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Page added on March 10, 2016
Slowly Moving to Protect the Environment
Many of us feel a sense of urgency when we think of the steps needed to preserve our planet, but governments attempting to maintain economic well-being and stay in power continue to balance change with stability. I think that more and more people in power understand the need to address climate change, ecosystem protection, and toxics in our production processes. But their political survival and, indeed, our peace and stability depends on a well-functioning economic system. Slow, yet significant, change is underway. We see it in the replacement of the water pipes in Flint, Michigan, where the first few of about 8,000 pipes were replaced last week. One can see it in the U.S. EPA’s designation of the Passaic River as a Superfund site and a planned $1.38 billion ten-year cleanup announced recently. We see it in the latest Five-Year Plan for economic development in China. As Brian Spegele reported in the Wall Street Journal recently:
China will cap annual energy consumption at 5 billion metric tons of coal equivalent by 2020, as Beijing pushes to control the use of resources and curb greenhouse-gas emissions. The cap, detailed Saturday in a draft of the government’s 13th Five Year Plan economic blueprint, comes as Chinese leaders seek to tackle wasteful resource usage and industrial overcapacity in the world’s second-largest economy. It marks the first time a hard energy-consumption cap has been enshrined in a five-year plan…
These are all indicators of a shift in policy direction. In Michigan, everyone knows that Flint’s water infrastructure must be restored to safe functioning. In China, everyone who breathes knows that coal consumption must be reduced. In New Jersey, the Passaic River has been a dangerous and disgusting liquid toxic waste dump for over half a century. The process of change first begins with a change in the direction of policy. This follows a process of research, analysis, communication, and, finally, understanding of the problem at hand.
The next step is framing a response that is cost effective and feasible. One principle of environmental protection that I learned at the start of my career in EPA’s Superfund program is that government’s first responsibility is to ensure that people are moved out of harm’s way. In the case of toxic waste, we needed to understand the “pathways of exposure” and ensure that people were removed from those pathways. Once the emergency response is complete, we can then turn to remedial response–to the actions that actually repair the damage and allow people to go on with their lives.
In the case of Flint’s water system, the first pipes being ripped up and replaced are those that connect to the homes of children that are already suffering from lead poisoning. Flint’s Mayor, Karen Weaver, knows that all of the lead pipes can’t be replaced all at once. For one thing, the city estimates that there are 8,000 lead pipes in the city, but they only know the location of about 4,400 of them. Clearly, taking inventory is a critical step that must be started quickly. But while the full dimensions of the problem are being defined, action can still begin. Kris Maher reporting in the Wall Street Journal described the city’s cleanup plan:
The mayor’s plan will initially target homes in neighborhoods with the highest number of children younger than 6 years old, senior citizens, pregnant women and households where tests found high levels of lead in tap water. Lead pipes will be replaced with copper ones using a method developed by officials in Lansing, the state capital, which has replaced most of its lead pipes in recent years.
In addition, children are being tested for exposure to lead and families are being provided with bottled water for household use. Not a perfect solution, but finally state and local government are moving toward a response to the human-made environmental disaster they created.
While burning coal and ingesting lead are clear dangers to people and the planet, not all environmental threats are fully understood and sometimes a rapid response is unwise and can lead to cures that are worse than the disease. In a recent article on invasive species, New York Times reporter Erica Goode noted that the conventional wisdom on the dangers of invasive species is changing due to scientific debate and that:
…the idea that invasive species should be assumed guilty until proven innocent has begun to wane, the shift prompted in part… by concerns over the use of chemical pesticides and the disruption of landscapes caused by many eradication efforts.
In some cases we do not understand the impact of human actions on the planet and we need to do more observation and analysis to understand those impacts. In other cases we don’t really know how to repair the damage once it has been done. All of this argues for a more careful practice of introducing new technologies into the economy and, as I have written elsewhere, greater adoption of the precautionary principle before introducing new products or production processes. The assumption that all new technology is good is dangerous to the point of idiocy. While economic growth is often built on new technology, environmental damage and impaired human health can also be caused by new technology. The cost of environmental damage and human health effects must eventually be paid and so the long-term benefit-cost relationship of the new technology must be considered before new technologies are introduced.
