Environment

Many people think that those who are concerned about the environment are unconcerned, or unaware, of the day to day needs and realities of the average American. Some people see environmental groups as limiting economic opportunities, preventing the growth and development that might otherwise occur, and taking resources away from people, rather than adding to people’s lives.

This is a very mistaken, if not tragic, view of the contributions that the environmental movement is making, and can make, to the safety of the world. One can say that “the environmentalists” have created picky rules so we have to buy different detergents, but almost anyone would be outraged to learn, as is the case, that a grandfather taking a grandson to fish in the Spokane River would only be catching poisonous fish because of the pollution in the river. It’s one thing to say that “those environmentalists” are making it more costly and might possibly inhibit economic development with emission standards. It is another thing to meet with a victim of the lead exposure from the mine in North Idaho that caused mental retardation for many children, or to know someone dying from a terminal lung condition caused by exposure to asbestos in Montana. The issues appear much different when one looks at the human implications.

Global warming is a reality, and even President Bush has agreed with this. Almost all scientists agree that mankind’s carbon emissions are a cause of global warming. Our “carbon footprint” needs to be greatly reduced or we will have truly tragic environmental changes that will very quickly jeopardize the way we live, not merely the way our children will live. What many people don’t realize, however, is that adjusting to these changes in what we do and what we build and use can not only be helpful, but economically beneficial.

People forget that efforts to help the environment and allow us to be more environmentally friendly at work and home are also activities that create jobs. For example, a company with a warehouse might decide to save on long term costs by investing in solar technology on the roof of their very large building. That could be a wise business decision that pays for itself quite quickly with the reduction of increasing energy costs, but it might also allow them to make money by providing surplus electricity back to the energy grid.

What’s overlooked sometimes, however, is that the people who sell, install and service the solar panels, the electrical engineers who design and certify sophisticated switching devices to make sure that this process stays safe, and the union lineman who hooks it up to the electrical grid all are getting paid for their productive work which ends up saving the company money. As a company invests in itself and in its future through these environmentally responsible acts, there is a secondary benefit for those who help with such infrastructure development. Government can play a role in encouraging such decisions as this, by expanding upon the tax credits and investment tax credits which could be awarded for infrastructure development that is “green” and energy efficient.

Creating such green jobs can also take the form of the government encouraging new businesses to come to the area, or as is often better, by encouraging existing businesses to expand upon their activities in a way that is increasingly environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Government can also help farmers and those in the timber industry benefit from their efforts by economic incentives which create profits from carbon offsets, wind farms which provide energy, and agricultural practices that reduce carbon emissions caused by inefficient transportation infrastructures.

Government can encourage exciting and creative green jobs that develop additional and new resources, products, skills and services that can be exported throughout the world to help sustain life. There is nowhere better than eastern Washington State to explore and create such new ventures, with our national research grade educational institution at Washington State University and our array of natural resources and climate conditions. We are in an excellent position with our expertise in farming and WSU’s research in farm practices to explore new ways that the energy stored from the sun in living plants can be released in environmentally friendly ways, for example through development of cellulosic ethanol and use of algae, neither of which increase food prices as does corn based ethanol. Where better than a Congressional district with seven substantial colleges and universities can products be tested, experiments performed, and new ideas explored to look at ways to help the environment and to help others in the world live with limited resources?

America is known as the largest exporter of weaponry in the world. Wouldn’t it be nice if America could be known in decades to come as the largest exporter of tools of life? We can produce those products and skills which ensure the world has the sustenance of food, the provision of energy, more efficient mechanisms for communication and transportation, technology which allows for medical resources to be available in very remote and isolated areas, ways to purify water that are cost efficient, and the use of bioremediation to use plants and microorganisms to actually help clean the environment from the effects of past pollution.

The government plays a role in encouraging these efforts. The vagaries and variation of the marketplace may cause research and development efforts by private enterprise to be sporadic and inconsistent. Government can make a sustained commitment to such research and development efforts by tax incentives and funding research efforts at our colleges and universities. Government can also provide available skills and services to foster the entrepreneurial spirit and the creative efforts of those with unique knowledge.

Here’s an example: A friend of mine became curious about what is called “bioremediation.” This is the use of biological organisms to remediate or correct the effects of pollution. He came to learn of a scientist who had become curious as to what happened to the oil in the oil spills in Alaska, and found out that a microorganism would eventually eat the petroleum, producing no damage to the environment as it remediated, or improved, the ocean environment. Drawing upon his background in the mechanical and engineering fields, he realized that this could be used in a variety of helpful ways. Petroleum residue, for example, can clog up sewer lines, gum up pumps, causes some machinery to operate hotter and less fuel efficiently, and harm the environment by remaining in petroleum saturated soil. He developed a way to use these petroleum eating microbes to correct these problems.

There are other uniquely creative ideas and concepts that could benefit a number of efforts and businesses, as well as private citizens with specific needs and concerns. A government committed to developing such pursuits, which are “green” in the sense of helping the environment, could help such efforts come to a larger life sooner. Developing such products and ideas requires a great time commitment and skills that go beyond that of most people and requires an understanding of patent law, environmental protection regulations, and all that’s involved in developing and running a small business. This burden could be eased if the Small Business Administration, for example, were to “fast track” and emphasize environmentally friendly activities and provide resources to help an idea become a product, and therefore add jobs. As it is, many of the good ideas of those involved with the earth and farming and with the basic sciences will starve to death without such support and stewardship that can be easily provided, if there is the leadership to do so.

A commitment to green jobs can take many forms, can benefit small businesses and small communities, and can encourage diversity of approaches which can lead to the development of effective and cost effective tools of life for international export and local use. If one of the primary medicines to fix this sick economy is the creation of jobs and opportunities, there are many ways that jobs and opportunities can occur through support for educational programs, tax incentives, and the political leadership to make job creation occur in ways that benefit us all. I am committed to this effort.