Our Environment
The idea that anyone would be against a cleaner environment is foreign to me. It has been proven that clear air, clean water, and pristine lands make us healthier. More pollution leads to more illnesses for us, our parents, and especially our children. I do believe that in the hearts of everyone there is a desire for a clean planet. However, many get sidetracked by issues they believe to be more important at the time. Issues like money. They will address it as other names such as jobs, services, lifestyles, or the economy, but it boils down to money. And not money for everyone, but for a select few.
I was lucky enough that the time I grew up, and the place I grew up in, was a place that had more land than people, mountain beauty, clear skies, and clean water. I still live in the same general area. It is still cleaner than most, though not the same as what I grew up with.
Living in the mountains gives us the advantage of being at the headwaters, meaning the streams and rivers in the county originate in the county. The county I live in, and the counties surrounding it, has more US Forest Service land than private land. Because of that we are the source of many streams and rivers that eventually become major water suppliers and navigational streams. Here they are still very clean. They aren't as pure as they were before so many people built houses on small tracts of land, but still pretty clean. After they go past several cities and towns, the water is not quite so clean. In fact, many of the rivers become very polluted.
I was born in the 1950's and when I was very young there was not a lot being said about pollution or the environment, especially in my part of the world. In the 1960's there became an awareness of the problems, and some of the sources. Several books were written and many activists started making a stand. People that lived and worked in areas that the damage was most profound began to make noise for change. Still that change is hard to come by when those in charge of much of the pollution realize it will cost them to clean it up. It takes a while for some of them to realize that not doing anything will cost even more. The costs of cleaning can be passed on and recovered. The costs of not doing it can mean lost lives that can never be recovered.
There were many environmental laws written in the 1970's. As a result, our environment had made many recoveries, and in other cases was at least getting worse at a slower rate. There is always more that needs to be done, but any improvement is better than nothing. The mountains I live in are no longer as clear as when I was younger. There are days that they are crystal clear, especially after a good rain. And there are days that I cannot even see the mountains that are less than 10 miles away, especially in the summer. The air pollution comes into us from cities near and far, some from as far away as 500 or 600 miles away.
The current administration has dismantled or weakened environmental laws passed in the 1970's and over the 30 years since. When the law could not be weakened or removed, they simply put someone in charge that would not enforce the provisions of that law. What should be an American solution to a world problem has become a point of difference based on political affiliation. Not completely, but in many regards. The party that gave us Theodore Roosevelt as president has gone almost completely away from his vision. They have taken the stand that nothing should stand in the way of more profits for the corporations. Not even the costs of cleaning their industries so that our environment and our citizens can be healthier. It does not have to be a choice of one or the other.
Not everyone in the republican party feels this way and not everyone in the democratic party is concerned over the environment. As a general rule however, the policies of the democratic party during the last 40 + years have been more helpful to environmental concerns. I would like to see that equalized between the parties as it is a problem and an opportunity for all. The state of the environment should be important to you whether you are a tree hugging environmentalist, a gun toting hunter, a hard core fisherman, a hiker and/or a backpacker, a boater, a canoist, or just someone who enjoys the scenery as they travel about. It should also be important to you if you want your children and their children to enjoy the things we are able to.
The environment is very important to me. The outdoors is where I spent much of my youth and where I go to refresh and rejuvenate my mind, body and soul still. I had grave differences with the Reagan administration due to these issues. Even that administration did not hit the level of this administration. I did not expect George W. Bush to be overly friendly to the environmental cause, but I was completely surprised and disappointed in the adversarial policies he pursued. It became a full attack on our existing environmental laws, and by extension on our environment.
We have had proposals called "Healthy Forests Initiative" that calls for building thousands of miles of roads into wilderness areas to allow timber companies the opportunity to clear cut virgin forests at a loss to taxpayers. This is offered even though the companies are not losing money currently. Forests are a renewable resource that with stewardship many companies are able to supply our needs by regrowing trees on property already opened for the timber industry. We have a "Clear Skies Initiative" that allows thousands of tons more pollution (including the very dangerous pollutant of mercury) than is allowed in current laws and postpones enforcement of public health standards for smog. This administration has also tried to remove Clean Water Act protections from up to one fifth of our streams, lakes, and wetlands. It is already unsafe to eat the fish caught in many of our lakes and streams.