The argument for a slower, more reasoned introduction of new technology and the argument for a slower and more reasoned response to environmental damage is often resisted in our fast-paced, 24/7 global economy. Slow means bureaucratic, old fashioned, and over-regulated. Speed is self-justifying. But not everyone shares the view that faster is better. My Columbia colleague Mark Taylor has written an insightful book, entitled Speed Limits, on the impact of our addiction to speed.
If the people who decided to switch the source of Flint’s water had moved a little slower, done a pilot test, and evaluated the result, they might have realized that the money saved by switching would be dwarfed by the money spent to repair the damage. In the case of the Passaic River, not everyone is satisfied with the speed and extent of the cleanup. While the New Jersey Sierra Club advocates more dredging than EPA is planning, most agree that some progress is better than doing nothing. Fortunately, the cleanup process can be modified once it is underway and we learn more about its success and durability.
When addressing environmental damage we need to be sure that the cure is not worse than the disease and we need to approach policy and program design with humility and modesty. It may be scary to think that an understanding of some of the human-induced changes to our planet is beyond our current state of knowledge, but sometimes we really don’t know what we are doing. If this sounds like an argument for more research on earth systems science and a greater resource allocation for earth observation, that’s exactly what it is.
But I am also arguing for removing some of the ideology, anger, partisanship and emotion from environmental policy. Think of it as if it were medical practice for the planet. Would you want your doctors to have a heated emotional argument about the fact of your illness or the possible treatment? Or would you want a careful reasoned debate including a first, second and possibly even a third opinion? I know what I’d want.
The fact is that over the past half-century or so, the movement to protect our planet has grown and even in the face of important competing needs, momentary setbacks have always been followed by further progress. China built coal-fired power plants at a ferocious rate, but is now moving to transition off of coal. Michigan’s government now recognizes that they messed up big time with Flint’s water, and they are moving to remedy the situation. Moreover, the visibility of the issue has increased awareness of the issue of toxics in our water, air, homes, and land. As I often say, public policy doesn’t solve problems–it makes them less bad. We are slowly addressing problems like climate change and toxics. A half-century ago these problems were barely on the political agenda; today they are taught in our schools, reported by the media and acted on by businesses and government. It could be better, faster and more just, but so could just about everything.
17 Comments on "Slowly Moving to Protect the Environment"
ghung on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 8:23 am
“…These are all indicators of a shift in policy direction.”
These are all indicators of desperation; forcing, like putting the cork back in the pig’s ass (old joke).
Apneaman on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 9:06 am
WTF does flints poisoned water have to do with AGW? Nothing. One is global and stretches back over 265 years and involves almost everyone on the planet at this point. The other is (as predicted and repeated in many locals) a neo liberal corrupt privatization scheme (corrupt public officials and business). AGW is too far gone to do anything about other than prepare and minimize suffering (which ain’t happening). Flint can be remedied with a few policy tweaks, new management and an admission that some people need to be moved away (helped) from areas where the government can no longer support the infrastructure. The suggestion that we are doing anything about climate change, other than jabber, is laughable. “The environment” the one that agriculture and ape civilization took root in, is in the midst of a major shift/going away and will not return for millions of years. There is no record of any large vertebra (99lbs plus) surviving any of the previous extinction periods (14) and they did not have to deal with a poisoned planet strip mined of biodiversity right at the beginning of the extinction event/period.
onlooker on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 9:24 am
And isn’t that the problem moving slowly or not moving at all the protect the environment. Makes me think of our so called climate summits hardly moving. Yes keep on thinking we have all the time in the world. The planet as all the time in the world, we and other species do not.
Apneaman on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 9:26 am
New normal? Nope it’s going to get worse than this. Broken records is the new normal leading to broken people, broken towns, broken states and broken nations.
