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Environmental
Solutions from an Idealist
August 13, 2001
by
Sandra Skolnik
The threat to our environment is in my mind the most pressing
problem we - as a country, as a people, as part of a global
community - are facing today, and one that should be given
the highest priority in our affairs. Certainly, the issues
of election and campaign finance reform; health care; education;
and all the other modern day problems we face as a country
are important. They can and should be addressed as quickly
as possible. If necessary, any adverse actions by the Bush
administration may be repealed at some future date. However,
the environment will not wait for Bush, it will not wait for
Congress, it will not wait for bipartisan cooperation, and
it will not wait for us.
I may be an idealist, but ideals comes from a vision of the
way things could be versus the way they are and the belief
and hope that progress can be made if the will is there. Although
realistic solutions are usually somewhere in between; I choose
to keep the ideal in view to remember to stay on the path
toward what could be and in actuality, must be; or we may
end up facing a bizarre and uncertain existence on our Mother
Earth.
In determining how to counter the efforts of Bush Corp. in
his foolhardy path toward environmental degradation, we have
to define the problem before coming up with viable solutions.
If we don't understand the problem, we certainly can't formulate
a solution. Following is my ‘idealistic’ and simplistic take
on the problems and solutions.
Problems:
The earth's environment is being damaged, possibly beyond
repair; and this is happening at an exponential rate. Global
warming, extinction of species, unsustainable consumerism
and overpopulation are all contributing factors. These four
factors are called ‘spikes’ in ‘God’s Last Offer – Negotiating
for a Sustainable Future’ by Ed Ayres, Editor of World Watch
magazine, a book I highly recommend for those concerned about
our environment and our future. He calls them spikes because
charts plotted for these factors over thousands of years and
based on scientific data, show these factors to have increased
so drastically within the past 100 years, that they are depicted
as huge spikes on the charts, and they are rapidly increasing
with each passing year.
Global warming is mainly the result of the use of fossil
fuels and the release of their byproducts, particularly CO2,
into the atmosphere. Due to overpopulation and unsustainable
consumerism, more and more of earth is being stripped bare
causing the extinction of hundreds if not thousands of species
of animal and plant life every year and creating a large imbalance
in our ecosystems. Remember, trees absorb CO2 and produce
O2. As the forest cover is removed from our planet, the buildup
of CO2 is compounded. The unusual weather patterns that have
been increasing in frequency, such as monster storms, drought
and floods have been correlated to the imbalances. Continuing
pollution of our air, water and land by 'dirty' industries
are threatening the health and lives of all living species
on earth.
While the exact nature and effect of the combined factors
on the global ecosystem are unknown, it is irrefutable that
there are major changes happening. What is not known is how
fast and how soon these changes may affect us in a catastrophic
way.
Solutions:
1. A commitment by America to cooperate with other world
nations in efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and make
a substantial investment in alternative energy technology.
If done in cooperation, this can be accomplished very quickly.
I don't consider nuclear an alternative because of the risks
involved and the irreversible effects. I believe much of the
technology for alternatives is already there, but it has been
obstructed by the influence of the polluting industries and
by the dependence on fossil fuels instilled in the peoples
of industrialized nations. Fossil fuel use must be phased
out by cleaner, alternative technologies for means of transportation
and to produce light and heat. This can be done economically
by providing large subsidies at first to reduce the costs
of alternatives, making it more beneficial for producers to
produce and consumers to consume alternatives rather than
the outdated technologies. Jobs involved in the old industries
can also be phased into the new. Fossil fuel industries should
not be given special treatment, and if it becomes unfeasible
for them to compete, they will naturally turn their attention
to the new. I believe if the will is there, this can be done
quickly.
2. Increase efforts to clean up and abate continued pollution
of our air, water and earth. This can be either done by providing
substantial tax incentives for companies to do this, or penalizing
and shutting down companies that continue to pollute on a
grand scale. Companies should be held totally liable to the
people and communities they harm as a result of their polluting
activities. However, the people in the communities must bear
part of the burden, since they have contributed by approving
the companies to operate.
3. A commitment to reduce nuclear armaments in cooperation
with all countries; and a global network to ensure nuclear
material does not land in the hands of terrorists and rogue
nations. In addition, this will lower the amount of killer
radioactive waste we must dispose of.
4. A serious effort must be made to reduce population growth
in America and throughout the world. Since the main reason
for population increase in America at this time is immigration,
this is a sensitive area that must be discussed with sensitivity,
honesty and openness. Increase assistance to developing worlds
by providing funds, materials or services for family planning,
education and a means for them to improve their own quality
of life.
5. Unsustainable consumption is based on perceptions fostered
by the PR departments of corporations and the current structure
of our society which creates artificial needs and promotes
those ‘needs’. I'm not sure how to change these perceptions,
except to foster community and spiritual values over material
ones. This may be the hardest one because it involves the
way people have been raised, led to believe and a tendency
of humans toward acquisition of possessions and associating
them with esteem and power.
6. Increase protection of species, and ensure that natural
parks and wilderness areas are protected to the fullest. Activities
overly disrupting the ecosystems should prohibited. Plan our
communities better with open space and consideration of local
ecosystems in mind, rather than mass bulldozing, blacktop
and sterile suburban jungles. The overpopulation and consumerism
problem is tied in with this too, since with the unsustainable
increase in population, more and more land is developed to
provide homes, roads, etc. etc., creating an ever-shrinking
land mass uninhabitable to anything but humans, who may not
survive long anyway in an ecological disaster.
In my mind’s eye, Bush et al. are doing everything in opposition
to the above in attempts to continue with the status quo and
are even promoting increases in the spikes. I believe he and
his supporters are motivated by self-interest and are determined
to maintain a premise based on the past, rather than look
at what is needed to adopt to the changes we will one way
or the other need for our future. I believe they are blinded
by a narrow focus, and in denial of the truth because of this,
and so are many Americans. Bush's agenda and his purposes
pose a threat to our future, and it is up to those who can
see and care enough to help define and bring about what is
needed.
Speak out for the ideal, and perhaps workable compromises
that effect change and reduce environmental risk will be possible.
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