On Eco-regulation and other matters...

On a recent thread in a website, there was this person who, on a more Libertarian vein, talking about how he opposed any taxation or government regulation in support of curving global warming. It was his given right as an American to decide if he wanted to do something and how. Although he was on the "eco-friendly" side, his arguments sounded more founded on individual supremacy than common good. 

A few hours later I heard what is the best argument I have ever heard on why government needs to regulate and force industries and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. 

It was from the administrator of a government facility in California (Ports Authority maybe), who had recently signed an order to change its entire car fleet for electric units and change some of its systems to produce less airborne particles, all with a high price tag. 

When he was asked, in part in order to showcase how irresponsible he was with tax payers money, on why he had done it, his answer was more or less: 

"Well, based on the amount of pollution (airborne particles in particular) we produced, the estimate is that we were cutting short the life (kill) of 1,200 people a year in the city."

The reporter did not asked more questions...

Funny thing about this is that regardless of what an individual does, it is subject to what someone else is doing. It is a forced "second-hand smoker" like issue at a massive scale. As long you share the atmosphere and resources within, you are affected by it.