what your pollution is actually costing you, and what to do about it
What you are charged
Only the pollution you make THIS hour is taxed — your accumulated total is not a debt. But that accumulated total is what sets the rate: you pay your share of your country's total pollution, times the rate per share point. Two companies emitting the same amount this hour can pay very different bills.
Rate you are paying—
Your share of your country's pollution—
Pollution you will make next hour—
Charge next hour at this rate—
Carbon credits
A carbon credit cancels pollution one for one, before any of it is taxed. What a credit is worth therefore depends on your own rate — the same credit saves a heavy polluter far more than a light one.
Credits on hand—
Market price—
Tax each credit saves you—
Buy credits, or upgrade the park?
Buying credits is a cost you pay every hour. Upgrading the National Park mints them for free, forever, for one payment. The question is how long the upgrade takes to pay for the credits you would otherwise have bought.