damage our planet to a point of no return. As members of Congress, we can be the catalyst to
combat this problem. We should begin writing legislation that will incentivize people to use
cleaner energy methods or discourage people from continuing to use current energy methods.
If we do this, our planet will go back to being healthy.
The Problem With Greenhouse Gases and Incentivizes
To Use Alternative Energy Methods
Examples of Greenhouse Gasses
As stated above, greenhouse gases trap heat into our atmosphere. There are many different
types of greenhouse gases. Carbon Dioxide is the one that is most prominent in our
atmosphere. Carbon dioxide mainly gets released into the air when fossil fuels are burned.
Fossil fuels get burned when using transportation methods, using electricity, heating, and
creating materials such as paint. Methane is also another type of greenhouse gas. Though there
is less methane than Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere, Methane is 28 times more powerful at
heating the planet than Carbon Dioxide is. When Methane becomes oxidized, it will release
water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Problems Caused by Greenhouse Gases

This is a problem for many different reasons. Firstly, if the Earth begins to warm, our ice caps
would begin to melt. If these ice caps begin to melt, many animals would lose their habitats.
Animals such as seals, polar bears, and penguins would have nowhere to go and begin to
become extinct. Also, if the ice caps melt, our sea level would rise. Our sea level rising poses
many threats in itself. If sea levels rise, there would be an increase in catastrophic storms.
Scientists say that the reason Hurricane Harvey was such a horrific event is because of man-
made activities contributing to the climate rising. A rising sea level also poses threats to many
coastal cities. A rising sea level plus horrific storms would mean that many of these cities would
begin flooding. Some cities would flood so much that they would be completely underwater
completely erasing them off the map.

Incentivize People To Use Cleaner Methods

The solution to the problem of greenhouse gases is simply using less of them. However, a large
portion of energy produced in the United States relies on methods that release greenhouse
gases. Since a large portion of energy produced uses these methods and they have been used
for so long, regular regulation would face a lot of pushbacks largely from the people currently
using them. So, I propose that we make legislation that incentivizes people to use cleaner
energy methods. Once people see that they can receive money, tax deductions, or subsidizes
for using cleaner methods, they will frantically search for ways to implement these methods.
Though it will cost the government as a whole more money, this is a surefire way to get
corporations and individuals to begin utilizing alternative energy methods. Once alternative
energy methods are used, less greenhouse gases are released, which means our planet will
begin healing.

Conclusion
The effects of greenhouse gases are everlasting and dangerous. We as a committee need to
lead the change of incentivizing people to use alternative energy methods. If we begin to give
people a reason to use these different methods, then they will begin to do it. These methods
will produce less gasses than the methods we are currently using. Once we do this, we will see
remarkable changes to our planet. We will save habitats for animals and humans alike, keep
our sea level at the level it is at, and prevent flooding of many cities.

Recommendation
As mentioned earlier in this memo, we need to give people a reason to use these different
methods of producing energy. These cleaner methods are methods such as hydropower, wind
power, solar power, and nuclear power. These methods produce far less greenhouse gases in
our atmosphere which will allow the planet to begin a healing process, though it will not
completely go back to the way it was before. As a committee, we should begin planning
meetings to discuss the incentives that we would give to people who display that they are using
cleaner methods, how much of this incentive they will get, how often they get it, and how soon
they will begin receiving it.