How to make an individual carbon tax pledge.
You can simply decide on a specific amount to pledge on a regular basis (each month, quarter, year). Or you can calculate your pledge based on your own carbon use.
If you choose to calculate your carbon use, you can download the pledge form, modify it for your own circumstances if you wish, and determine how you would like to calculate your pledge. The form indicates several ways you might do this – as a percentage of your actual costs for gasoline, etc, or as a charge per gallon of gasoline, etc. You may find the calculator in the sidebar useful for estimating how much tax you would collect, using different methods and different rates.
Once you have settled on how you’ll set your tax, save that information in a safe place and Join Us
When each quarter ends, we will remind you to donate your tax. Look back at what you decided to pledge and how, calculate the amount of your donation and submit your report. Then don’t forget to actually make the donation!
How do I decide how much to pledge?
Whether you begin with a specific amount or a calculation of your carbon use, we suggest that you begin with modest amounts – you can change your pledge at any time. Of course the amount will depend on your own circumstances. Try different strategies in order to estimate the amount you would owe quarterly. If you are calculating usage, you can pledge on only some of your carbon uses and add additional uses later. Try out the calculator on the sidebar for estimates.
An example using percentage of cost for gasoline and home heating, and using a rate per unit for electricity and airline travel:
5 percent of $161.74 spent for Home heating (oil, gas) = $8.09
10 cents per KWH for 78 KWH of Electricity = $7.80
5 cents per mile for 200 miles of Airline travel = $10.00
Quarterly reports and how we expect to use them
You may choose to calculate and pay your pledge monthly, quarterly or annually. We will update this website quarterly, and will email you quarterly reminders to submit your report. Please include whatever amounts you donated since your last report. We will then include your information on this website, combining it the information from other individuals and groups. You may find it satisfying to keep a record of your participation and to know how well you have contributed to efforts to minimize carbon usage.
Please refer to the Group Pledges page for suggestions for groups and to some places that others have sent their tax for examples of how voluntary carbon taxes have been used.