Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

In 2002, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, andSwitzerland had in order the highest ESI scores.Kuwait, the United Arab Emigrates, North Korea, Iraq,and Saudi Arabia had the lowest score. The UnitedStates ranked 45th out of the 142 countries evaluated.It received a high rating for decreasing water pollutionand conventional air pollutants and active discussionof environmental policy. But it received a low rating onreducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing resourcewaste.Proponents recognize that making a cultural shiftto more environmentally sustainable societies over thenext few decades will be controversial, and like all significantchange it will not be predictable, orderly, orpainless.According to business leader Paul Hawken, makingthis change meansthinking big and long into the future. It also means doingsomething now. It means electing people who reallywant to make things work, and who can imagine a betterworld. It means writing to companies and tellingthem what you think. It means never forgetting thatthe cash register is the daily voting booth in democraticcapitalism.Several guidelines have been suggested for fosteringcooperation instead of confrontation as we dealwith important environmental problems. First, recognizethat business is not the enemy. Businesses are hereto make money for their investors and stockholders.So why not reward them and encourage new environmentalinnovations by shifting government subsidiesfrom earth-degrading activities to earth-sustaining activitiesand by shifting taxes from income and wealthto pollution and resource waste? Environmentalistsand leaders of corporations could thus become partnersin a joint quest for environmental and economicsustainability.Second, shift the emphasis for dealing with environmentalproblems to preventing or minimizingthem. Third, use well-designed and carefully monitoredmarketplace solutions to prevent most environmentalproblems instead of relying primarily on laws,regulations, and litigation in dealing with environmentalproblems.Fourth, cooperate and innovate to find win-winsolutions to environmental problems instead of usingconfrontational tactics to come up with less effective I-win-you-lose solutions in which the earth always endsup losing.Fifth, stop exaggerating. People on both sides ofthorny environmental issues should take a vow not toexaggerate or distort their positions in attempts toplay win-lose environmental games. They should recognizethat there are trade-offs in any environmentaldecision—as presented throughout this book—andwork together to find balanced win-win solutions thatare implemented in a flexible and adaptive manner.In working to make the earth a better place tolive, we should be guided by historian ArnoldToynbee’s observation, “If you make the world everso little better, you will have done splendidly, andyour life will have been worthwhile,” and by GeorgeBernard Shaw’s reminder that “indifference is the essenceof inhumanity.”In the end, it all comes back to each of us taking responsibility.We all have to decide whether we want tobe part of the problem or part of the solution to the environmentalchallenges we face.As the wagon driver said when they came to a long, hard hill,“Them that’s going on with us, get out and push. Them thatain’t, get out of the way.”ROBERT FULGHUMCRITICAL THINKING1. What are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of thesystem of government in your country with respect to(a) protecting the environment and (b) ensuring environmentaljustice for all? What three major changes, if any,would you make in this system?2. Explain why you agree or disagree with the nine principlesrecommended by some analysts for use in makingenvironmental policy decisions listed on pp. 607–608.3. Rate the last four presidents of the United States (orleaders of the country where you live) on a scale of 1–10in terms of their ability to act as environmental leaders.4. Suppose a presidential candidate ran on a platformcalling for the federal government to phase in a tax ongasoline so that, over 5–10 years, the price of gasolinewould rise to $5–8 a gallon (as is the case in Japan and mostwestern European nations). The candidate argues that thistax increase is necessary to encourage oil and gasoline conservation,reduce air pollution, slow global warming, andenhance future economic, environmental, and military security.The candidate also says the tax revenue would beused to reduce taxes on wages and profits and to providean economic safety net for the poor and lower middleclass. Would you vote for this candidate who wants togreatly increase the price of gasoline? Explain.5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of usingonly public funds to finance all election campaigns? Explainwhy you support or oppose such an idea. Whymight the major environmental groups in the UnitedStates not support such a reform? Should they?6. Explain why you agree or disagree with each of threesolutions given on p. 618 for leveling the legal playingfield for citizens who have suffered environmental harm.Try to interview an environmental lawyer and a corporatelawyer to get their views on this.628 CHAPTER 27 Politics, Environment, and Sustainability