Poll Issue #8: The Environment

[PennSkinsFan]

Please vote

[Spence]

Of course we need to go back to Clinton-era environmental protection and then improve on that, too. [Clinton was no hardcore environmentalist, as anyone familiar with Arkansas and the effects of its hog farms and poultry industry could testify.] Green technology is the wave of the future. We need to get in on it now before the Europeans and the Japanese corner the market on it. The notion that protecting the environment is bad for business is total baloney. The richest nations in the world are also those with the strictest environmental laws and the richest states in the U.S. are almost always the ones with the strictest environmental laws. Let's face it, for all the protection Governor Clinton gave to the hog and poultry industries in Arkansas, it still didn't make the state rich.

[tommahawk]

Sea engulfing Alaskan village

Tony estimates the tide moves an average of 10 feet (three metres) closer to the land every year. When he was growing up, it was roughly 300 feet (91 metres) from where it is now. Because temperatures in Alaska have increased by as much as 4.4C over the last 30 years, glaciers are starting to melt, causing the sea levels to rise.

Shishmaref is an indication of what to expect in the future in other parts of the world," he told me. "In that respect it is the canary in the coal mine." And so instead of fighting nature over land that has been theirs for generations, they have reluctantly concluded that preserving life is more important than preserving their lifestyle. Soon this entire village will be relocating to the mainland - making the people of Shishmaref the first refugees of global warming.

global average sea level will rise by about 7m (23ft).



Go back to the Clinton plan but continue plans for the future rather than ignoring the situation as the current administration does.

[NamVet4]

We live together, all of us, on this small ship hurtling through the galaxy and we must be mindful of what we do to protect and maintain our world. Spence is absolutely correct - we must demand that every business, large or small, agrarian or industrial commit to a pro-active environmental policy. The Almighty Creator entrusted the stewardship of this planet to all of us; we are accountable. All life, human and animal, insect, fish and fowl, whatever, is totally dependent on our ability to recognize our responsibility. The wonders of nature renew through the cycle of life and death and regeneration. Only man, can interrupt that cycle through the careless and thoughtless waste and spoilage of natural resources.
There is no denying this. Wake up America, take the lead; believe me our grandchildren will thank us!

[Agrawog]

Those were beautiful words NamVet but I don't see anything in human history that would lead me to believe that anything close to like what you are saying will happen. Our shared history is clearly one of self motivation in the long term absent any crisis. Capitalism (even the watered down version we practice) wins because people are focused on their own economic self-interest at the macro level.

All the economic systems that have been tried on a macro level that ask for sacrifice and sharing have not worked (although i guess you could argue that no one has ever tried a communist democracy) and have been subsumed by capitalism. This fact does not bode well for your request to have people think of the future and act accordingly.


On a macro level I think the governments of the world are going to need tofind a 'carrot' to motivate busiensses to function in an environmentally responsible manner. There will always be exceptions, of course. Some companies and individual will of course be generous because that is who they are but on the macro level we need some sort of system inducement.

Not very uplifting, I know.

[NamVet4]

The "carrot" or system inducement you refer to Agrawog, is simply the ever-present threat of a lack of resources. Agrarian based businesses are poisoning the very land they depend upon to produce their products; industrial based businesses are consuming fossil fuel and related products at a rate well above the natural order of regeneration. Nature by its very essence is unforgiving. The process of consumption and recycling requires severe attention to balance. If the balance is not maintained, Nature condemns us to a very harsh lifestyle - if the capitalistic, economic based form of self-government drives us away from a willingness to cooperate with the law of nature. The true constant in nature is that everything does indeed change; it is the ability of man to recognize that and adapt to the change that will insure the preservation of mankind. While the threat of “nuclear winter” and “biological genocide” are strong, the inevitable destruction of the species is mandated by the foolhardy actions of mankind.

[tommahawk]

It's good to know most of you would like to see more done to protect the enviroment.

[Axegrinder]

I voted to go back to Clintons enviromental standards with an eye towards improving on them.We only have one planet,so lets try and leave it as good or better than we recieved it....if possible.

[Spence]

Five people voted in favor of Bush's environmental rollbacks, yet none of them have posted their reasoning in here. Not terribly brave, I must say. If you've got an opinion, be proud of it and defend it. If you can't do that, maybe you ought to take a second look at your opinion, eh?

[GolfFreak]

I voted more protection, I don't see why we wouldn't want to protect our lands.

[Skins57]

I am in the group that wants to return to Clinton's era and not just for the enviroment

We need to improve on even Clinton's plan but we need to atleast go back to that, or maybe we could drill for oil at Old Faithful.

[Redblood]

I think we have enough regulation. Bush's rollbacks were good!

There. You now have someone from the other side to step up!

Clinton was only the 2nd president in history to be impeached. Bush hasn't been. The only way Clinton stayed, was because of Politics.

Favors anyone?

[BledBrgndy&Gld]

who cares about the environment, it'll be fine.

[Spence]

Originally Posted by BledBrgndy&Gld

who cares about the environment, it'll be fine.

Thank you for perfectly summing up the Republican attitude toward the environment. Finally, a rightie expresses the true beliefs of his fellow righties. A little honesty from the right is unexpected, but most welcome. Thank you very much, BledBrgndy&Gld.

[lakewinola]

Bad summer air may hit more U.S. cities

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science...eut/index.html