Professor Barry Walters' baby tax
Professor Barry Walters, who suggested a Gaia-friendly baby tax, has garnered heaps of attention for his balmy idea. The blogosphere is abuzz with commentary on it -- much of it derisive. Even heard him interviewed on the Beeb.
Reason Online has picked up on one element of his plan, that franger buyers should be rewarded with carbon credits. They're right, it's hilarious, particularly when you consider that condoms are made from rubber, a material harvested from plantations that have destroyed large tracts of tropical forest.
It's also open to abuse. You could buy squillions of condoms, thereby racking up heaps of carbon credits. Then just not wear 'em.
The only way to stamp out such a scam would be to employ thousands of contraception officers to make sure that claimants are actually using them.
We've already had Carbon Cops on the ABC. Looks like the "Condom Cops" won't be too far behind.
