The "Free Market" - Successful Environmental Self-Regulators. Or Not.

"We support a clean and healthy environment and sensible use of our natural resources. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources. Pollution and misuse of resources cause damage to our ecosystem. Governments, unlike private businesses, are unaccountable for such damage done to our environment and have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection. Protecting the environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights in resources like land, water, air, and wildlife. Free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and ecosystems. We realize that our planet's climate is constantly changing, but environmental advocates and social pressure are the most effective means of changing public behavior." (Libertarian Party Platform 2.2 Environment)

Essentially the only thing I agree with from the above statement is that social pressure can be a very effective change element. As for the rest of the sentiments included in this portion of the Libertarian Party platform, all I can ask is....seriously? Pictures tell the tale better than I ever could. The following are all man-made disasters which entirely or largely resulted from carelessness and the "free market" working to squeeze a few percentage points of additional profit. These, of course, are just a small sampling of careless incidents and in some cases criminal incidents of the private sector.

The private sector has done things to advance environmental causes and those efforts should be wildly applauded. However, our track record certainly does not indicate that the private sector can operate without regulation. Likewise, the government cannot or should not operate without supervision. The private and public sectors should serve as counter weights keeping each other in check. Sometimes, unfortunately things fall out of balance.

Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY which became the subject of national and international attention, controversy, and eventual environmental notoriety following the discovery of 21,000 tons of toxic waste that had been buried beneath the neighborhood by Hooker Chemical.

Summitville mine was a gold mining site in Rio Grande County, Colorado 25 miles (40 km) south of Del Norte. It is remembered for the environmental damage caused in the 1980s by the accidental leakage of mining by-products into local waterways and then the Alamosa River.


Upper Big Branch mine, West Virginia - 29 dead

Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil "Spill" - 11 dead, thousands of lives in shambles

Dead whale--20 years later Alaskan beaches remain polluted by oil from the Exxon Valdez spill.


Enbridge Energy Partners spill, Kalamazoo River--2010

A Few Minutes of Travel Within a Tourist’s Paradise

To me the difference between traveling and touring is that travel changes you, touring fills scrapbooks and photo albums. Like great writing, movies, art and other experiences, travel allows you to see the world differently. By allowing places, people, food and histories to touch your heart and your mind, you are never exactly the same after the experience.

I have been fortunate enough to do a decent amount of both traveling and touring in my life and hope to do much more.

When we decided to go on an Alaskan cruise to celebrate my father-in-law’s 80th birthday I was excited about the opportunity to see at least parts of Alaska and to spend time with my family. I was frankly worried, however, that I would not have any opportunity to travel. That we would be so scheduled with excursions and ping-pong tournaments that I would have no chance to get at least some sense of what Alaska is…to let the place touch me in some way.

Southeast Alaska is unspeakably beautiful. There is a majesty and uniqueness that I have experienced very few other places. I was relieved to discover for myself that even in a sea of bodies trying to hustle their way to the next souvenir shop, you can find moments to “travel” if you allow yourself.

For instance, we visited the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. It was spectacular and heart-breaking at the same time. The glacier and the area are stunningly beautiful and it reminded me how small each of us is both physically and our individual time on this planet.

It was also really sad. The glacier is now retreating (shrinking) 200-250 feet per year. Just 10 years ago it was retreating 60 feet per year. It does not take a mathematical genius to calculate that the pace of change is dramatically accelerating. Our planet is unquestionably in a warming period, but the planet has cooled and warmed many times over the course of its existence.

Although warming and cooling is a natural process, the vast belching of emissions into our atmosphere is speeding the process dramatically according to nearly all reputable scientists. The debate within the scientific community is not whether or not man is causing or radically contributing to global warming, the debate is when will we begin having very real problems (is it 20 years, 50 years….?). The scientific debate is also what to do about it now and a good number of scientists are working to develop emergency plans if/when the plans become necessary.

It is virtually only radical religious leaders, self-interested business groups and politicians pandering to these organizations that try to cast doubt on man’s contribution to the problem of global warming. Much of the public is confused or ambivalent….exactly the status many desire.

So, it was with this knowledge that I marveled at the majestic Mendenhall Glacier. On one hand it is wondrous, powerful and ancient. On the other hand, there is a weakness, just a little bit of this majestic mass crying out for help.

As I walked the paths, I watched people stream back and forth. For portions of the walk I had tears welling in my eyes and I wondered….is there anyone else who is being dramatically touched by this experience? Has anyone else “traveled” and let this glacier, thousands of years old, change them? Have they allowed themselves to feel with their hearts as they experience first-hand the damage we are doing to our planet?

Or, will they snap their photos, tell there friends and family at home how beautiful it was as they hop into their SUVs, crank up the AC and stop at the local Wal-Mart on their way home to buy a bunch of stuff they don’t really need?

Are Hummers Evil?

Well, contrary to what some committed environmentalists would say, my answer is no. I do not believe that it is possible for inanimate objects to be evil. So, this begs the question…are the people who create them (the company) and/or the people who create the market for Hummers (drivers) evil?

Although evil does exist in the world, I do believe in the inherent good of the vast majority of the earth’s people. So, it is decidedly unfair and unloving to arbitrarily classify a group of people to be evil or even lesser based on their choice of transportation. And, if we classified Hummer drivers to be evil, logic would require us to classify other low-mileage and unnecessary vehicles to be evil. There are a lot of people I truly love, respect and enjoy who drive low mileage luxury vehicles. I do not have the stomach for this type of classification and those living in glass houses should not throw stones (I am far from perfect in the manner in which I use energy and other resources).

So the question introspective people might ask themselves is not whether driving these types of vehicles is good or evil, but is it fair? Is it fair to earth’s current inhabitants? Is it fair to unborn generations?

Regardless of your position on global warming or other environmental issues, oil and consumption/allocation of natural resources is a national security issue. It is a global security issue. Maybe you don’t believe Al Gore and his “Inconvenient Truth,” there are certainly compelling arguments both for and against his positions and facts. However, America is currently and for millennia mankind has warred over access to and control of natural resources. Our current battle of choice is oil; very soon it will be water.

So, the question is…even though my neighbor is a really great guy, does he have the right to contribute to prolonged warfare and battling over the globe’s limited resources? Do I have the right to do the same to my neighbor?

Even though I drive a high-mileage vehicle, does my neighbor have the right to be disappointed in the fact that I forget to turn off extra lights or make other decisions that do not make great use of our shared resources? I contend that he does have a right to be upset by this. And, he does have a right to say something to me. He certainly has the right to participate in movements that have the purpose of pressuring me to do the right thing (peer pressure can be a positive thing).

Our decisions as individuals combine to form national decisions. What we think and how we behave as individuals combines and will determine the world we hand to our children.

At some point, could fashion, status and caring for each other and future generations combine? Could it be one and the same? I have enough faith in the inherent goodness of humanity that some day, yes, I believe it could be.