Does the government own the environment- the air we breath, the rain, the snow. ?

Question

we pay vehicle taxes because of CO2 emissions and polluting the atmosphere. but does the govt own the atmosphere?

Answer 1

do they own the enviroment no but they are suppose to protect it

Answer 2

Yes The Goverment Owns US

Answer 3

Collectively we are the government and should be concerned about the air we all have to breathe to stay alive and healthy. Everyone thinks that they only add a minute amount to the air.  This is true, but if the representatives of our population do not regulate it we would all go back to a polluted atmosphere like China or Los Angeles.

So while the "govt" does not "own" the air, it tries to act in the good of everyone.  

Answer 4

Who gave you the idea that we "pay vehicle taxes because of CO2 emissions and polluting the atmosphere"?

Vehicle taxes are usually levied by the city or town where the vehicle is principally garaged and the revenues become part of the local community treasury, where they may end up being spent on anything!

Answer 5

NO! BUT common sense, common law, and natural law tells us that we have to act to protect common resources for our common good. That's the governmen's job. Read the Declaration of Independence and try to glean the meaning here "...that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed".  

Answer 6

No one owns the air, but that doesn't stop people messing it up.  Unrestricted fuel burning leads to serious environmental issues, like the smog in London in 1952, which resulted in lots of deaths due to respiratory problems.

Control of these activties that "mess up" the environment has been given, by democratic political process, to the Environment Agency (a branch of the government) who, among other things, repsond to any pollution incident that is reported, so you don't have to live in someone else's mess.

For specific incidents it is written into environmental law that the polluter should pay to clean it up.  It follows that this is also true for the owners of vehicles that emit all sorts of nasties into the air and mess up my environment.  The payment simply comes in the form of tax.

And vehicle tax is not just going to cleaning the air they just dirtied, but building and maintaining your roads and keeping those roads safe.

If you don't like paying your vehicle tax, try getting a bike.

Answer 7

I think you will find that the government can own whatever it deems necessary to own, in order to tax it to death.

Answer 8

In short yes they are working on it

they are dividing the atmosphere into territories.

They started out by dividing the lands ,

the wildernesses,

then went on to dividing the seas and owning them.

they already have  divided the air space,



and they can fine us for fouling the air and waters ,but people have only themselves to blame for that.

When they have figured out how to own the Sun And the wind ,

and charge for its powers

Then we will have  government assisted alternative energy.

until then they keep us enslaved with petroleum.

because they own that.

guess they wont be happy until they can charge for every breath we take.

Answer 9

Yes, here where I live we have to pay for emission testing on our cars every other year at a cost of $20.00 before we can get our yearly tags for our cars. Some counties make you do this and some counties do not. The reason for this is so your car is up to date and not polluting the air. Do I think it works? NO. I think it is just another way for the county in which I live to put money in their pockets, not mine or any other citizen.

Global warming has been go on for years, long before I or you were born, it is a natural occurrence with- in the earth, there is nothing we can do to stop it, but there are many things which can be done to help keep the environment in which you live a safer one.

If you go to Sweden or other countries you would be able to see what those countries have been doing for many years to help with the issues of global warming as well as living in a "green" environment. This country only thinks of how much money will go into the politicians pockets not what is going on with-in the country.The government owns everything including the t.p you use to wipe your bum!

We only have ourselves to blame for that, we vote these people into office.

Evey-one should on their own start living a "green environment " and help their own communities. This will be a start.

Answer 10

Joseph F , Don't know where you live but it certainly isn't the UK where vehicle taxation groups are the same wherever you reside. In answer to the question just another double whammy (with fuel prices) to cane the motorist.