"Lower standard of living for going carbon friendly? What a bunch of hogwash. I agree gov't needs to mandate the changes required, but to suggest a lower quality of life for making sustainable lifestyle choices is simply wrongheaded. Most people don't change because its more convenient to keep doing what they have always been doing, not because it's a lower quality of life. I look to the simple act of Toronto gov't implementing a 5 cent charge for plastic bags to lower the cost of waste management.... the result, business all got involved and delivered reusable bags and implemented a similar fee. The lifestyle change was difficult, but it certainly hasn't been a lower quality of life that has resulted. In most cases like this it is business that need the stick to be shown the most sustainable way to do business, that's because most never consider bottom lines other than the dollar. Even the most sensible lifestyle choices start with an economic incentive. Government can do more to help..." - todd lucier