Brent Densmore returns for Part 2 of his series on sustainable development in the 21st century. Today on the agenda are some of examples of how and how not to sustain growth with a specific emphasis on the intelligent management and consumption of natural resources during this process. Brent picks up from last week discussing the complications that arise in company compliance with environmental regulations.One idea to ensure companies comply with new regulations would be to implement a government organization similar to that of the International Organization for Standardization. This new organization would compile a list of criteria that a corporation must adhere to in order to gain certification.
Once certified, the corporation would advertise that they are officially environmentally friendly and use it as a marketing tool. At the same time, the government would provide customers with a refund on products that are purchased from these companies.
This new system should provide enough motivation for corporations to adopt these practices because customers would be more likely to buy their products if they were to receive a refund.
When President Obama discusses green energy, jobs and technologies, he is referring to renewable resources and the many opportunities they would provide. Unlike past American Presidents, Obama has accepted that not only is his country addicted to fossil fuels but so is the rest of the world.
When President Obama discusses green energy, jobs and technologies, he is referring to renewable resources and the many opportunities they would provide. Unlike past American Presidents, Obama has accepted that not only is his country addicted to fossil fuels but so is the rest of the world.
Harry Longwell states that “oil and gas consumption is essential to sustaining growth in the industrialized world and is key to progress in nations working their way towards prosperity” (Longwell, Harry. “The future of the oil and gas industry: past approaches, new challenges.” World Energy 5.3 (2002) 101).
This poses two problems: One, fossil fuels are the main contributor to global warming and two, oil is not a sustainable resource. A perfect example that these two problems have presented can be seen in China.
Elizabeth Economy summarizes this problem when she states that:
“ China’s rapid development, often touted as an economic miracle, has become an environmental disaster. Record growth necessarily requires the gargantuan consumption of resources, but in China energy use has been especially unclean and inefficient, with dire consequences for the country’s air, land and water” (Economy, Elizabeth. “The great leap backward?” Foreign Affairs 86.5 (2007) P. 49).
“ China’s rapid development, often touted as an economic miracle, has become an environmental disaster. Record growth necessarily requires the gargantuan consumption of resources, but in China energy use has been especially unclean and inefficient, with dire consequences for the country’s air, land and water” (Economy, Elizabeth. “The great leap backward?” Foreign Affairs 86.5 (2007) P. 49).
If our current and future economic growth is dependant on fossil fuels, what does that mean for us in the future? China’s example should be a warning to both industrialized and developing nations that sacrificing the environment for the economy will only get you so far. Economy goes on to state that:
“Although China holds the fourth-largest freshwater resources in the world, skyrocketing demand, overuse, inefficiencies, pollution and unequal distribution have produced a situation in which two-thirds of China’s approximately 660 cities have less water than they need and 110 of them suffer from severe shortages” (Economy, 50).
As you can see from China’s unfortunate example, it is essential that we start the transition process of to moving away from fossil fuels as our main source of energy and begin investing in renewable resources. The two most popular sources of renewable energy today are wind and solar power. While neither wind nor solar power can provide enough energy to cut fossil fuel consumption, by say 50%, they can still provide enough power to significantly reduce our dependence on oil and help clean up our environment.
In order for this to happen, it will require government investment to perfect the technology. In addition, they must provide substantial tax credits for corporations and households that chose to install and use this energy.
In Canada, there is a program called “ecoENERGY retrofit” which aims to provide tax credits and refunds to those who utilize alternative energy (“Natural Resources Canada”). This is an excellent idea but requires greater funding and publicity.
In addition, Walter Rosenblaum outlines further problems that are restricting the expansion of renewable resources: “…payback periods are too long for the average homeowner. Workers skilled in the installation and maintenance of small solar systems are scarce. In most communities, building codes are more an obstacle than an encouragement to solar system installation” (Rosenblaum, Walter "Energy, politics and public policy." Washington: Congressional Quarterly Inc., 1981. P. 46.)
These three problems can easily be solved by nothing other than commitment. An investment in the technologies would encourage individuals to learn how to install these systems, especially in today’s tough economic times. Amending building codes takes nothing but a bit of time and should not even be an issue.
Check back next Friday at the 5pm EST for part 3 of 4, where Brent takes an even deeper look at strategies for reducing fossil fuel dependence and the role that the auto industry and suburban living plays in this.
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