A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Of all the hot button political issues being debated today I'm embarrased to say environmental issues, particularly global warming, leave me cold (pun intended.) Global warming seems to get people incensed in a way I can't comprehend. I don't deny that global warming is happening or is a threat but I am dubious that the world will ever come together in a meaningful way to reduce carbon emissions. I am not opposed to cap and trade but my best hopes lie with innovation that will save us from our carbon based economy.

However in Sunday's New York Times Paul Krugman, not surprisingly, makes a wise observation of how the Gulf oil spill might change the environmental debate. Comparing public support for environmental action in the 1960's and 70's as opposed to today he states:

It wasn’t that hard, under the circumstances, to mobilize political support for action. The Environmental Protection Agency was founded, the Clean Water Act was enacted, and America began making headway against its most visible environmental problems. Air quality improved: smog alerts in Los Angeles, which used to have more than 100 a year, have become rare. Rivers stopped burning, and some became swimmable again. And Lake Erie has come back to life, in part thanks to a ban on laundry detergents containing phosphates.

Yet there was a downside to this success story.

For one thing, as visible pollution has diminished, so has public concern over environmental issues. According to a recent Gallup survey, “Americans are now less worried about a series of environmental problems than at any time in the past 20 years.”

One environmental issue I am excited about is the Chevy Volt. I don't know why but the idea of a car that will run almost solely on electricity if your commute is less than 40 miles is really cool. More innovation along these lines is what I hope will save us in the end.