Why on earth do people like me dare call for spending real money to tackle climate change?

How much has to be spent to get you to unplug, get rid of your car, and walk somehwere where you can plant some trees?

We're never going to solve this problem with a tiny handful of highly motivated individuals voluntarily giving up the benefits of modern life.

The fact that I have a car (which I use primarily for my 5 minute daily commute), and have flown on commercial airlines, and eat steak on occasion -- normal middle-class American stuff -- does not invalidate my opinions or make me a climate hypocrite in any meaningful sense.

We don't try to solve other social problems through the spontaneous voluntary action of a few highly motivated individuals, so why climate change?

We need to start by having everyone pay a little bit in carbon tax, which they can mitigate by undertaking more eco-friendly decisions. This will nudge everyone in the right direction.

There is no problem to solve.

walk/quack/duck

Problems having do with pollution and conserving limited resources can only be done by limiting or giving up the use of that at the root.
A feel good do-nothing tax which does nothing will do nothing because nothing is what it does.

If people can't take it upon themselves to do something, then that will be what they accomplish.

can only be taken care of*