Rain in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas Will Worsen ‘Historic’ Flooding Event
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/10/rain-in-texas-louisiana-and-arkansas-will-worsen-historic-flooding-event.html
Practicalmaina on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 11:10 am
No one is moving to protect shit, it’s all about those dollar bills. Organic small scale and renewables are trendy, green, and profitable for someone. The GMO bubble, fracking bubble, plastic and tech bubble is going to pop. They are detrimental to the health of everything and therefore cost us money in the form of healthcare to climate change messing with crops. The cost of extraction of fossil fuels, and increased feasibility of alternatives is the only thing that will get us to head away from fossil fuels. Not much happens in this world unless someone is going to make some money.
penury on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 11:29 am
Progress is being made. Ha Ha Ha Unless you are talking about progress in the destruction of the eco-system. As is often said “money talks” and there is more money to be made in destruction than there is in protection. Guess what you are going to get?
peakyeast on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 2:30 pm
Slowly Moving to Protect the Environment?
We are accelerating the destruction. Not decelerating. And we are nearing the end of that road with tremendous speed.
If they had taken the time to see what was, whats left and how it disappeared then perhaps they would have seen this.
Bob Owens on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 3:19 pm
The only things that move society are money and body counts. Lead pipes were initially put in because they were easier to work with and cheaper than iron. Even then we knew that lead pipes were probably bad for you. Now that we are looking at body counts we all of a sudden decide that, hey, the lead pipes need to be replaced. And this job, of course, will still take decades for Flint. Why is China suddenly tackling pollution? Body counts are way up. Why do we still use fossil fuels? They are the cheapest (for now). Caring for Nature and the Environment have very little to do with it unless it is doe-eyed seal pups. Sorry, but that is the world we live in. Why do we have Wars? I suspect it is because of all the arms profits. We whip up hatreds and sell guns. We will never learn.
Apneaman on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 8:52 pm
Record-Strength Upper Low Brings Extreme Rains to South U.S., Thundersnow to Mexico
“Premature spring warmth swaddles Northeast
Dozens of temperature records melted like so much gelato beneath sun-filled skies across much of the Northeast on Wednesday. Boston basked in temperatures that topped out at 77°F–not just a daily record, but the city’s warmest official reading on any day in astronomical winter since records began there in 1872. New York City’s Central Park also had its earliest 77°F in records that, likewise, go back to 1872. The uncannily mild air served as a fitting curtain call after New England’s warmest meteorological winter on record (Dec-Feb). The lack of persistent snow cover across New York and New England helped give this week’s warmth an extra boost. Some of the records set on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 included:
Earliest 80°F on record
Albany, NY: 81°F (previous record March 16, 1990)
Hartford, CT: 81°F (previous record March 20, 1945)
Newark, NJ: 82°F (previous record March 13, 1990)Poughkeepsie, NY: 82°F (previous record March 13, 1990)
Earliest 75°F on record
Boston, MA: 77°F (previous record March 14, 1946)
Concord, NH: 77°F (previous record March 18, 2012)
Earliest 70°F on record
Glens Falls, NY 77°F (previous record March 13, 1990)
Earliest 65°F on record
Montpelier, VT: 66°F (previous record March 15, 1990)
St. Johnsbury, VT: 65°F (previous record March 16, 1990)
The forecast: more flooding in the South, more warmth for the East”
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/recordstrength-upper-low-brings-extreme-rains-to-south-us-thunders
Apneaman on Thu, 10th Mar 2016 11:02 pm
More consequences. Lots of pictures.
Storm brings chaos across the country with railways flooded and commuters stranded
Transport Police drafted in to tackle crowds of trapped workers
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6990255/UK-in-chaos-with-severe-warnings-across-South-and-Midlands-along-with-cops-in-tense-standoff-with-delayed-train-commuters.html
Davy on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 6:05 am
I would like to ask what any of you are doing to protect the environment. How many here that bitch moan and complain about the environment do anything significant and lasting. I am included. I try to do something by practicing relative sacrifice. I make supply runs less frequent but organized. Group needs in one run. I burn wood. I have a high mileage vehicle for the occasional long commutes. I have a small diesel ranger for my farm utility work. I am reducing the use of my large farm tractor by grazing with goats instead of using the bushog. I have a 15,000 sq/ft garden/orchard/grape vine and buy local food. I am utilizing solar for part of my power needs. I reduce family trips by finally just saying no.
Yet, I still drive. I still eat store bought food. I still go to restaurants. I still am a consumer buying goods off Amazon. I still use grid power. Food, driving, consumer goods, and grid power make all my other efforts mute because they are so significant as sources of emissions and sources of environmental destruction. I would like to do more but I am not naïve to think even then I will have a real impact.