I believe strongly that we have the obligation to do all we can to protect our planet. I also know we have to be pragmatic and continue to be able to live and work. We must also protect our country. All these things are not impossible to do together. It takes time, thought, lots of work, cooperation, along with strong and creative leadership. It is critical that we work on this now. It is important for our citizens, our companies, our economy, our government, and our lives.
I was lucky enough that the time I grew up, and the place I grew up in, was a place that had more land than people, mountain beauty, clear skies, and clean water. I still live in the same general area. It is still cleaner than most, though not the same as what I grew up with.
Living in the mountains gives us the advantage of being at the headwaters, meaning the streams and rivers in the county originate in the county. The county I live in, and the counties surrounding it, has more US Forest Service land than private land. Because of that we are the source of many streams and rivers that eventually become major water suppliers and navigational streams. Here they are still very clean. They aren't as pure as they were before so many people built houses on small tracts of land, but still pretty clean. After they go past several cities and towns, the water is not quite so clean. In fact, many of the rivers become very polluted.
I was born in the 1950's and when I was very young there was not a lot being said about pollution or the environment, especially in my part of the world. In the 1960's there became an awareness of the problems, and some of the sources. Several books were written and many activists started making a stand. People that lived and worked in areas that the damage was most profound began to make noise for change. Still that change is hard to come by when those in charge of much of the pollution realize it will cost them to clean it up. It takes a while for some of them to realize that not doing anything will cost even more. The costs of cleaning can be passed on and recovered. The costs of not doing it can mean lost lives that can never be recovered.
There were many environmental laws written in the 1970's. As a result, our environment had made many recoveries, and in other cases was at least getting worse at a slower rate. There is always more that needs to be done, but any improvement is better than nothing. The mountains I live in are no longer as clear as when I was younger. There are days that they are crystal clear, especially after a good rain. And there are days that I cannot even see the mountains that are less than 10 miles away, especially in the summer. The air pollution comes into us from cities near and far, some from as far away as 500 or 600 miles away.
The current administration has dismantled or weakened environmental laws passed in the 1970's and over the 30 years since. When the law could not be weakened or removed, they simply put someone in charge that would not enforce the provisions of that law. What should be an American solution to a world problem has become a point of difference based on political affiliation. Not completely, but in many regards. The party that gave us Theodore Roosevelt as president has gone almost completely away from his vision. They have taken the stand that nothing should stand in the way of more profits for the corporations. Not even the costs of cleaning their industries so that our environment and our citizens can be healthier. It does not have to be a choice of one or the other.
Not everyone in the republican party feels this way and not everyone in the democratic party is concerned over the environment. As a general rule however, the policies of the democratic party during the last 40 + years have been more helpful to environmental concerns. I would like to see that equalized between the parties as it is a problem and an opportunity for all. The state of the environment should be important to you whether you are a tree hugging environmentalist, a gun toting hunter, a hard core fisherman, a hiker and/or a backpacker, a boater, a canoist, or just someone who enjoys the scenery as they travel about. It should also be important to you if you want your children and their children to enjoy the things we are able to.
The environment is very important to me. The outdoors is where I spent much of my youth and where I go to refresh and rejuvenate my mind, body and soul still. I had grave differences with the Reagan administration due to these issues. Even that administration did not hit the level of this administration. I did not expect George W. Bush to be overly friendly to the environmental cause, but I was completely surprised and disappointed in the adversarial policies he pursued. It became a full attack on our existing environmental laws, and by extension on our environment.
We have had proposals called "Healthy Forests Initiative" that calls for building thousands of miles of roads into wilderness areas to allow timber companies the opportunity to clear cut virgin forests at a loss to taxpayers. This is offered even though the companies are not losing money currently. Forests are a renewable resource that with stewardship many companies are able to supply our needs by regrowing trees on property already opened for the timber industry. We have a "Clear Skies Initiative" that allows thousands of tons more pollution (including the very dangerous pollutant of mercury) than is allowed in current laws and postpones enforcement of public health standards for smog. This administration has also tried to remove Clean Water Act protections from up to one fifth of our streams, lakes, and wetlands. It is already unsafe to eat the fish caught in many of our lakes and streams.
I believe strongly that we have the obligation to do all we can to protect our planet. I also know we have to be pragmatic and continue to be able to live and work. We must also protect our country. All these things are not impossible to do together. It takes time, thought, lots of work, cooperation, along with strong and creative leadership. It is critical that we work on this now. It is important for our citizens, our companies, our economy, our government, and our lives.
posted by NHThomas | 6:31 PM
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