Clean Air Act is 40!
Posted by Ethan on Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hey Neergs!
Well, it's the Clean Air Act's 40th Birthday. I know I should be celebrating. There are lots of reasons to of course. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, does an amazing job enumerating the reasons on her Huffington Post blog (link below). And the Clean Air Act has been such an important piece of legislation for our country and the world without a doubt. Ms. Jackson runs the numbers--200,000 lives saved, decrease in heart and lung disease, significant reduction of common pollutants in our air, 1.7 million tons of toxins removed from our air since 1990, and get this--lots of new innovation and new jobs! Pretty impressive right? Who could have a problem with that?
So, this begs the question. If the numbers don't lie, why do we put up with all the misconceptions spread by lobbyists and big industry? They tell people in America that regulating greenhouse gases will be a "silent death" and will put even more Americans out of work! During a recession, that can be pretty scary talk. The fact remains that the Clean Air Act has created $40 in benefits for every dollar spent, according to Ms. Jackson, and I believe her over the lobbyists and big industry. Ms. Jackson just wants what all moms want for their kids and grandchildren--clean air for them to breathe and a promising future. Did anyone see pictures of China before the Olympics? You wouldn't believe the smog they live with everyday. Is that where we are heading?
Big industry has a lot to gain by misleading the American public. They get richer, retire and conveniently bury their heads in the sand. They forget that the legacy they leave behind may be so damaging, it might not be corrected. Are these industry leaders not mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers as well? If they love their children like everyone else, and I'm sure they do, then they must be in a convenient denial. Either they believe climate change is not happening or that it is not human-caused. Either belief is dangerous and irresponsible. Well, I hate to end a blog with my personal rant and rave, so please join our rant and rave on our new GKR Forum. We want to hear from you! Read Lisa Jackson's Clean Air Act by the Numbers, and check out this new cool video from RePower America. Peace Out-Ethan
Well, it's the Clean Air Act's 40th Birthday. I know I should be celebrating. There are lots of reasons to of course. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, does an amazing job enumerating the reasons on her Huffington Post blog (link below). And the Clean Air Act has been such an important piece of legislation for our country and the world without a doubt. Ms. Jackson runs the numbers--200,000 lives saved, decrease in heart and lung disease, significant reduction of common pollutants in our air, 1.7 million tons of toxins removed from our air since 1990, and get this--lots of new innovation and new jobs! Pretty impressive right? Who could have a problem with that?
So, this begs the question. If the numbers don't lie, why do we put up with all the misconceptions spread by lobbyists and big industry? They tell people in America that regulating greenhouse gases will be a "silent death" and will put even more Americans out of work! During a recession, that can be pretty scary talk. The fact remains that the Clean Air Act has created $40 in benefits for every dollar spent, according to Ms. Jackson, and I believe her over the lobbyists and big industry. Ms. Jackson just wants what all moms want for their kids and grandchildren--clean air for them to breathe and a promising future. Did anyone see pictures of China before the Olympics? You wouldn't believe the smog they live with everyday. Is that where we are heading?
Big industry has a lot to gain by misleading the American public. They get richer, retire and conveniently bury their heads in the sand. They forget that the legacy they leave behind may be so damaging, it might not be corrected. Are these industry leaders not mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers as well? If they love their children like everyone else, and I'm sure they do, then they must be in a convenient denial. Either they believe climate change is not happening or that it is not human-caused. Either belief is dangerous and irresponsible. Well, I hate to end a blog with my personal rant and rave, so please join our rant and rave on our new GKR Forum. We want to hear from you! Read Lisa Jackson's Clean Air Act by the Numbers, and check out this new cool video from RePower America. Peace Out-Ethan