An Engineer , A Lawyer and A Banker Walk Into a Bar
Engineer , Lawyer and Banker : Three friends debating the best way to solve pressing environmental issues .
The lawyer impatiently flags down the old man behind the worn wooden bar and orders three bourbons on the rocks . At first they talk about family , mutual friends , how their stocks are faring , and who ’ s going to win the world series . Since college , the engineer , the lawyer and the banker find the time to get together a few times a year .
Once they have their first drink in hand , they start in on debating the best way to solve pressing environmental issues . Seeing as the lawyer bought the drinks , he feels fit to throw his opinion out first . As he loosens his light pink silk tie he tells them , “ If the government held polluters accountable for emissions with tighter policies it would reduce further pollution and slow the rise of the world ’ s oceans .”
Listening quietly while sipping bourbon from the edge of his glass , the engineer reminds his friends in their suits , “ It ’ s difficult to tell where emissions come from . They are carried on the wind across state and international borders and it ’ s mostly past generations that made the majority of the emissions affecting us now .” A young woman sits a few bar stools away and orders a mojito and flashes the three men a curious glance .
Ice cubes clink against the banker ’ s perfectlyaligned white teeth as he swallows the last of his bourbon . He adds that , “ Policy ought to be paired with taxation on emissions to create a financial incentive to reduce future warming ”. He slicks back his thinning hair and adds , “ It ’ s all about the money ”.
Turning to the banker , the engineer says , “ It ’ s unfair to tax upcoming urbanization in poor regions . How are they to get ahead with steep tax burdens not applied to other nations during their industrial revolution and urbanization stages ? Slowing their economic growth would only stifle their ability to use more environmentally friendly methods to generate energy and add to the long-term use of coal .”
28 Oil & Gas Leaders • June 2017