Originally Posted by
Greg Cuetara
The question in my mind right now is are we shooting ourselves in the foot with the 'EPA' standands.
China is starting to realize the false economy of lowered or no environmental restrictions. Between polluted ground waters, toxic air and dead rivers, the capital and human cost of allowing industry and capitalism to determine the standards is coming home to roost on the people that have to live in that environment.
Historically speaking, industrial capitalist have a particularly careless and short sighted view of environmental protections. The timber industry in Oregon is a fraction of what it was thirty or forty years ago. Left to their own interests, there would be practically nothing left today and the Oregon commercial fishing industry would be all but extinct by now. Logging practices have a direct relationship with Salmon runs as Salmon spawn in many mountain creeks where logging is desirable.
We had thousands of shelves in our warehouse that were clear vertical grain fir. And the grain was tight. Fifty years ago these shelves were as common as they were inexpensive. There's still old growth fir today, but not if commercial logging had had their way. Left to their own agenda, even the redwoods of California would be gone.
Superfund sights are further evidence that industry is a poor steward of the commons. Clean air and water are not something that can be regulated by on a monetary scale, they are a quite simply a fundamental requirement for everyone.
Measure twice, cut three times, start over. Repeat as necessary.