"German City Wonders How Green Is Too Green"

“German City Wonders How Green Is Too Green”

—August 6, 2008⁴²⁵

Consumers and home-owners of the world have demonstrated that they don’t want to pay the real cost of going green, by way of not voluntarily switching to higher-cost materials and energy sources. But the town of Marburg, Germany is forcing its citizens to use alternative energy against their will in dictating that residents must install solar panels on their homes or pay at least $1,500 in fines. This government force (along with property tax) completely violates private property rights. One can bet that if the law passes and a homeowner fails to install the panels, the government will do more than fine them $1,500; it will probably send them to prison or take away their home until they comply.

As should be expected, the citizens of Marburg have stated that they are much less concerned about the law being applied to office buildings. People of the town don’t mind things being forced unfairly on others, only themselves. Additionally, people don’t understand that if office buildings (or factories) are forced to go greener, it is they, as consumers, workers, and taxpayers who will pay the price.

(As an opposite scenario, consider the following. On an online community message board for my condo building, one resident proposed having solar panels installed on our roof. He stated in his online proposal: “I wonder if we could get [the city]/ the government to pitch in if we ever did any green improvements around here. I know they are too expensive to do with our budget, but we have a big roof that could be great for solar, wind, etc. technology.” Examples abound of individuals wanting others to subsidize their lives.)