The real impact comes when society is forced into a rebalance with consumption from depletion, systematic decay, and financial deflation. It will come from population rebalance of excess deaths of births from a whole host of reasons. Populations is nearing a peak because we are close to failure events. We may grow another 500MIL but it appears with the economy, climate instability, and localized carrying capacity breaches another few years of growth is likely all we will get. This is really an unknown and could go further into the 1-2BIL range but so many problems are presenting themselves that have no solution and are converging into mega problems.
Currently I am building up a doomstead so I am investing funds in long term physical items. This means purchasing long term physical goods that will be of use and value in a declining economy with shrinking living standards. My latest purchase is a small high tunnel greenhouse. I just finished a very efficient grazing system for my cattle and goats. There are many tools, hardware, and supplies that can be purchased now that will have important uses latter. They may have barter uses also. I don’t drink but I have a large and growing bourbon collection. I have a growing prep library. My clothing is made to last and technical.
Many of my prep efforts involve emissions and resources that degrade the environment. Just tapping on this laptop is destructive. I am practicing relative sacrifice where I can with the understanding life as a whole is going to implode to some new level of less with less coming from that point on. Then is when the real changes will take place. Depending on that descent gradient that will determine how much reduction man’s footprint is and if we have any chance of survival post stable climate. That is for fate to know.
Kenz300 on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 10:37 am
Too many people……….create too much pollution and demand too many resources….
China made great progress in moving its people out of poverty…….one reason was slowing population growth…..
If you can not provide for yourself you can not provide for a child.
CLIMATE CHANGE, declining fish stocks, droughts, floods, air water and land pollution, poverty, water and food shortages all stem from the worlds worst environmental problem……. OVER POPULATION.
Yet the world adds 80 million more mouths to feed, clothe, house and provide energy and water for every year… this is unsustainable… and is a big part of the Climate Change problem
Birth Control Permanent Methods: Learn About Effectiveness
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/birth_control_permanent_methods/article_em.htm
kanon on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 1:28 pm
At least you are on the right track Davy. My humble suggestion is cultivate some community if possible. It occurs to me that the great simplification will leave many preppers isolated or, ironically, unprepared. Some unanticipated dependency or circumstance will limit possibilities to only things manageable by a human being doing the work.
Davy on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 1:59 pm
Kanon, I am involved with my neighbors. These are country people and not on the same wave length as we are on this board yet, they are motivated to living local on whatever works.
The Ozarks are a poor region and always have been. This handicap paradoxically will help the region negotiate decline better.
I wish there were more like minded preppers among my neighbors. What I have done is adapt to them and quietly and with stealth get my message across to them.
Apneaman on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 2:25 pm
Here’s What Climate Change Has Done to the Season Formerly Known as Winter
“While the continental United States represents less than 2 percent of Earth’s surface area, the weirdly warm winter “is a regional expression of much larger-scale global warmth that continues to break all-time records,” Pennsylvania State University climatologist Michael Mann said.
Western and Central Europe and parts of Russia saw temperatures above normal in January and February. Britain’s national weather agency, the Met Office, reported this year has been the warmest on record for England and Wales, and both the second-warmest and second-wettest for the United Kingdom as a whole.”
https://news.vice.com/article/heres-what-climate-change-has-done-to-the-season-formerly-known-as-winter
Apneaman on Fri, 11th Mar 2016 2:28 pm
Unprecedented Spike in CO2 Levels in 2015
“The annual growth rate of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose more in 2015 than scientists have ever seen in a single year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday.
It was the fourth year in a row that carbon dioxide concentrations grew by more than 2 parts per million, with an annual growth rate of 3.05 parts per million in 2015. The spike comes in the same year that Earth reached an ominous global warming milestone — scientists last year measured the highest atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide ever recorded.”
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/unprecedented-spike-co2-levels-2015-20125
Apneaman on Sun, 13th Mar 2016 8:22 pm
February Smashes Earth’s All-Time Global Heat Record by a Jaw-Dropping Margin
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/february-smashes-earths-alltime-global-heat-record-by-a-jawdropping